Learning Cross-Country Ski Downhill Technique is Not Easy. We All Fall. Pep Talk + Blooper Reels

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Learning to ski downhill and perform the snowplow in cross-country skis so that you can stop effectively takes time. There's no set number of repetitions that you can perform that'll guarantee success. Nor is there a standard amount of time that it'll take you to correctly perform snowplows. Your ability to feel safe and confident on hills when running xc skis completely depends on you.
Athleticism counts, but not nearly as much as technique. So if you've never taken an xc ski lesson or learned proper technique, it's going to take you a lot longer to figure it out (compared to someone who has received formal instruction). So I recommend taking a lesson in order to learn exactly what you need to work on so that you can perform a snowplow (or other xc ski techniques) properly.
Mostly this video is a "pep talk" to get you motivated to dive deeper into cross-country skiing and (hopefully) invest in technique (i.e. take some lessons).
Oh yeah, I also included a bunch of blooper clips of me wiping out to show you that we all fall down from time to time ;) The trick is to keep getting up and trying again!
In this video I was running Fischer Excursion 88mm skis with NNN BC Magnum bindings, and wearing Fischer OTX Adventure boots.
• Discussing My Backcountry XC Skis and Philosophy for Backcountry Cross-Country Skiing ( • Discussing My Backcoun... )
This is an article I wrote espousing the merits of learning technique (over buying more xc ski gear).
tahoetrailguide.com/invest-in...
Here's a complimentary article that I wrote about backcountry cross-country ski gear.
tahoetrailguide.com/overview-...
• / jaredmanninen (monthly contributions of $3, $6, $9, $39, or $99)
• www.paypal.com/paypalme/Jared... (option for making a single, one-time monetary contribution)
• venmo.com/u/TahoeTrailGuide (option for making a single, one-time monetary contribution)
• JaredManninen.RedBubble.com (merchandise account featuring my outdoor-related imagery)
Please note that I produced my series of articles and videos tagged “Cross-Country Skiing Explained” with the beginner or intermediate cross-country skier in mind. Therefore, I don’t intend to address racing-oriented philosophy, technique, or gear selection.
Classic Cross-Country Ski Components (articles at Tahoe Trail Guide):
Introduction to Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 1)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
Geometry of Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 2)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
The Grip Zone of Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 3)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
Types of Bindings for Classic Cross-Country Skiing (Part 4)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
Ski Boots for Classic Cross-Country Skiing (Part 5)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
Classic Cross-Country Ski Poles (Part 6)
tahoetrailguide.com/cross-cou...
FAQs about Classic Cross-Country Skiing
tahoetrailguide.com/faqs-abou...
Waxing Your “Waxless” Cross-Country Skis (for beginner and intermediate xc skiers):
Introduction to Waxing Your Waxless XC Skis
tahoetrailguide.com/waxing-yo...
FAQs About Waxing Your Waxless XC Skis
tahoetrailguide.com/faqs-abou...
Considerations for buying cross-country ski gear (new and beginner xc skiers):
Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1)
tahoetrailguide.com/buying-cr...
I've produced this collection of articles and videos about backcountry travel and exploration with the beginner and intermediate adventurer in mind. This is the demographic for whom I most often served while working in the Lake Tahoe outdoor recreation industry. In essence, these informational projects I create and publish are extensions of the many conversations we've had over the years.
Please note that, although I encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone, you need to know your limits and when to turn back. Tahoe Trail Guide and its contributors are not liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death. Always consult multiple sources when venturing into the backcountry. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Your safety is your responsibility.
Copyright © 2023 Jared Manninen
For more information, visit… TahoeTrailGuide.com

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21 фев 2023

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Комментарии : 39

@wstks-fmworldwide5390 Год назад

Indeed! Had a spectacular face plant in January this year, and after 20+ years of classic XC-skiing. Made it almost all the way down a long hill on a pair of new, very fast Madshus skis, and lost my balance close to the bottom. It was ABC Wide World of Sports worthy! Not hurt, just embarrassed 'cause multiple others witnessed it. Notably, my 13-year-old has gotten lots of humorous mileage out of Bad Dad's crash. A series of lessons a few weeks later helped correct technique almost immediately for the three of us. Even one can make a marked difference in glide and control although my wife too wiped out on her skate skis. And she has been a skier since the late 1970s! It goes with the territory as you suggest.

@bradshacker246 Год назад

Ha Ha!! I'm a member of your January face plant club. My best, thankfully no injury, wipe out in all my years of skiing. I think I was semi-daydreaming and enjoying the great snow and weather when somehow one pole ended up planting between my skis, instead of on the outside of them - NOT a good maneuver! A great face plant and a boomerang shaped pole were the results. Thankfully, I had aluminium poles so I was able to bend it back into almost straight shape and carry on skiing and daydreaming. I think learning that falling is a good thing in certain circumstances and how to fall properly are techniques that should be learned early in one's cross country skiing learning.

@JaredManninen Год назад

That's awesome! I know I've had some spectacular falls, too, but most tend to go unnoticed as I often ski alone ;) I am grateful for having captured at least a couple of them on video thought. Haha! That said, there's one fall that a friend of mine took many years ago that we both remember quite clearly and get the annual chuckle out of when reminiscing. I didn't actually capture the fall on tape as I was skiing in front of her, but I did record the audio of her groaning as she bit it back behind me. Pretty classic :) Glad the lessons helped afterwards! Yeah, even one just to provide some structure and context to how to use the xc skis makes a world of difference for most people!

@JaredManninen Год назад

The pole plants between the legs are the worst! I did that another time on roller skis and gave myself a good patch of road rash on my forearm for my efforts :) A lot of people go for the carbon fiber poles, and I do like using them on occasion, but nothing beats the durability and flexibility of aluminum! That's what we use for the majority of our rental fleet of gear, and I'm constantly straightening them as needed. And I've been noticing that when I fall nowadays that I tend to fall to the side. I think I'm subconsciously trying to keep my face/head away from my skis 'cause those things swing wild in a tumble! haha! Falling is definitely part of the adventure. Hopefully not resulting bodily or gear injury, though. I'm sure there's some wisdom out there that states that if you're not faceplanting, you're not pushing yourself hard enough ;)

@barryjewett4037 Год назад

Once again, being 70 and a life long backcountry skier, I commend you in your pursuit, now providing personal experience of struggle off track. I feel there are two important points to add to your clear display of challenge. I skied for decades off trail before the popularity of telemark turns. Skiing on skinny skis required a different technique. To maintain downhill control was accomplished by a side hill traverse, using a side hill step up the grade to stop, and then a kick turn to reverse direction and repeat the process. I still use the technique when beautiful controlled turns are not an option because of the conditions mother nature provides with little or no concern for our wish to dance down the mountain. I am of the opinion that a glorious day's immersion in the backcountry should not be rated by the premise that if turns are poor, then the day was not of value..The second point is that controlled turns provide a tool to travel efficiently, quickly and beautifully. But in learning initially, falling and getting up is far more exhausting than all of the other experiences of the sport. So one should limit the 'crash and burn' to a reasonable time frame, and refocus on the incredible beauty of the winter backcountry that is much more capable of regenerating the spirit. Kudos to you Jared, taking this challenging sport to the masses. You rock.

@JaredManninen Год назад

You're too kind, Barry :) Thank you so much for the generous feedback! I also agree that the value of the experience shouldn't be directly tied to one's ability to perform beautiful downhill technique. Current backcountry xc ski gear is definitely more favorable for downhill technique, but I still use those long traverses with kick turns when the snow is not conducive to performing safe and enjoyable Tele turns or modified parallel turns. When it comes to negotiating downhill slopes, safety is paramount and style is secondary :) Yes, and falling and getting back up can definitely be exhausting. But it's also a necessary skill in which to become proficient, even though none of us really like having to do it. haha But, like you said, at some point you gotta give it a rest so that you can actually enjoy the nature surrounding you, particularly when you're miles from the car and need to conserve energy in order to return safely. It's definitely been fun providing information and inspiration to those who are interested in learning/experiencing cross-country skiing. I just think for so long there's been a lack of middle ground xc ski videos on RU-vid. Mostly it seems like there's been race-oriented stuff (that's far too detailed for the average person) or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, total beginners who've never taken a lesson (and feature videos about how often they randomly fall). I'd like to think that I fall somewhere in between, providing straightforward instruction and examples of how a person could go about navigating off-track/backcountry xc skiing. Anyway, thanks again for all the wonderful feedback you provide. I really appreciate it!

@imawakeareyou4388 6 месяцев назад

I love that you show all your mishaps! People tend to think that if you have done a sport for a long time or you teach a sport that you are perfect and never fall. Most videos show the perfection but I think the mishaps make me trust a teacher more. I used to teach downhill and the few times i fell with my students they were amazed that I could fall. Yes, we all fall! I've come back to cross country skiing and it is so different from downhill that I always laugh at myself and how clumsy and stiff I can be. I so appreciate your videos! Thank you!

@JaredManninen 6 месяцев назад

I really appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad you appreciate all of my hijinks ;) I think it's always fun to see the lighter side of people, as well as the process by which a person goes through to get better at a thing. Falling is definitely part of it, and I do it more than I'd like to admit. Granted, as we become more proficient at a thing most of the falls originate from our attempts to move a bit out of our comfort zones (i.e. trying harder tasks), but it's all the same. We fall! haha. Thanks for tuning in, and for the nice feedback!

@nickheyniger4985 4 месяца назад

Absolutely spot on -so much of the XC skill set are not intuitive and for sure not a 10,000 rep talent code thing -kind of like golf.

@JaredManninen 4 месяца назад

Thanks so much for the great feedback, Nick! Yeah, xc skiing is deceptively complex and takes a long time to really develop a solid skillset. But so much fun to practice, and relatively inexpensive compared to other snowsports so you get your money's worth in the long run - haha! As always, thanks for tuning in and for contributing to the conversation :)

@robkrombeen956 Год назад

Thanks Jared, I don’t feel like quite as much a weenie for my recent wipeouts on the tiniest of hIlls…..

@JaredManninen Год назад

Haha! Hey, Rob, we all biff it on occasion so there's no shame in falling. As I mentioned in one of the other comments for this video, I'm just glad most of my falls haven't been captured on video! Although some of them have been pretty spectacular, so those would've been fun to re-visit ;)

@njs461 Год назад

Thanks for the videos. Many people have told me turning on xc gear isn’t possible yet there’s lots of old books and now RU-vid videos like yours showing you can. I’m not ready to give into peer pressure and buy super clunky a/t gear!

@JaredManninen Год назад

Hey, Nate, thanks so much for tuning in and for the comment/observation. I agree that a lot of people can't do much turning on any sort of cross-country ski, but it's definitely possible. You may have to modify technique and that can transform a downhill turn into something slightly different than a true Alpine turn or even a modern Telemark turn. But that's the price for going light and fast. I personally have no interest in all that AT gear. The downhills are probably super fun, but the flats and uphills essentially amount to a snowshoe style hike. I appreciate being able to benefit from mostly gliding on all terrain (except for the steepest angles). Obviously depth of snow is a factor and really deep stuff will require a slog versus a stride. But you don't have to worry about dealing with skins. I've seen some videos from the European SkiMo (ski mountaineering) style, but no matter how fast you can take of skins you still have to deal with taking off and putting on skins. The less futzing around with gear to keep the flow going is what I prefer. One thing to remember when talking about downhill technique on cross-country skis with a person who doesn't cross-country ski is that it will always seem impossible to them. I've taught cross-country ski lessons to plenty of Alpine skiers who struggle with a basic snowplow (in cross-country skis). They're just a different animal requiring different technique. But since I don't come from an Alpine background, I don't have to fight the urge to treat a xc ski like an Alpine ski. Anyway, thanks again for watching and contributing to the conversation! Let me know if you ever have any specific xc ski questions :)

@njs461 Год назад

@@JaredManninen thanks Jared!

@JaredManninen Год назад

👍

@hikingwheather Год назад

Sorry for your wipeouts, but it is comforting to know that even pros have their moments. 😆

@JaredManninen Год назад

Hey, Heather, no worries on the wipeouts :) We all have them from time to time. Fortunately, most of mine haven't been captured on video. Haha! Thanks for watching. Hope you're having a great winter!

@larryveal7263 Год назад

Took my new Fischer s-Bound 98s and leathers to my local lift served area last week. I'm a level II tele guy, but haven't tried anything that light inbounds for decades. There were a couple of falls; the most impressive coming once I made it to a blue trail and I was feeling my oats. This is when snow snakes tend to emerge.😆

@JaredManninen Год назад

Haha! I agree that often, when we're feeling our most confident, is when those snow snakes seem fit to strike! That's cool that you brought the S-bounds to the groomed area! Speaking of snow snakes, though, I'd be a bit nervous about my skis catching on the corduroy at a downhill resort. Even when the corduroy is more fine at a groomed xc ski area, I still get a little freaked out when it's firm and I'm descending at a fast pace. Thanks for watching, Larry, and for contributing to the conversation!

@P--O 6 месяцев назад

Great and informative video!

@JaredManninen 6 месяцев назад

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words :)

@wstks-fmworldwide5390 6 месяцев назад

Jared, what model of Fischer skis and bindings do you use when you break trail on ungroomed snow, please? We do a lot of skiing on ungroomed trails here in the lower part of the The Mitten, so I wonder if it might make sense to have a pair in the quiver. Please advise.

@JaredManninen 6 месяцев назад

You'll get no arguments from me there! haha. That is, about having more xc skis ;) I have a bunch of Fischer backcountry/off-track skis (Spider 62mm, Excursion 88mm, S-Bound 98mm, and the S-Bound 112mm). In the deepest of snow, particularly when it's dry powder, I'll run my 112mm. Yesterday I was in higher elevations where the location received about a foot of snow. But the snow had such a high moisture content that my Excursion 88mm were just fine for breaking trail. Basically, it wasn't bottomless powder and the snow compressed favorably for trailbreaking. I could easily make good snowballs with that type of snow, so I didn't need really wide skis. So the short answer is that it all depends on snow conditions. Really deep snow = wider ski, less snow = skinnier ski. If you were to invest in an S-Bound 98mm you'd probably be good to go for most trail breaking ventures. Just keep in mind, though, that the 98s aren't as fun on firm and icy surfaces. Well, no wide ski is fun in those conditions. But you can just use your skinnier skis in that situation and, realistically, you're not "breaking" trail when traveling over icy/hard-packed snow anyway. Another important note about Fischer ... this year (2023) it appears that they stopped manufacturing the Excursion 88s and S-Bound 112s. For me, that's a big disappointment because they're my most used skis. I managed to find a pair of 112s at a gear shop here in Tahoe (Sports LTD.), so I bought a pair for backup. But they didn't have my size in Excursion 88s, so once my current pair (which is getting older) is no longer any good, I'll be at a loss and will have to look at a different brand in a similar width. Anyway, if you get lots of lake effect snow (i.e. high moisture content), you may not need to go any wider than those 98mm, for example. And if you mostly get snow that compresses easily (into snowball consistency), probably anything between 75-100mm will be just fine. You may even want to consider the Traverse 78mm. Although, for me, that ski always just seems marginally too thin for many scenarios. Ok, let me know if that helps or if you want other recommendations/clarifications. Realistically, though, 75-100mm is the range you want to be looking in whether you go with Fischer or another brand. As always, thanks for tuning in and for all the great feedback!

@tedwingate Год назад

You've been getting so much snow, how's the tree well situation there?

@JaredManninen Год назад

In a lot of respects, the snowpack has been settling quite well. It's still not perfect, but it's getting there. So the tree wells don't appear to be very hazardous at this point. Usually I find that lots of fresh snow is what makes them super dangerous to ski around. But so far, so good!

@deltafour1212 Год назад

Have you ever tried diagonal stride with the Altai Hok? If so, what was your opinion of them?

@JaredManninen Год назад

I honestly haven't tried them in spite of having a couple of sets at the xc ski resort at which I work. I do like the idea/concept of them, but without camber to keep that huge grip zone off of the snow I struggle with wanting to try them out. I think they're a good alternative to snowshoes, but I just don't see how they could have much glide when diagonal striding. On a steep descent in fresh snow I imagine they're pretty fun, but on the flats I don't know. Again, though, I personally haven't tried them so my speculation is just that - speculation :)

@deltafour1212 Год назад

@@JaredManninen I didn't realize they had no camber. So basically, their sliding snowshoes. If you ever do try them out, love to hear your opinion of them.

@JaredManninen Год назад

@@deltafour1212 As far as I can tell they don't have any camber. And if they do, it's definitely not enough to overcome that rug of a grip zone underneath. haha! I'll let you know my experience if I ever do give them a try, though.

@deltafour1212 Год назад

@@JaredManninenThanks, I appreciate that. "overcome that rug of a grip zone" That alone, tells they don't sound like too much fun but hey, you never know.

@JaredManninen Год назад

@@deltafour1212 Agreed. I have heard that people can have fun with them. But I think it requires some specific conditions.

@maxw1nter Год назад

video has no content

@JaredManninen Год назад

Maybe check your internet connection. The video is there and working fine.

@maxw1nter Год назад

@@JaredManninen yes the video is working fine. Just seen it's Pep Talk and reels. I agree with that.

@JaredManninen Год назад

@@maxw1nter Gotcha. Yeah, many of my videos aren't necessarily specifically full tutorials. I like to provide a lot of additional context to people about learning xc skiing because a lot of people think it should be really easy. But it's like learning anything. To do it good and develop clean technique requires a lot of practice :)