Lou Dawson's Backcountry Skiing Blog & Website -- Content Pages

Dream nightmares of mega-slogs such as Canada's Mount Logan; or nail your favorite Colorado couloir. In either case skis are the tool for amazing adventure; but backcountry skis cost a king's ransom. Have you got alpine skis and boots? If you do, forget bailing out the king, it's likely all you need for backcountry skiing is climbing skins and a pair of adapter plates such as the Alpine Trekker touring adapter.

The Alpine Trekker is simply a dummy ski-boot sole that you clip into your alpine ski binding. Attached to the dummy is an adjustable frame that holds your ski boot via a clip such as those used with clip-on crampons. An axle attaches the front of the frame to the foundation, and the resulting pivot allows you to lift your heel and walk with the shuffling gait of a backcountry skier. Attach climbing skins to your skis and up you go. To keep your Achilles tendons happy the Trekker even has adjustable heel lifts. If your path gets hard and icy, snap on the optional crampons. When it's time to ski down, stow your Trekkers in your pack and cut snow on the same gear you use at the ski resort.

If you've done much backcountry skiing, the first difference you'll notice about using Trekkers is the weight. A conventional alpine ski setup, combined with the Trekker, can yank at your feet like a torture of the Inquisition. I calculated one rig, using my heavy alpine skis, at over fourteen pounds per foot! Even so, ski touring a short distance with that kind of load is not as bad as it sounds, since you slide your skis rather than lift them. Also, it's easy to cut weight by using modern skis, bindings, and boots -- all have dropped pounds in the last few years. Another interesting part of using adapter plates is your stilt-like position jacked up about four inches off your planks (or more if your bindings are on risers). Take my word for it: you get used to it.

Perhaps the most worrisome problem with Trekkers (one common to all adapter plates) is that you can place ominous torque on the system by driving your foot forward or twisting it sideways. If you take a beater fall, and such forces don't release the plate from the binding, you may bend the adapter or destroy your alpine toe piece. Building an adapter without these problems would add great weight and expense. Indeed, the Trekker is an excellent compromise between weight and strength, and holds up fine under proper use: Be aware of potential problems, keep everything properly adjusted, and use good touring technique. As with any binding system, carry a repair kit if you're on a long journey.

Adjusting the Trekkers is easy, just turn a screw at the rear and match up the length to your ski boots. You can use a Swiss Army knife for this, but a cordless drill works better. After that, adjust the toe and heel wires for proper tension. Doing so took me all of five minutes. Loan your Trekkers to your friends or change your equipment; one size fits all.

During testing I stowed my Trekkers in my pack, along with climbing skins, avalanche beeper and shovel, and headed out for a tour near our local ski resort. After a morning of warming up on the packed slopes I ducked through a backcountry access gate, snapped in my Alpine Trekker adapters, and switched to adventure mode. The snow was less than perfect; but my ruthless alpine gear churned butter from the trap-crust. At the bottom, my smile stayed bright as I snapped my Trekkers into my bindings, stuck my climbing skins to my skis, and strolled through pristine aspen forest back to the ski area. Another quick click, strip my skins, and I was again in full alpine mode. After a few runs on the groom, I decided to dive off the back again. Variety, the spice of skiing. Adapter plates and skins are now standard items in my resort ski-bag, and the division between backcountry and resort is more blurred than ever.

(Other brands of adapter plates may be available in the used and retail market. Adapters other than the BackcountryAccess Alpine Trekker may have durability problems. Test all adapters near civilization before heavy use.)