I was very determined to use my skinny, waxable racing skis even though I was planning to hit some more remote trails. Have I made this mistake before? All the time! I just can’t seem to leave behind the glide of my racing skis and don my waxless backcountry skis that, in comparison, seem like snowshoes. Anyway my first waxing attempt resulted in nice glide with hardly any grip so I went for the next warmer wax. Yes, I probably put it on a bit too heavy but when I tested it out, all was good with gripping and gliding.

I set out up the hill. Oh yah, that means gaining elevation, colder snow and more grip and you guessed it, my wax started to stick. Usually a little aggressive striding can overcome a little sticking but not in this case. I reached what appeared do be the crest of the first hill but when pointed down hill my skis just wouldn’t go. About then I was wishing for my snowshoe like waxless skis as they would have at least slid slowly. I gave up. Stepped off the trail so the guy behind me could get by with his waxless skis and used one ski to scrape the other and in this way removed most of my kick wax. Still it was incredibly slow but I made it back to Wild Wings Center and tried a pair of waxless and indeed they were much better but I was more tired then I’d been in a long while from fighting my wax. The lesson I might someday learn, take the waxless skis when snow and conditions are suggesting it!

My sticky wax route used trails called Groshawk and Middle Blue Jay, while my foray on waxless included Woodcock and Snow Goose. Still, a fun day to ski.