Intro to Backcountry Nordic Skiing Workshop (NoCo Group) - Classroom Session

*** Please do not register for this workshop without first contacting the Course Director by email at stevendielman@gmail.com ***

The Northern Colorado area has some excellent terrain for backcountry nordic (BCN) ski days from easy beginner to challenging. This Workshop is focused on the “up-and-down-and-all-around”, so you can leave your AT, heavy telemark, and splitboard gear at home. Although the Workshop is designed to accommodate BCN beginners, all are welcome and more experienced skiers will have the opportunity to tackle some more challenging terrain and maybe learn some new routes.

Classroom Session (January 22 in the evening)

The classroom session will cover the following topics:

• What is Backcountry Nordic (BCN) and how does  it differ from other types of skiing?

• Equipment overview for BCN: Skis, boots, bindings, poles, and accessories such as kicker skins.  Best options for your experience level and type of skiing you want to do.

• Where to find reasonably-priced BCN rental equipment (~$25/day) in our area for the Field Days and other trips.

• Safety considerations.

• Clothing and pack essentials.

• An overview of basic BCN skiing techniques to be practiced during the optional field days.

• Best NoCo areas and trails for BCN Skiing.

Optional Field Days (January 25 and February 1)

The Field Days will be conducted with low instructor-to-student ratios in locations to be determined based on conditions and weather forecast, but both will likely be in the Cameron Pass area.

The first Field Day (Link) will primarily be a skills day, you can skip this day if you are comfortable with all the skills listed below in a backcountry setting, but we will be in an area with a variety of terrain difficulty to choose from, so skiers of all skill levels will be able to have fun and challenge themselves. We will break into sub-groups based on experience and skill level to cover the following:

• Basic nordic ski skills in the backcountry: diagonal stride, kick-and-glide.

• Uphill techniques: herring bone, side-step, traverse, use of kicker skins.

• Basic downhill and turning techniques: snowplow, stem christie, side-slipping (we won’t be teaching telemark techniques, but bring ‘em if you get ‘em).

• Getting back on your skis efficiently after a fall in deep snow, on steeper slopes, and other awkward situations.

• Hazard avoidance and basic extraction techniques.

On the second Field Day (Link), we will put these techniques to use and go skiing! Again, we can break up into sub-groups for different routes as appropriate based on skill levels and mountain conditions.