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Caring for Your Gear

Editor — Mon, 07 May 2007 16:41:48 +0000

Snow skiing is a great sport to participate in especially during the winter months if you are fortunate enough to have snowfall nearby you. For anyone interested in snow sports, like skiing, it is vital that all your equipment is well looked after, stored correctly and properly prepared before being used again. The proper care of all your winter sports equipment can extend its life for many more fun filled years on the slopes and you can enjoy optimal performance from your equipment.

One of the best ways to ensure the longevity of your equipment is through prevention rather then cure or replacement. You will notice that after you have been out a number of times for a good couple of hours that your skis start developing rough patches. Don’t worry, all you have to do is file down the rough sections and add a coat of polish and the next time you are out they will perform like the day you bought them.

Be sure to keep a bottle of coatings in your ski repair kit, which you can apply easily to the base of your skis to help protect them from all the wear and tear they go through. You can also add a boot dryer to the kit, as you will need it to dry off your boots before you can go on your next run down the slopes. Leather boots need a little attention when you are using them for the first time to keep the water out. Any waterproofing or anti-water wax will do the trick and only needs to be applied once or twice every season.

Most of the upkeep of your ski equipment can be done yourself, but remember to take your skis in regularly to the nearest ski shop for major wax and tuning and detuning jobs. At the start of each skiing season it is also good to take in all your skiing equipment to the shop where they can check it thoroughly and ensure your boots, bindings and ski system are still in good working condition.

When it comes to the end of the season, first apply a thick layer of wax to the base of your skis to protection them while they are not in use. When it comes to using them again you will of course have to remove a lot of the excess wax before you can use them again. When you pack the skis away wrap each base individually in an old sheet or in newspaper, which will protect your skis from dust and moisture. It is not advisable to place your equipment in a waterproof container as damage can result from condensation occurring within the box.

Dog Sledding

Editor — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:41:34 +0000

Ever since the Walt Disney movie ‘Eight Below’ there has been a new surge of interest in dog sledding. For many years, these loyal canine companions have only truly been appreciated by their owners and drivers, but now their worth as rescue dogs or even sport dogs has become apparent to millions across the globe.

Dog sleds have been used as a form of transportation in areas of heavy snowfall for millennia. They gained particular popularity during Canada’s gold-rush days when dog sleds were often the only way to traverse large areas of snow and ice to get to towns and villages. They started to fall out of use with the increase of technologically advanced forms of transportation and before long dog sledding became a dying art form. However, a number of dog lovers and owners saw the need to find a way to keep their beloved companions in business and before long the competitive sport of dog sledding was born.

Making use of a basket sled, dogsled racing typically takes competitors over a certain given area from point A to point B, making use of the driver’s navigational skills and the dog’s sledding experience to ensure that the team chooses the safest route and arrives at the finish line. Dogsledding still has a massive following – especially in areas with a high annual snowfall. It may not be the most prestigious of sports or snow skiing activities, but it does give owners the opportunity to make the most of their beloved companions and to test their mental and physical skills at the same time.

There are many that would argue that dog sledding is cruel, but the counter-argument is that these dogs are bred to work. They seem passionate about their job and their natural instincts are often honed out on the trail. Dog owners are seldom merciless and will often put the needs of their canine companions above their own needs. Dog sledding is seeing a small revival today as rescue operations, arctic exploration teams and holidaymakers looking to enjoy a new experience often use them.

If you do not have time to learn the age-old art of dog sled driving, why not take a ride in a sled at one of the many winter locations that offer this option? Getting to know the dogs and enjoying the natural environment is often the perfect addition to any dog-lover’s snow skiing vacation.

Avalanches: The Snow Skier’s Greatest Fear

Editor — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:25:08 +0000

An avalanche is a slide of snow, mud, rock or occasionally a combination of all three that proceeds down the slope of a mountain under the force of gravity. Avalanches can flow at speeds of up to 60 mph and can carry immense volumes of material, in some cases weighing over 100,000 tons. Being caught in an avalanche is truly a skier’s worst nightmare, and unfortunately it is one that too often comes true. Most large ski resorts conduct aggressive avalanche prevention programs and procedures, and the alert is usually at its highest after large snowfalls and/or when weather conditions conspire to make the likelihood of avalanches more likely.

Snow may seem to be fluffy and powdery, but snow deposited by an avalanche compacts very easily as the delicate snow crystals have had their structure pulverized by the force of the avalanche. Someone buried in snow by an avalanche will find to their horror that every movement seems to tighten the grip of the surrounding snow. Even worse, the simple act of breathing can melt the snow in front of the victim’s face, which then re-freezes to form a suffocating mask of ice. The sad statistics show that about 85% of those rescued from burial by an avalanche within 15 minutes survive, but the percentage drops to only 20% after 1 hour, mainly due to the above-mentioned effects.

A widely recognized color-coded system has been devised that gives skiers notice of the local avalanche risk. While a certain level of caution is advised when skiing in snowy mountainous areas, the color system is useful in determining whether an area presents greater risk. The scale ranges from Green at the low end, rising through Yellow (moderate), Orange (considerable), Red (High) and Black-bordered Red for extreme risk. Any type of travel – on skis or otherwise – in an area where extreme avalanche risk is indicated should be avoided. With luck and common sense, the closest any skier will get to an Avalanche is that big Chevy truck in the resort’s parking lot!