Everything You Need To Know but were Too Afraid To Ask
By Stephen Bray
(This text was originally published in the SUBW yearly magazine VS&M, No 12, 1993. Some prices have been updated)
This article describes a beginners' ski trip, and what you need to go skiing. It is aimed at someone who has done a few overnight bushwalks and is thinking about going on their first weekend ski trip. Talking to experienced people is the best source of information.
THE PLAN
Weekend ski trips, like bushwalks, start on Friday night at Strathfield Station, Uni, someone's place, or wherever. The drive down takes about six to seven hours, and can be a cultural experience with the right tapes. Skis, boots, and poles can be hired at a number of places, such as Cooma, Berridale, and Jindabyne. We normally sleep below the snow line on Friday, often under a bridge called the 'Berridale Hilton', or at the rest area at Island Bend, where there are plenty of picnic tables. If sleeping at the Berridale Hilton take a groundsheet, as tents are not put up. This is an opportunity to see if your sleeping bag is warm enough!
On Saturday the skiing starts - alrighty!! - often from Guthega Dam or Munyang power station. Hopefully someone will show you how to put on the skis and some basic technique. Typically we ski for a couple of hours with packs on, put the tents up, and then play around without packs for the rest of the weekend, snow camping on Saturday night. We start heading back on Sunday afternoon, usually getting to Sydney after midnight, although delays are not unheard of, and try not to obliterate too many rose gardens on the way. I suggest you do not make any big plans for Monday morning, as it is possible you could be a bit tired.
GEAR
Besides the usual stuff for a bushwalk, you need to think about avoiding the cold and the sun. We'll start with day-time things - mainly clothes - and then talk about night-time stuff - sleeping bag and mat. There are lots of books going into more detail, and gear shop assistants can tell you things about buying gear, and if you are lucky, some useful information.
Clothes
To handle a variety of conditions people use 'layers' of clothes made of fancy materials in lots of bright colours. So I'll describe layers and materials, get into a few particulars and make no comment about colours.
Layers
Alpine conditions are quite variable, from a cold morning start, to a hot sunny elevenses, to a lunchtime blizzard. To comfortably handle this range, wear light clothes next to your skin for mild conditions, and have warm clothes that you can stick straight on top of these if it gets colder, and windproof stuff you can stick on over all that if it gets real cold. If it gets warm again just strip off, layer by layer.
An obvious point about layers is that you have to larger sizes for the outer layers - otherwise they won't fit! A less obvious point is the effect of moisture, which comes mostly from sweat, and some from snow that may have got in somehow. Moisture conducts heat away from your body, and can also freeze up. To reduce moisture don't have so many clothes on that sweat pores out, and use magic materials that get rid of moisture.
Materials
This is all pretty dry material. In the last couple of decades synthetic materials have been appearing which help get rid of moisture. They all retain little moisture when wet, dry fast and easily, and have silly names.
- Chlorofibre and polypropylene are used in underwear. They are supposed to magically wick moisture away from the skin.
- Polartec 100, 200, and 300, nee polarlite and polarplus, would be worth avoiding because of the nomenclature, except they are so good. Jackets and hats are made from these.
- Goretex, Millair and others are used in waterproofs. They keep rain and wind out, but allow moisture vapour to escape. They also keep wind in, so look out Ashley.
- A whole heap more made by different people, which we won't get into.
The problems with buying these new materials is that they are damned expensive, and you risk being branded a gearfreak, so traditional materials are used.
- Wool is quite good. It doesn't absorb too much moisture and stays warm when wet, but takes a while to dry out. It is used in jumpers and gloves.
- Nylon/wool mix is good in socks and pants, and nylon/cotton mix isn't as bad as pure cotton at moisture absorption.
- Cotton absorbs moisture and is hard to dry, so is not good for skiing except in pleasant conditions, or if it has been dyed pink. Wet jeans turning to ice are not nice.
Let's play getting dressed up with Jimmy and Virgil
The Body
Start with a tight, light 'thermal' layer next to the skin, which aims to trap still air next to the skin.
Chlorofibre and polypropylene are great, but pricey ($30-60 a pop). Wool singlets or undershirts are fine. If on a budget, you can skip a thermal layer on your legs. Then comes some thick stuff on the body such as wool jumpers ($5 -$10 from Vinnies) or Polartec jackets ($80 +). Down below wool/polyester pants are good ($3 from Vinnies).
The outer windproof layer is most important. Your bushwalking jacket should be okay. Japara works, Millair ($130) and Goretex ($300) are great. Nylon overpants ($20) will do the job, and again Millair or Goretex are great.
Head/Extremities
A beanie and/or balaclava, and gloves are essential. Chlorofibre thermal gloves ($15) are worth buying. Woollen gloves/mitts are very common. Windproof outer mitts are nice, but wool socks and bread bags will keep your hands warm, even if they aren't particularly elegant. Take a few pairs of wool mix socks so that you have a couple of pairs to wear, and a spare dry pair for night-time, or to use as mitts if you have to. The 'Explorer' brand are popular. A hat for sun protection is another essential. 'Foreign legion' or caps with neck protection are good, while -Virgil prefers huge Mexican sombreros.
Others
A good pair of LIV blocking sunglasses are needed. Don't forget high strength sunblock, and some block for your lips. Remember, if you have a pierced nose not to wear a metal nose-ring while skiing, as frost nipped nostrils may result. Gaiters stop snow from getting into your boots. Nylon gaiters ($20) are fine, and canvas, Goretex etc. are available.
Night-time
Sleeping bags, sleeping mats, tents and stoves are the main extra items you need for snow camping. Let more experienced people arrange the tent and stove.
Sleeping bags are one of the more important items. Most people have down filled sleeping bags, and choosing a suitable one can be tricky as there are many variables. A good measure of a bag's warmth is the mass of down it has, as the down in reasonable sleeping bags is roughly comparable: about a down to feather ratio of 90:10 and a loft of 600 inch3 ounce-1
So, a bag with 700 g of down ($300+), (-5 to -100C) is kicking in, while a 900g down ($500+), (-10 to -200C) bag is toasty.
Sleeping mats. Roll up foam sleeping mats ($20) are fine. Thermarests ($100+) don't do an awful lot more, but take up less room when packed.
FOOD
Take the usual bushwalking tucker, but with a few modifications. High energy snacks such as chocolate go down well. Cooking is done on a stove, so quick cooking noodles are good, while slow cooking victuals such as brown rice are not so good. With a decent stove you can still cook your usual pasta or rice dishes. I don't like having powdered milk on cereal for breakfast as fiddling with water which maybe partly frozen first thing in the morning often results in cold fingers. Try bacon rolls, light bread buns, or fruit loaf.
CAR
You need to put antifreeze in the radiator before you leave. The places we camp on Friday night can freeze water. Skis can be put on a roof-rack and tied down with hockey straps, or put inside if you have enough room, few enough people, or a car load of people who are suitably sado-masochistic. Chains need to be hired. For a weekend, they can be hired at Cooma ($19), or Jindabyne ($26), among other places.
COST
All up, $80-$110 for the weekend: $30-$50 for petrol, $50 for skis, boots, and poles, and $8-$? for a meal on the way home are the main costs. All manner of things can be hired, such as sleeping bags and Goretex coats, but hopefully this can be avoided by judicious borrowing. Your carload may also have to share chain hire and park entry costs. Noting that lift passes alone for downhill skiing cost $77 (2002 price) per day, cross country skiing really isn't that expensive.
DONT FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH, VIRGIL AND EARLYBIRD
DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!!