Tag Archive for: senior xc skier

Roger Lohr

Breaking News: Rottefella Introduces the Move Switch for Enhanced XC Ski Performance

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New, Adjustable  XC Binding Concept Hits The Trails.

Rottefella Move Switch allows for adjustable weight distribution. Credit: Rottefells

The Rottefella company has created the binding solution for waxless and skin cross country skis. The Move Switch is a dial on the front of the binding that will allow skiers to slide the binding forward or backwards without releasing the ski from the boots. That’s right, while you are on the ski trail, you can just bend over and turn the switch for the binding to slide and adjust to the desired weight distribution on each of the skis.

The intention of the Move Switch is for quick adjustment and better performance on flat or hilly terrain for recreational skiers who use waxless skis and particularly the quiet skin skis that have a mohair-type strip embedded in the ski base. If you want to glide better on a slow snow day on the flat trail, then stop and slide the bindings backwards to distribute your weight on the ski to provide more glide. If you need more grip to go up a hill, then slide the bindings forward to attain an enhanced grip to prevent slipping backwards on the snow.

Rottefella has created a moveable binding system that will be available for and can adapt to work with major existing ski plate systems at the other binding manufacturers including Rottefella NIS, Fischer, Rossignol, Salomon, and Atomic. There is also a binding, Rottefella Classic or Skate Quicklock plate that is moveable when skis are removed for those not expecting to move the bindings while skiing.

The Move Switch will make it easier to adjust the ski bindings as necessary correlating to the snow conditions or terrain. In the olden days, such changing required applying different waxes but with the new products, those days should be in the past for recreational cross country skiers. Using waxless skis eliminated the need for waxing the bases, but they worked differently in varying conditions or terrain – some grip well but are slow on the flats, while others glided well but did not hold when going up a hill. The retail price for a system or plate package will run between $69.99 and $149. Currently, the skin waxless skis may comprise about 25 percent of the new XC ski market as skiers are opting for the quiet base that provides good grip and glide in various ski conditions.

Spike Clayton at Skirack, a retail outlet in Burlington, VT, commented that he’s impressed that a Nordic company came out with a product that can be used universally on any ski brand for the ever expanding skin ski market.  “The product will give our customer a true choice to improve the performance of the skis easily.  The great thing about The Move system is it simple and effective for the skier to use.”

Rottefella Move Switch adapts to many brands of bindings. Credit: Rottefella

Steve Hines

Little Lyford Pond Camps: Companionship, Adventure and Hospitality in the Maine woods

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Long-Time Friends Take To The Maine Woods On An XC Adventure.

Steve Hines (R) and his pals venture into the AMC’s wilderness camps every year.
Credit: R. Boucher

A fresh three-inch snowfall covered the winter parking lot as we arrived for our annual winter ski trip. We felt a quiet confidence as we loaded gear into the gear shed for transport to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Little Lyford Pond Camps (LLPC). The camp is on the outskirts of Greenville, Maine. At about 9:30 that morning, we put on skis and shouldered day packs for the 6.8 mile trip from the parking lot to the camp. The four of us—ages 63 to 70—are all experienced outdoorsmen.

Head of the Hedge Hog Gate Trail into the LLPC. Credit: R. Boucher

Trips like this were not new to my group of friends. But, what makes people our age want to continue to take adventures like this? Hadn’t we all earned our rest? Shouldn’t we be shopping for “over 55” living arrangements? Perhaps the answers would be revealed during the week.

AMC owns three camps which are on land the club purchased near the Katahdin Iron Works region in north central Maine. The camps had been fishing and hunting camps for “sports” from Portland, Boston and New York, typically wealthier men looking for a respite from their harried lives in large cities. LLPC opened in 1873 during the so-called gilded age in America. These were the days of JP Morgan, the Rockefellers and the Carnegies. Now, the three camps: LLPC, Gorman Chairback, and Medawisla are all updated and modernized for 21st century adventurers.

LLPC was our destination this time, and the only way to get there is to ride a snowmobile or ski in on either Hedgehog Gate XC ski trail or the KI Road (logging road) to Upper Valley Road to the camps. Either way, the conventional wisdom is that intermediate skiers have the best time but beginners beware. Two of us decided on the trail and two on the roads thereby observing the “never ski alone” rule.

LLPC at twilight. The AMC maintains three wilderness camps in Maine. Credit R. Boucher

A few hours later, we four were reunited at the lodge at LLPC having lunch and telling stories. The staff at the camp were all on the job less than six months but were eager to please. In a short time, they’d become veteran innkeepers. Food at LLPC ranges from good to excellent, and we all found plenty to eat. The camp staff also accommodates special needs like vegetarians and gluten free. Trail lunches are provided as part of your stay.

The trail system around LLPC is extensive also ranging from comfortable “kick and glide” trails to challenging, ungroomed trails like Gulf Hagas.

Cross Country skiing isn’t the only winter sport enjoyed in the area around LLPC. Snowshoeing is also popular too. And the Lodge has snowshoes to loan.

While we had many conversations around our wood stove over the course of our stay, there were no clear answers to the existential questions listed at the beginning of this article. We did agree, however, that we all look forward to our next winter adventure.

Snowshoeing around the pond at LLPC. Credit: R. Boucher