Backcountry XC Skiing - Alaska

Watch the newest video here!! • This is Cross Country:...
Follow me on Instagram: / eric_packer
Follow me on my website: ericpacker.com/
With the right conditions, xc skiing can be the best way into the backcountry! My goal is to show what's possible with nordic skiing, and maybe redefine how people perceive it. If you like the video, share it! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Video shot entirely in Alaska, over the course of 5 outings in late April and early May 2016. The specific locations were in the Talkeetna Mountains near Hatcher Pass, and in the Alaska Range off of the Denali Highway in the Amphitheater Mountains. Each day we were out for about three hours and covered on average 40km per day with a minimum 1000m vertical.
Definitely faster than slogging on heavy backcountry gear.
Skiers in order of appearance:
David Norris - overall winner of 2016 American Birkebiner, WC skier
Tyler Kornfield - 2x US National Champion, Sprinting
Myself - I ski sometimes :)
Scott Patterson - 2016 National Champion, Distance, WC skier
Cole Talbot
Andrew Dougherty
Erik Flora - 2013 USOC National Coach of the Year - All sports
Shot on the GoPro Hero 4 Session with PolarPro Filter, mounted to my ski pole, and homemade stabilizer. Sorry for the shake!
Music: Skyward (instrumental) by Scott and Brendo, off the album KZbin songs, Vol. 2
Check out the album here: www.amazon.com...
itunes.apple.c...

[@iancoxproductions4987]

Thank you so much. Yesterday was my bday and I went skiing for first time in my life. 43. There is so much goodness in the world. Love and blessings

[@Film_from.T.]

This is insane. I've recently taken interest into XC skiing. And this has motivated me even more

[@eric.packer]

Awesome!

[@Film_from.T.]

Eric Packer I'm going to rent some skis and give it a go in Hatcher's pass next week

[@lifeofgustav4631]

Insanely good conditions! I'm jealous here in sweden.

[@eric.packer]

When the conditions are right, spring skiing is incredible here in AK!

[@XueTech]

@@eric.packer What months are the best conditions? This is skating on crust right? How far from the airport?

[@kaimeyers5145]

@@XueTech definitely May and late April

[@riidderberg]

I sent this to my friends to make them understand why I love XC-skiing so much! Great video guys

[@gudrune]

Simply amazing. As you point out, with the right conditions :) Also, it takes serious skills to turn and carve with such kit! I can also see how easy hitting the wrong patch of soft snow would be, so you need skills to read the snow too! But yeah, I love it. When you start gliding and finding your rhythm, it's kind of like swimming, when you get good enough to finally feel like you're gliding through water rather than displacing it! There's math behind it. What glide efficiency do people need to reach to start experiencing the beauty of the sport? Because most people never get there, and it's a pity.

[@kaimeyers5145]

It’s more of a general fitness than glide efficiency, if you can skate ski well and are comfortable or downhills then this type of skiing you can pick right up. It’s a lot of fun

[@vitalybrown997]

Ok, I am actually inspired and re-energized from this video!!! Excellent skiing by the way too!

[@eric.packer]

Glad to hear it - That comment just made my day!

[@MrChangCJ]

That looks absolutely amazing. I'll be heading to BC for one year in September! Cant wait to pick up skiing. Backcountry skiing like this is my ultimate goal!

[@trevortwemlow7801]

So good! A nice fresh take on skiing. Really enjoyed your video.

[@eric.packer]

Thanks Trevor!

[@lorenzschenk3910]

Most underrated video. If I have to explain somebody the beauty of XC Skiing, I send them this video :)

[@eric.packer]

Thank you for the kind comment- it’s amazing where skiing can take you!

[@richardmollberg3096]

Perfect weather- and ground conditions! Probably faster than me.

[@eric.packer]

When the conditions are right, crust skiing is truly amazing!

[@pashka4u]

Не травите душу!

[@gillescordier8033]

OMG!!! Simply amazing... Unbelievable, really...!! A dream come true to ski out there on absolutely perfect conditions. 😃🇨🇦 Great video you guys!!!

[@alfredhedlund6685]

God video!! I am a cross country skiier and have ben skiing for 6 years now. And tomorrow am going to do the race kortvasan in Sweden with is 30 kilometer.👏🏻👏🏻

[@alfredhedlund6685]

Sorry for bad english

[@eric.packer]

Nice! Good luck with your racing!

[@niklasanesen5096]

how did it go?

[@OnlineLandSales]

Really like the skiing. Crossover backcountry/skate skiing! Thanks.

[@eric.packer]

Thanks!

[@musikame2930]

見ていて、超気持ちいい。

[@heinrichkleist3473]

Those are days we all live and hope for. Dang!

[@GregRusakov]

The best sport on the Earth!

[@martinwiesiolek]

Nice! I am energized now. Great video and some good skiing!

[@rmsmith2396]

I'm too old and out of shape for anything other than a little kick and glide, but watching this makes me wish I could learn to skate. You guys are fantastic skiers and just watching makes me jealous.

[@eric.packer]

Thank you! You’re never too old- and you can see some amazing places with kick and glide!

[@robertstenang2914]

Im a 50 year old Australian living in norway been snow boarding for 10 years, but never skied. 2 years ago i started classic style cross country skiing, totally love it. 2 weeks ago i started skate skiing, been putting in a couple hours most of these 14 days. I can now do my local 15km run which is quite hilly no problem. So your never to old to learn, skating is actually much easier once you first get it happening.

[@rmsmith2396]

@@robertstenang2914 That's great, glad you are loving it. but I have 22 yrs on you so when you say "you're never too old" I'm not sure you are aware of where you are headed. At 50 I was still running and biking hundreds of miles a year. So enjoy it while you can, it doesn't last forever.

[@robertstenang2914]

@@rmsmith2396 Yes you are correct, although i get passed by a few guys very late i there 60s. Thats the beauty about xc skiing its so low impact on the body.

[@oneeyedsailor4952]

Epic conditions 😍

[@eric.packer]

Spring skiing in Alaska is the best!

[@ionasnyder8236]

I go to APU! I'm in Devos.

[@eric.packer]

You're in a great program! Hope training is going well!

[@briangehring6839]

I'm starting to skate ski because back injuries are keeping me out of the backcountry snowboard/machine game... maybe i can make it back there after all! The last couple springs in Thompson Pass would have been great for this...

[@pavel2733]

Обалденно красиво.

[@rayvernon7516]

I'm so jealous. I want to be these guys in my next life.

[@guoliwu7109]

I love skiing so much!

[@musikame2930]

やっぱ最高ですな!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JaredManninen]

Beautiful stuff! Looks like so much fun :)

[@fidelwendt1232]

I am so jealous right now from Atlantic Canada we just get a ton of ice

[@eric.packer]

We’re pretty lucky here in Ak!

[@radeon29]

I want more of this video!

[@rocksnowandwater]

I am exhausted just watching this video

[@bengt_axle]

Awesome. I thought the skate skis would be too stiff and cut right through the deep snow and sink. Or are you using classic skis with the kick wax removed?

[@SaneAsylum]

I was just watching a video about backcountry skis where they stated that narrow backcountry skis start about 95mm underfoot. I had to chuckle thinking about my old wooden Norwegian Asnes waxless skis and my old classic skis over the many years and my skate skis and how much off trail back country they have seen with the widest being the wooden Asnes at 55mm underfoot. I can't even imagine snow shoeing about with their (95-110mm underfoot) powder skis suffering until the downhill stretches. Your videos are great for many reasons, only one of which is that they show what is possible in backcountry skiing with skinny skis. Forward glide is just too near and dear to me to give it up completely for the downhill!

[@stephancaputa1464]

this looks so fun

[@caraofjasoom]

Y'all make it look too easy!

[@musikame2930]

爽快そう最高すね！！！

[@musikame2930]

超気持ちよさそう！！！！！！

[@tobiasjern]

This is amazing!!!!!!!

[@eric.packer]

Thanks Tobias!

[@sergeyisupov8515]

Thanks for this amazing motivation video!

[@eric.packer]

Thanks!

[@andyd9199]

i see the guys on full blown bc gear dont use the tele turn at all. I've been on lift served and off piste tele for 24 yrs. am looking to start classic xc and skating

[@lipkov]

Thats fckn brilliant !!! So stocked.

[@adventurecoalition3690]

Very cool!! Thanks for sharing

[@eric.packer]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Alaska is pretty amazing for a wide variety of sports- even sports as obscure as cross country skiing!

[@user-ry1gz7bn3o]

Wow!

[@zydecosailor]

great vid... where exactly is this? what does it take to access and is it xc-able 365 days a yr? why go to NZ!!!!

[@eric.packer]

All of the skiing in the film was road accessible, in Hatcher Pass and off of the Denali Highway. Most of the areas we skied were relatively low altitude (around 3000ft or 1000m) and lose snow by June. For summer skiing we can go up to Eagle Glacier, 45 minutes from Anchorge. At 5500ft it holds snow all year.

[@davidzof]

Jessie Diggins was up on Eagle last week, but it is a helicopter uplift if I'm not mistaken.

[@wlsoo1]

Where is this??!! (In Alaska). Amazing

[@eric.packer]

Glad you liked it! I’ve highlighted the specific locations in the description to the video. The cover image is from the bench above Lower Reed Lake in Hatcher Pass.

[@wlsoo1]

@@eric.packer thanks. My destination next year...

[@thefriendlycreeper12]

Me: I thought carving dh on xc skis is next to impossible! Eric Packer: Hold my drink belt...

[@eric.packer]

Ha! Thanks for the comment!

[@dennisfossey4312]

Cool. Awesome video I really enjoyed it.

[@eric.packer]

Thanks Dennis!

[@dennisfossey4312]

I will have try that soon over there in Alaska. I lived Whitehorse Yukon in 2006, and I was close by or near there.

[@edoardoidolo1846]

Can I come with u one day guys?? I take the first flight from italy :p

[@eric.packer]

Only if we can then ski in the Dolomites!

[@musikame2930]

超最高！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！

[@RedOrm68]

Can't really tell, if these guys are using the heel lift turn on the downslope parts. Are they?

[@randalbladel2817]

Not usually, unless we tele, which is a bit more difficult and dangerous to joints. In fact, you really push the tails with your heels a lot in these downhill crust conditions.

That's great !!!!!

[@LegioneRworld]

Nice!

[@eric.packer]

Thanks!

[@haappycat]

How do you climb back up the hill? I see you do some herringboning with a little glide between steps but can you do that all the way up the hill? Do you ever just herringbone without a glide? I am not as powerful as you and would like to just do some traversing switchbacks to take it easy.

[@eric.packer]

Yep - we herringbone or skate up all the hills! It is also possible to purchase skins for nordic skis which allow you to walk up the hills.

[@hedgeclipper418]

how the hell do you find such perfect conditions for skate skiing in an area like that?? It must be only 1 or 2 days a year that you can ski like that.

[@eric.packer]

If we are lucky we get 10-15 days like this each year, usually in late March and throughout April

[@hedgeclipper418]

@@eric.packer wow even that is a lot. It looks amazing. I love skate skiing, but I've always been stuck on groomed tracks. I just can't imagine doing it on such open terrain.

[@wilsonjay7]

Great but you need some trees. They make great obstacles and cut the wind😊

[@Ben-ok2ue]

im genuinely asking why does anyone like xc skiing over downhill/alpine etc. aside from just for the workout it gives?

[@eric.packer]

Totally valid question, and I ask myself that sometimes too! The main difference is the ability to access backcountry terrain and really cool places, faster than any other mode of travel. The places in the video are away from lifts and roads. In some of the days in these clips we cover over 30 miles or 50 km in about a 3 hour ski. It would easy take 9 hours to go the same distance on backcountry skis and skins, and would be impossible on alpine skis.

[@brodaism]

In "wintery" countries you can prepare xc ski tracks in every village and basically everyone who has skis can ski at free of cost ( or minimal cost) Where as alpine needs a mountain, lifts so costs a lot to ski as you have buy ski cards and so on. Only people living near mountains can easily acces the slopes, that a small number of people. XC is sort of like bicycling while Alpine is like road motorbikes..something like that..

[@509Gman]

Freedom. Downhill you’re stuck with wherever the lift takes you (unless you’re rich enough to rent a helicopter). Nordic takes you wherever you wish. If you can hike it, you can ski it.

[@eric.packer]

thgreatandini Great point! On the right day, skiing feels like flying, with the freedom to go anywhere!

[@Ben-ok2ue]

@@509Gman uhmmmm literally not. lol DOWNHILL youre stuck with wherever youre ABLE TO GO. if you ALSO have a LIFT PASS to go UPHILL then you can ALSO go uphill AND downhill/backcountry/nordic/groomers lmao. It's simple math - dumb ass argument.

[@alexhudson5935]

Главное успеть вернутся пока наст не начал таять ;-)

[@damononthehill]

Incredible, I just learned to Nordic Ski here in Bend, OR from my wife who was state champ in High School, ive never seen anything like this though! Is this in the spring? Crust cruising they call it?

[@SaneAsylum]

Yep nice crust but softend just enough by the sun to get a good bite and some Skate skiis (a form of cross country skiing that uses a skating technique on shorter skiis and no grip wax or scales and longer poles). They had the best spot with the perfect snow and couldn't have asked for a better day I am sure!!!

[@damononthehill]

@@SaneAsylum love it! I learned to skate ski, super excited to crust cruise next month in Bend! Thanks

[@AaronCCorbin]

Thanks so much for the video. It looks amazing. What kind of skiis were you guys using?

[@kaimeyers5145]

Nordic Skate skis

[@fdggfgdfgd251]

So.. are these say normal skate skiis or... are they back country skis?

[@eric.packer]

Just regular (racing) skate skis

[@gliderfs621]

How can you float on the deep pow’ ? 😳

[@randalbladel2817]

That’s not powder. It’s crust with a bit of loose on the top. 41 mm nordic racing skis would have to go awful fast to float in deep powder. Judging the time to ski on crust days like this is crucial. You have to be there in the morning, and hit the snow when the top starts to get soft enough to grab an edge of these racing skis which do not have metal edges, and you have to quit when it becomes soft enough that you are punching through the crust with poles and skis, which can make for some interesting falls. Crust season is such fun. Lots of sun, warmer, and most if not all of the racing is over for the year.

[@lonetrans7509]

Looks fantastic! I guess this requires some pretty good crust on the snow?

[@eric.packer]

Thanks! You're right - skiing like this requires good crust, but when the conditions are right, you can explore anywhere. In Alaska, crust usually forms in the spring once the freeze/thaw cycle starts.

[@martinkalin537]

terrific

[@eric.packer]

Thanks!

[@jla3772]

LOVE IT!

[@user-fx1mz7pm8q]

Can you give some detail on the gear that was used? I recently bought some rossignol Nordic skis that have partial metal edge. Found it a bit tough to turn down hill but probably need more practice.

[@Cavalas88]

Looks like everyone uses normal nordic racing skiis without metal edeges. They are just really skillful skiers so they make it look easy.

[@509Gman]

Cavalas correct. This was ideal conditions for their kit. Warm spring day on wind blown snow. They wouldn’t be able to do this with those skis if it had just dumped several inches of fresh snow.

[@raus_mit_Islam]

Just cool!!!

[@haappycat]

Do you have metal edges on your skis?

[@eric.packer]

Nope - we have normal skate skis without metal edges. The new skate skis now are very stable.

[@ruteniumbasedrefractoryfor2549]

Почему палки не проваливаются!

[@TheCrazyunclemarty]

Great to see guys going big without risking their lives or needing a helicopter. Curious why he didn't use a tele turn at 0:40? Awesome setup above treeline with thin corn or pow. I still think Gus shows the most general purpose rig kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH7TlYt3bK6pZsU even though it's probably 1/2 as fast uphill -- twice as fun downhill 🙂.

[@sofiacarlsson9710]

I would love to see you do this in your vlog #jonolsson

[@chrisw5742]

Doesnt look like back country to me. Cmon out to NYS lol

[@1_Ultramarathon_Rollerski140km]

Kapitalne!

[@user-sp2in5ec5m]

КРУТЯК!!!

[@rita9r]

Super! ;)

[@broncochannel7145]

This’s literally downhill skiing ⛷️

[@VoVo4ka020]

E-e-eee!!!!

[@laughingjack4366]

Rip

[@benhahn7105]

Cool vid, but I'll never understand how people can prefer cross country skiing over downhill.

[@brooke4608]

Cross country skiing looks so boring I don’t understand how people find it fun

[@ruteniumbasedrefractoryfor2549]

Охуенно, конечно!

[@user-jv1nd2kj7z]

It is poo poo!!

[@tariqshammari5625]

Alpine is better anyways

[@raus_mit_Islam]

Kk_shammari_kK Skating rules!!!

[@Saareem]

Try going uphill and you'll quickly change your mind. 😉