Today has a mixed bag of items: conditions and forecast, a podcast shout-out, and a new page I’ve added to the site.

The usual business

Snow depth indicates the White Mountains got the best out of the last storm, which wasn’t as big as we might have hoped for. But it was good enough to keep a lot of places in business, and some skiers off the streets and out of trouble.

‘State of the touring centers‘ is updated (a bit late). It’s pretty much the same as Sunday. The warming trend starting today will probably mean Minnewaska, Mohonk, and High Point trails won’t be in great shape by Friday.

The better news is that a mild storm system will come through the region on Saturday. Admittedly, the downstate region might not get enough snow to freshen the trails, but at least the forecast isn’t just totally calling for rain, like two weeks ago. Stay tuned.

For your listening pleasure

Do you train or measure your workouts with an HR monitor? Former Canadian elite skier Devon Kershaw participates in a podcast for FasterSkier, and last week he answered some questions from regular people. In the episode link below, he takes up questions like: should you measure race performance in real time? What kind of workouts do elite athletes need most when on tour?

I also loved hearing Kershaw ‘waxing poetic’ about Rode Multigrade Violet kickwax. I’m going to get a tin next time I need to order ski prep supplies. FWIW, Caldwell Sport derides Violet Multigrade as a ‘tourist’ wax, but otherwise finds the brand very useful to have in the wax box. It’s also one of the premier shops for hand-picked race skis.

Listen to the FasterSkier podcast: The Devon Kershaw Show.

Neglect of Backcountry skiing

For some time I’ve been interested in improving my technique a notch or three above the self-taught sloppiness I’d acquired over the decades. I’m still working at it (and having fun), so I’ve prioritized skiing on tracks over touring and breaking trail.

My focus resulted in a sort of averted gaze from off-piste cross-country skiing. The seminar I did last fall highlighted there was a lot to catch up on, so I started by making a page on Types of skis/skiing to classify and distinguish equipment.

Today I’m following up with Backcountry ski trails, including info on getting started and finding guides or groups. Check it out, and if I’ve made an error or omission, please leave a comment.

Thanks for reading.