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Kolapore wilderness trails

Start of spring skiing at Kolapore - March 5

05 Mar 2013 5:00 PM | Anonymous
Sadly (in my opinion) we are seeing the start of spring skiing conditions on the Kolapore Trails.  Although the temperature has probably not gone above zero, the sun is warm enough that it is melting some snow, particularly on south facing slopes.  At night it is cold enough that the snow refreezes, and creates a light crust.  In sheltered areas, there is still powder snow on the trails.  The skiing was pleasant today, but will deteriorate as the thaw/freeze cycle continues over the next few days.  (The snow at the snow gauge has gone from 49 cm on Sunday to 43 cm today, as the snow settles.)
One problem that you may encounter if your skis aren't adequately prepped is clumping or icing.  This occurs when a ski picks up some moisture from warm snow, and then hits an area of cold snow.  My wife had serious problems with icing yesterday.  Icing can happen on the tips and tails of any ski - the remedy is to ensure that your tips and tails are adequately treated with glide wax which repels water (there are liquids that are very easy to apply).  Non-wax skis are susceptible to clumping underfoot in conditions around zero, and the fishscales should be treated with spray-on silicone or liquid glider. 
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