by Mr.
Klister
Waxing Around The Freezing Point
One of the hardest situations in which to properly wax
a cross-country ski is when the snow temperature is right
around or at zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is the point at which snow becomes water and water
becomes ice, depending on which way the temperature is
heading. The problem is different kick waxes are needed
for wet snow and dry snow. So, how you wax depends on
what the weather is doing and where you are skiing, as
we shall see.
Waxing for the freezing point requires determining which
one of three possible weather situations you are likely
to encounter. Situation one is sunny days with wet, old
snow. This situation is easy to cope with wax for conditions
above freezing, since the temperatures will be rising.
Situation two is the reverse, where air temperature is
falling, but the snowpack is warm. This situation can
also result from new snow falling on old snowpack. Under
these conditions, you have to move from a softer wax to
a harder one (but, avoid using too thick a layer of wax
becuase it will pick up ice crystals causing clumping).
The third situation is where snow temperature stays precisely
at freezing -- conditions that may occur on cloudy, windless
days. This last situation is the toughest to deal with,
but if you follow the guidelines below you should still
be able to have fun on your skis.
Choose the proper environment for skiing. Snow in the
woods tends to stay wet and packs quickly above freezing.
The opposite is true of snow in open fields, where it
is exposed to winds that dry it out and make it crusty.
Try to stick to one type of terrain or the other.
Pay attention to the humidity of the snow. Old, dry snow
is also easier to ski than new wet snow. So, if wet new
snow is falling head for the woods where there will be
less of it on the ground. Finally, on sunny, warm days
with old snow, stick to the open areas where the ski will
already be transformed into good klister snow and there
will be less pine needles and dirt to get stuck in your
wax.
Properly wax your skis. Keep kick wax thin and smooth.
Thick wax and rough spots invite clumping. Be conservative.
Always begin with a wax that is slightly colder than you
think is necessary. That why you can always add more wax
if you need it, but you have avoided icing.
Lastly, adjust your ski technique to snow conditions,
including: 1) keep your skis moving to prevent icing;
2) start your kick earlier, because you have less grip
and any push behind is wasted effort; and 3) ski lightly,
your wax layer is thin and you don't want to wear it out.
