Quick Tips—Cross-Country Skiing

1. Cross-country skiing is an aerobic activity, and you can overheat quickly if you're dressed too warmly. Dress in layers to avoid perspiring and the risk of chills or hypothermia. Lightweight wicking underwear, a fleece top and tights, and a weatherproof outer shell should do the trick.
2. Protect yourself from the sun, even on overcast days. Reflected light off the snow and prolonged exposure can cause serious burns (and in some cases, "snow blindness"). Wear sunscreen and sunglasses with good UV protection.
3. Carry a larger pack for winter backcountry trips than you do during summer. You need extra clothing and gear to stay comfortable on a winter day trip. A pack with an outer pocket is handy for carrying a snow shovel.
4. Drink plenty of water when you're out skiing, even if you don't feel thirsty. You need to stay hydrated to stay warm!
5. Stretch before and after skiing to stay flexible and decrease muscle soreness. Gently stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscles and calves. Don't forget the biceps and triceps, as cross-country skiing works your arms, too! Some sample stretches.
6. Start out at a lift-assisted ski area when learning to telemark ski. You'll learn faster on consistent snow conditions and be ready to challenge backcountry terrain with a few skills under your belt.
7. Carry some glide wax packets in your pack to keep your "no wax" skis gliding smoothly all day. Apply only to the smooth surface of the ski base.
8. Find 2 or 3 grip waxes that cover the full range of temperatures you're likely to encounter, and stick to them until you're comfortable using each one.
9. Most cross-country ski boots come in European sizes, and some are sold in American sizes. Some telemark and randonee boots come in "mondo point" sizing, which equals the length of the boot in centimeters. When trying on boots, wear one pair of medium-weight or lightweight socks and a liner sock made of synthetic materials or silk. Aim for a snug fit so that your heel does not move up and down, but your toes can still move comfortably.
10. To slow your descent when skiing in groomed tracks, carefully lift one ski out and set it at an angle to the track. Put pressure on the inside edge of that ski, in a "half snowplow" formation. Be careful not to press too hard, though, or you may catch your ski and stop too suddenly!
11. When selecting cross-country boot and binding systems, make sure they are compatible. NNN (New Nordic Norm) and SNS (Salomon Nordic System) binding systems must be matched with their respective NNN or SNS boots. Similarly, BC (backcountry) versions of these bindings must be paired with BC boots. Other combinations of these boots and bindings will not work.
12. Turn your alpine skis into randoné e (or alpine touring) skis with binding converters. These accessories free your heels for ascending mountain slopes. (You'll also need some climbing skins.) At the top, the bindings click back into alpine ski mode so you can make parallel turns downhill.
13. Check your windshield washer fluid level before you head for the mountains in winter. Dirty slush is nearly impossible to see through when it's splashed on your windshield by passing traffic, and wipers alone just make it worse!
14. Buy skins so they cover as much of the ski base as possible while leaving the metal edges free. This is usually about 5mm narrower than the ski's waist.
15. To keep your climbing skins from icing up, try rubbing on some Glob Stopper skin wax.

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