It was the miles of groomed Nordic ski trails that brought me to McCall, Idaho almost thirteen years ago and as I look out the window this morning and watch the snow come down, I know that it won’t be long before I am hitting the trails again.
I have visions of gliding effortless on the freshly groomed trails and then suddenly, it hits me – this is the first year I didn’t summer wax my skis. And now suddenly my wonderful vision is being replaced by my pair of skate skis hanging up so nicely in the garage, covered in spider webs and dust. There isn’t going to be any effortless gliding coming off those skis in the near future.
Skate Skiing Tip #1: Don’t forget to summer hot wax your skis.
Anyone who has purchased a new pair of skate skis lately knows that these things aren’t cheap. A little bit of effort at the end of each ski season can go a long way in keeping your skis in good shape. And being the recreational skier I am, I need all the help I can get trying to keep up with my friends these days.
Skate Skiing Tip #2: What to do when you forget to hot wax your skis in the summer.
First, I recommend grabbing some paper towels maybe with a little wax remover and clean off the TOP of the skis. Granted, this won’t make the skis any faster, but when you look down as you take your first glide, you want to feel as fast as possible and looking down and seeing cob webs probably won’t inspire you too much.
Secondly, I would take a dry piece of Fiberlene and clean off the top layer of dust on the BOTTOM (BASE) of your skis. I don’t recommend using wax remover for this step. I have found that wax remover on skate skis leaves a filmy, almost greasy layer that I don’t like on the bottom of my skis. (Some of you might be asking what is Fiberlene? It is a white, stretchy-like cloth, almost like paper towels, but it doesn’t shed and is not quite as abrasive. You can usually find it at your local ski shop.)
Next, I heat up my iron and melt on a layer of warm, inexpensive glide wax. Remember here to wipe off your iron before applying as your iron can also collect dust from the summer. Before the ski has a chance to cool, scrape the wax off. You will find that this can sometimes look like you just put on brown wax because as you scrape it the wax picks up all that dirt and dust, turning a brown color. I often repeat this step until the wax comes off in the same color I put it on. This step does require you to have a waxing iron, bench, scraper, wax..etc. You can ask your local shop to clean your skis as well prior to having them put on your winter wax.
Following this step, I often take a nylon brush and Fiberlene and lightly brush and clean off the base of the ski completely.
Finally, melt on a layer of good glide wax that is appropriate for the temperature and let the wax cool completely. After the ski has cooled, lightly scrape and brush the base of the ski. You can also wipe it down again with a clean piece of Fiberlene. Your skis should now be ready to go! (Technique tips for next time)
Skate Skiing Tip #3: Buy a McCall Nordic Area Ski Pass, available at Hometown Sports, Gravity Sports or the HUB.
This pass is an affordable way for you to enjoy almost a hundred kilometers of groomed ski trails throughout the four different venues around McCall: Bear Basin, Jug Mountain Ranch, Activity Barn and Ponderosa State Park.
We are truly fortunate to have such amazing Nordic ski venues within a ten mile radius of McCall. Haven skied in many world class venues around the globe, I can’t believe how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful place with such great skiing all around me.
I hope you have enjoyed this post and that you are ready to ski!