Re-cutting skins to fit a new ski

I recently broke my new AT (alpine touring) set up when I was on a snowmobiling trip in Camp Hale. As a result, I had to adapt my set up for my upcoming hut trip this weekend. I was postponing this task because I was hoping that Armada Skis was going replenish or at least give me a discount on the one ski that I broke. They did not compensate me at all. I was actually surprised by this as most ski companies are great about helping you fix your equipment. Anyway, now that I have one brand new pair of Armada JJ's rendered virtually useless ( I think I am actually going to donate my one good ski to this site: http://www.sitski.com/monoinvail.htm) my mission was to re-cut and fit my climbing skins onto my telemark set up. I had to adapt my set up for my upcoming hut trip this weekend.

I have an extra-wide pair of G3 climbing skins and I had to cut them down to fit my smaller Volkl Gotama skis. Here is a link to great directions: https://www.climbingskinsdirect.com/trimDirect.html The first step in the process was removing the top leash that connects the skin to the ski. I did this by unscrewing the three screws that held clamp down. This released the skin and allowed me to fold the ski and and measure where I wanted to cut it.

I then marked a line with pen where I wanted to cut it and then cut the skin with a pair of ordinary scissors. Next, I want to re-attache the to leash of the skin back to the newly skized pair of skins. I was lucky enough to attain new G3 screws from the shop I bought my skins at. I highly recomend getting new screws as you want to not only screw the clamp closed but pierce through the skins to you know they are attached.

Next is to file down the ends of the screws with a metal file. This took about an hour of hard work, but the result is perfection!

The last and final step is to reapply the skins to your skis and use a G3 skin trimming tool to cut the sides of the skins so just the edge of your ski is exposed. This is a good idea when you are climbing up a steep slope and need to dig your edges in the side of the hill. I obtained a G3 cutting tool at the same shop I bought my skins. They were super helpful and showed me the proper technique. If you are looking to buy skins I highly recomend Neptune Mountaineering in South Boulder. www.neptunemountaineering.com It is a great shop!

Ok, well that's it for me. I am off to the Fowler-Hillard hut in Camp Hale and we are expected 8-16 inches of snow tonight! I will update when I return.

Cheers

Intrested in Backcountry Skiing??

Hello,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I have set up this blog to give skiers in Colorado an alternative to skiing at the resorts and frankly only durning the winter. I myself am a Ski Instructor at Beaver Creek and although I love to ski in the resorts I have found myself venturing out into the backcountry more and more.
In the Backcountry, there are no lift lines, no traffic, and best of all more fresh powder skiing than you now what to do with. I like the idea of being self-sufficient and "earning my turns". It is also great exercise. Skiing has been around for thousands of years and was not really until the last couple hundred years that people starting riding chair lifts to access the terrain they want to ski.
If you want to return to skiing's roots and start going down the road less traveled then backcountry skiing might be for you. There are few prerequisites for backcountry skiing which everyone should take very seriously. Because there are no grooming machines and Ski Patrol where you are headed it is very important to understand a few simple safety precautions that will make your travel a lot less worrisome.
First off, take an avalanche class and get the proper equipment. I took a three day course through Colorado Mountain School that was extremely comprehensive. Here is a link to their website: http://www.totalclimbing.com/page.php?pname=guided/options/avalanche There are other courses that are less time consuming and less of a financial burden, however when it comes to survival I rarely pinch pennies. It is also important at a minimum that you carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe on every trip. I like this course because it teaches AIARE avalanche awareness standards which is an international certification. It is the most uniform in the industry. If you are looking for other AIARE courses outside of Colorado I suggest checking out this website: http://www.avtraining-admin.org/courseprov.cfm
The second most important element in traveling in the backcountry is finding a partner you can trust. Some might argue that this is the single most important aspect of traveling in the backcountry. You want to ski with someone who you would trust to save your life if the situation arose. Find someone you feel comfortable with and start planning trips together. The more time you spend together the easier it will be to rely on someone in dire circumstances.
Finally, purchase a Colorado Fishing Licence. I know it sounds a little quirky but for under $20 you purchase an unreal amount of security. By having a fishing licence your are covered under liability insurance by the state and if you needed helicopter evacuation in the backcountry you could call the number on the back of your fishing licence and they will pick you up in a Chopper at no cost. This is a small price to pay to potentially save your life. Here is a link to the website where you can purchase a fishing licence: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/

OK, well, I think that is enough for my first post. I gave you a laundry list of things to take care of before you even think about stepping foot in the backcountry. My next post will outline an introductory day-trip ski tour to get you moving in the right direction. Until next time.

Pray For Snow!