Hey Denis!

Yea I am just trying to learn in the relative safety of the midatlantic. As for boots I just bought a pair of Techica Diablo Magmas (26.5) for my alpine boots. I love the boots and they fit like a glove. I can actually walk in them pretty well if I open the cuffs and straps. The top cuff is on a hinge that just swings open when unbuckled. I don't have trouble walking a half mile or so in them with cat tracks so I should be fine. I also have a pair of Salomon Ellipse 9.0 (27.5) which I had been using last season. They have a walk feature and I was thinking about using them for touring boot if I don't like the Technicas. I sort a swim in them at times but I can make it work with a thick foot bed and thick socks as long as I'm not skiing moguls! If I think that what I have just really isn't working I can always get a pair of real AT boots. What places around here actually have AT boots in stock? IMO fit is even more important for AT than for alpine / downhill boots because you're the lift and the skier.

Thanks for the info. I didn't even know about grip waxes until I read your post thanks! I did buy a pair of Kick zone skins. They seemed like enough for me right now. I will have to figure out the kick wax because that sounds a lot less involved. http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD0795...cker-Skins.html

I am definitely going to check out WG soon. I also fond like about a half dozen maps of ski touring / snowmobile trails in SWPA. I know to stay off snow mobile trails. It's good they have them on the same map that way I know where to stay away from!

The freerides arrived today and now they are installed!





The Mini skins arrived too! I tested them out and it seems pretty simple and idiot proof. They cover only right under the bidings. Its supposed to be enough grip for most not too steep climbs. I might try the grip wax method too. That might be better because I wont have to mess with putting skins on and off.

Nice pictures! Who mounted them for you? Or did you do it yourself? I didn't know that anyone around here mounted Fritschis.

Kicker skins ought to work fine in WV, that's what I use all the time. Kick (grip) wax will not climb as steeply as the kicker skins. It serves the same purpose as scales, but it isn't as idiot proof as scales. Waxing for the wrong temperature can be worse than no wax. I suggested it as a means to travel efficiently on flat or nearly flat ground. For example, Springer Orchard is 3/4 mile or so from the Whitegrass Lodge. That is a long way to pole oneself with nothing but slick alpine wax on your bases. Your arms would be falling off by the time you got there. Kick wax allows you to just diagonal stride like any cross country skier. You could also probably climb the lower angle aspects of Springer with wax. If not, just put on skins; the wax won't harm the skin glue.

Skins can ice up if the snow is wet and that can be a real PITA. They sell "glop stopper" wax for rubbing on the skins to prevent that, but there is something better. I treat the plush side with Zardoz (google it). Just rub the puck over the skin going with the grain. It will last all season, prevents ice up and gives better forward glide. Don't get it on the glue or it won't stick. Also a ski base freshly treated with Zardoz will not hold skin glue.

Hope this makes things more clear. not

Thanks for the additional info Denis. I thought I bought the right thing with the kick skins, but I'm a newbie and its nice to have some confirmation.

To answer your question, I did the mount on my kitchen table. There was complete guide with paper jigs on wildsnow.com (thanks Sam). I started mounting skis with the system skis I got like 4 years ago. Once I realize how not rocket science it is I moved on to mounting flat skis with alpine bindings last season. I have appropriate drill bits, and screw drivers. With the appropriate tools mounting skis is an easy hour long wood working project.

There are even guides online about how to make your own skis from scratch. And I like DIY activities.