The Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic tests the function and durability of participants and their equipment. The annual event is an extraordinary experiment in what is physically possible. To that end, it’s worth reflecting on the performance and rationale of equipment and clothing choices.
A Frosty Forrest
Photo by Derek Collins
Clothing
Traversing the Brooks Range from north to south in early April involves major temperature swings. At the start it was 30 below and at the end 30 above — a 60-degree difference. My strategy was to only add or remove layers, but never to trade them out. This included my two down jackets: a GoLite down parka that fit over my lighter Patagonia down hoody. Similarly, my Rab down mitts fit over my OR gloves.
The BPL Cacoon Insulated Pants fit nicely over my other bottom layers but were problematic in that they lacked side zips. For extra insulation, I slept with these pants on and wore them for a few hours each morning. Removing them later in the day required, inconveniently, taking off my ski boots. Full zips would have been worth the extra weight.
My wool skullcap stretched out during the event and, by the end, drooped over my eyes, impeding vision. A synthetic skullcap would have been preferable. Four of my tops had hoods — two would have been sufficient.
I brought the Buff primarily to protect my face from frostbite. However, a Buff is too tight and restrictive to wear over my nose and mouth. A silk scarf would have been preferable.
Overall, there was nothing that I didn’t use and nothing that I felt was missing. My favorite piece of clothing was my sunny orange Patagonia Men's Ultra-light Down Hoody that kept me warm and brightened the day of everyone around me.
Derek Collins waxing up his Madshus Skis
Photo by Luc Mehl
Ski Equipment
With less than 10,000 feet of vertical gain in 200 miles, the horizontal eclipsed the vertical in this year’s Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic. For this reason, I chose classic Nordic equipment. The Madshus Glitterland one and a half camber skis were the ideal choice. Nine out of 10 participants chose Madshus metal edged backcountry Nordic skis. Their camber allowed for efficient kick and glide, the metal edges offered control for negotiating miles of river and overflow ice, and their wood cores ensured durability.
My boots and bindings were a source of frustration. While my NNN BC bindings worked great to skate, kick and glide, the bindings froze up with ice. It became impossible to remove our skis, even after pouring hot water over them. For three of the four nights we were out, both Derek and I resorted to leaving our boots on our skis. Other participants had better luck with Salomon SNS XADV Raid backcountry bindings.
The Alpina NNN BC boots, while comfortable, were equally problematic. Built-in gators were helpful for keeping my feet dry when traveling through overflow ice, but both zipper pulls snapped when pulling the frozen boots on my feet in the morning. Lacking straps in the heel, putting these boots on became a cruel exercise in discomfort and inconvenience.
No doubt, the neoprene overboots assisted in keeping my feet warm and dry. The Alpina overboots, however, are not highly compatible with Alpina NNN BC boots. Trimming the soles of the overboots to fit the NNN BC bindings required my kitchen scissors and gluing the toe box to the boots. Of greater issue was zipper placement. The zippers for the overboots were in the rear, while the zippers for the Alpina BC 2250 Boots were in the front, making it significantly more challenging to take them on and off.
If I were to do the Brooks Range Galbraith Lake-Anatuvik-Wiseman course again, I would continue my love affair with the tried and true three-pin bindings, likely with a pair of Crispi Top Expedition Nordic boots.
I had planned on taking my Mohair Kicker Skins, but in the final stages of packing traded them out for full-length skins. I was concerned about following pre-existing skin tracks. In hindsight, the kicker skins, at half the weight, would have been more than adequate.
The most notable piece of new equipment that I carried was the Komperdell Speedy Vario Carbon Skate Pole, which fortuitously arrived at my front door the day before I left for Alaska. I was concerned that a pure carbon fiber pole could fail during the race, leaving me with a broken wing or, as they say, “up the creek without a paddle.” The poles, however, proved durable and worthy, surviving more falls than I care to discuss. I appreciated being able to shorten my poles for climbs and descents and extend them for the flats. Amazingly light, with a low swing weight, they helped in reducing fatigue.
Gearing up at the Starting Line
Photo by Luc Mehl
Personal Gear
I seemed to nail this list. My only regret was not taking a warmer sleeping bag. I brought a 0 degree bag and wish I had a -20 degree bag. Another pound of down would have provided significantly more sleep and comfort.
The HMG Porter Pack worked great: the perfect size and weight. It also provided some extra ground insulation at night. It has been my experience that the NeoAir Mattress provides adequate insulation from the cold, frozen ground. Yet, a thin foam layer, like what is used for the frame of the Porter Pack, when placed over an air mattress, is even better. Sleeping with a foam pad placed over an air mattress provides greater insulation and is much warmer than a foam pad placed under an air mattress.
My Nalgene water bottle, which doubled as my drinking mug, did crack in the cold. Luckily, the Nalgene bottle cracked in a way that I could still drink my morning concoction of instant espresso and hot chocolate. And, for carrying water, I still had a Nalgene bladder.
Fellow Participant Aaron Wells
Shared Gear
Lacking any strong winds, our Fistlight tent performed well. During our first frigid night, we even squeezed in three of us, when a half-frozen Roman Dial arrived at our camp with hopes of avoiding a tentless bivouac. To save weight, I replaced the stock aluminum poles with custom carbon fiber poles, which I had made to double as avalanche probes.
Nothing is more comforting on a cold night in the snow than a MSR white gas stove burning bright. We chose the SimmerLite with a titanium fuel bottle. We stored an extra two liters of fuel in a Platypus bladder. Our 4-liter Evernew Titanium Cook Pot was great for melting snow and heating a high volume of water. To save a couple more ounces, I removed the steel handle from the pot. We used our Leatherman as a pot grip. The blade from an old Chouinard Equipment shovel doubled as a stove board.
Cook Kit
Food
At the start of the race, my food bag weighed 12 pounds – enough food for five nights. My diet included a healthy mix of four essential food groups: fat, sugar, salt and caffeine.
Great Job, just what I wanted!
ReplyDeleteThe overboots kept your boots dry? That's the only x-factor for me, as we don't see much overflow around here.
ReplyDeletePlanning on showing up next year.
While not truly waterproof, the overboots kept water and the associated ice off our boots. That said I would probably not use them again. Next year's course will likely be somewhere further south and warmer.
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ReplyDeleteGreat to see your full list Forrest.
ReplyDeleteDoes the Philips screwdriver on the Juice serve as a suitable tool for ski binding repairs? I was always told that bindings required a Pozi-drive bit and using a Philips wouldn't work well. This has lead me to carrying bigger & heavier multi-tools than I would care to.
Joe - You got me. I thought I'd included everything but I didn't. We brought a Pozidriv bit and if needed planned to turn it with the Juice pliers.
DeleteIt would be great if Leatherman mad a skier version of the Juice that included a Pozidriv and file.
Great list Forrest! I would to share this, your review of your own equipment provides good insight into the choices we all have to make.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a doozy on an experience!
ReplyDeletePicturing you two trying to thaw your bindings, and leaving your boots in, three of four nights, is a hilarious story.
Thanks for sharing.
Hey Forrest, wondering if you are still liking those poles, are they what they are currently calling their "carbon featherlight" under the "Nordic walking " section?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.komperdell.com/en/poles/nordic_walking/index.php
I am smiling about your sleeping bag...I slept so well in my neg 30 bag this year.
I am going leather and 3 pins this year, with the 40 below lightweight overboot.
Hope the far Southern climes are treating you right, all the best.
Thomas
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThomas,
DeleteI used the Nordic Team Vario - http://www.komperdell.com/en/poles/nordic/classic/184_2304_10.php
Nordic Walking Vario Pole is similar but has a different tip.
Any word on where this years course will be?