Tim Kelley and friends have been using lightweight racing skate XC skis to tour the Alaskan backcountry for years. They use these methods in the springtime when the crust comes out…for hundreds of miles.
This is their website dedicated to the life, art and lore of Supercrust Springtime Skate Action!
They have a great fun style. Email them if you have a question—they’re helpful, too. I like the special add-on carbon ski tip Tim invented to help their skis float better off trail. I also like the boonie repair kit they put together for when something goes wrong: duct-tape, wire, Leatherman…oh yeah!
Here’s a link to pics and vids for this Spring: crust.outlookalaska.com/Skiing2008
Oh heck, what am I thinking: here’s the supercool rock’n’roll lead-in 2008 video. Offtrail XC skiing ROCKS ROCKS ROCKS! …
Note the waterproof “socks” in the pic of the repaired ski above for wading (skiing?) across spring creeks. (I don’t know about that wire.) Check out the cool bear track in the pic below…
