Track Lifting
Snow conditions at the beginning of the New Year allowed us to set Montreal up like an Olympic race day. Even though it was pretty darn cold, the moisture content of our latest snow, mixing in with the old snow below, produced a wonderful, fast track for cold weather skiing.
We actually got out on our skis and enjoyed some brisk air and the excellent snow.
We met a handful of other skiers out there too. They were happily impressed with the tracking techniques we use (when we can), and made numerous comments on how fun it is to ski when the trail works with them instead of against them on the changing terrain.
It’s gratifying to hear such comments. We’ve worked hard, the past four decades to improve the trails and set the most advanced classic tracks for ourselves and our guests.
Other ski areas set the classic tracks over on the edge of the trail to allow for both free-style and classic skiers and that’s fine; but the classic track is at best, on the wrong side of the trail half the time and you have to exit the track if it’s time to herringbone up a hill, skate around a turn or stem a ski or two to slow down a bit. It’s like the classic skier is considered the 4th son of an earl, or the ugly sister.
Montreal and Uller are dedicated classic trails only. We consider skate skiing as just one of the tools of a Nordic skier’s skills and set our tracks so that, at times, the skier can change from classic to skating, where skating is more efficient and even safer. We’ll lift the tracks and leave an open, groomed trail to ski a tight corner or a steep up hill or down hill. It’s safer, faster and allows the skier to change things up a little, using different muscles and techniques.
If you’ve ever had the chance to watch us set these changing tracks, you’d probably laugh. Our method is not very high-tech. We have track sleds with automatic lifters that the operator inside the warm gator can actuate with a rocker switch; but the track pan is just too slow. Our preferred method is to put a skier, a person who knows the trails intimately, skied every foot of the trail hundreds of times on the back of the groomer with a rope in both hands. When the track sled is down, setting tracks, the sled rider (the monkey on the back) stands on the pan, adding live weight to the molding of the tracks. When a steep hill or sharp turn comes up, the rider pulls on the rope and up comes the track. A smooth, groomed trail results for the skier to do whatever technique they want to transit the changing terrain. Once the hill or turn settles down again, the rider drops the track pan and rides it.
It’s the way we like to ski. It’s the best way to help developing skiers safely learn all the little things needed to enjoy every trip out on the trails.
Add track lifting to best line tracking and the trails out in our back woods are as high-tech as the trails we’ll see during the Olympics.
We don’t know what we’ll come up with next during those mind-numbing hours grooming the trails. It’s taken us 48 years to get to this point; but we’ll think of something that helps us all ski freely.
Enjoy. Get out. Gosh we love winter! Z
