Wintertime

 After a week of rain and warm temps here in the spoke looks like the beginning of the end of winter. Customers who have followed me for a while know between my wheel building tasks I like to ski. While I like to ski, number one I prefer to backcountry ski. This season though I've done more groomed cross country ski days. That's mostly been because of the weather. This season in particular those off trail days have been the most memorable.  

I got myself a pair of Hoks early in the year and have enjoyed them immensely. Hoks (Hawk) are a short wide ski with a climbing ski permanently attached to the base. I have mine set up with 3 pin bindings to match my other metal edge fishscale skis. I've managed to ski most of the Mt. Spoke singletrack trails with them. While they don't climb as well as full length skins or snowshoes they are light and short enough to be maneuverable and switchback up climbs quickly.  Downhills aren't as fast as skis so on snowshoe trails or in tight trees there isn't as much pucker factor because the speed is slower and the short lenght is easily turned. It's more of a controlled slide. 

Hoking the Lakeshore Trail at Sullivan Lake

 

Hoks on Mt. Spoke 

I skied all the groomed trails at Mt Spoke in both directions, Geophysical and Frater Lake in the same day, and South Summit all of which are part of the WA Sno Parks pass. Also, 4th of July pass Anthony Lakes and the Wallowas which are part of the ID, OR, CA snow parks pass. 

Methow River at Methow Community Trail

On a three day pass in the Methow I did +100km of classic skiing including a day with 2500' of descending from the Rendezvous down to Mazama. 

Of course, between the ski trips there was wheel building to do. I've been busy planning some warmer weather bike trips too. Those are both stories for a different day.