Böksta Runestone
Found on a farm in the town of Böksta, Sweden, and dating back to the 11th century, the Böksta Runestone is one of the earliest depictions of a cross country skier, thought to be Ullr, the Norse god of skiing and hunting. The Norse used pieces of wood as skis, requiring no wax.
Samis and Icelanders
Written into the Icelandic sagas, Snorri Sturluson of Iceland (1179-1241) details the use of skis with skins underneath them as a means of transportation in the deep winter snows. The Sami people of northern Norway and Finland used skis with a herring bone design etched into the bottom of the wooden planks to travel up and down snow-covered hills and mountains.
Telemark Roots
By the 19th century, the Swedish army was training and competing with skis. Etchings on the bottoms of the skis continued to evolve, allowing the skier to climb hills without adding skins to the bottom. In 1868, the first "telemark" ski was shown by Sondre Norheim. Used to climb as well as descend mountains, the telemark provided the blueprint for modern wax-less skis.
Into the Modern Era
By 1955, a new material was introduced to ski makers. Made by Kofler of Austria, Kofix polythylene is added to ski bases eliminating the need for wax. Not long after, Swiss Company Inter Montana introduces P-tex, which becomes widely used in the ski industry.
The First Wax-Less Nordic Ski
Considered the first modern wax-less ski, Bill Tanner and Hans Woitschatchske introduce Trak skis in 1970. Upon release their product was met with disdain, disbelief and laughter. But 14 years later, the wax less Loipe, meaning cross country in German, by Trak became the best selling cross country ski on the market.
Article Written By Eric Cedric
A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.
