On Saturday, February 25, at Eldora Ski Resort for a special Ski Tour Clinic & Demo as part of the WinterFest ‘Uphill Experience’.
The day consisted of uphill access throughout the day (usually not allowed on weekends), a clinic & gear demo kicking off at 8:15am, skinning up to the Lookout for a free treat, then ski back down for a free beverage.
Although 10 people or so gathered around for the clinic, more people - intrigued by the instructions - joined us as we made our way up the skin-track on the new front-side day-time route, which meanders through the trees on a gentle slope away from the groomers (and away from downhill traffic).
Although skinning is a seemingly simple act, there are many layers of complexity, especially in more challenging terrain like one might encounter in the in the backcountry.
While somewhat tricky to practice on such easy and “artificial” terrain like Eldora’s front-side route, one key element I try to transmit to all attendees is how to “read” the terrain for painting (yes, skinning is an art!) the most efficient (and scenic!) route to the top.
One analogy I use for navigating the terrain while skinning is is sailing upwind (many ski tourers seem to be sailors too). Similarly as one simply cannot sail straight into the wind, but rather has to do upwind tacks and find the trade-off between gaining upwind ground and speed, one simply shouldn’t skin straight up the mountain face if they want to maximize their ROI on their effort.
Rather that going up the steepest, hardest way up - a sure way to waste lots of energy, don’t have much fun, and end your ski tour early - one has to master kick-turns (the skiing equivalent of upwind tacks).
Ski touring is an intricate sport with lots of gear, moving parts, and ever-changing weather conditions, terrain, and situations: I’m a true believer that with expert instruction and the right gear, everyone can master the sport: book your next ski touring clinic & demo!
Davide Giardini
Boulder Skimo Club
(Photos courtesy Meg Cooke)
"I can't say enough good things about Davide's skimo clinic. From seasoned skimo racers to first timers in our group, Davide really went out of his way to make sure each person improved their skills, had a great time, and ultimately left the clinic a better skier than they were before. You will not be disappointed!"
— Dan C. (February 1 Clinic attendee)
SIGN UP FOR YOUR SKI TOURING CLINIC & DEMO
Interested in trying ski touring for the first time, learning more advanced techniques, or demoing new gear by La Sportiva, in a safe inbounds resort setting? Join Davide Giardini and the Boulder Skimo Club at Eldora Ski Resort for weekly ski touring clinics & demos!