Our Story

Ermine Skate Nordic skates made in Alaska

Exceptional Nordic Skates, Made in Alaska

Ermine Skate was founded in 2021 with a straightforward mission: to make Nordic skates in our home state of Alaska that are beautiful, durable, and designed for local conditions. Since our founding, Ermine has grown steadily and is now recognized as an international leader in the Nordic skate industry.

Ermine doesn’t just make top-of-the-line Nordic skates, our small team has relentlessly worked to push the sport forward. Ermine’s accomplishments include the first Nordic skate with an ultra-wide 1.57mm blade, the first Nordic skates compatible with Xplore and alpine touring bindings, and the first ever Nordic skate for kids. Our commitment to innovation has led us to continually experiment with new finishes, materials, binding mounting patterns, and manufacturing processes.

Ermine’s work and passion have earned our company recognition in National Geographic, the New York Times, CNN, and more. We are proud of our products, the work we’ve done to advance the sport of Nordic skating, and the impact we’ve had on our Alaska community.

2016

Ermine Skate founder Paxson Woelber purchases his first pair of Nordic skates from Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking in 2016. His first time on the skates, at Oceanview Bluff Park in Anchorage, is life-changing. It immediately leads to two ideas: that more people needed to know about Nordic skating, and that we should be making Nordic skates here in Alaska!

2017

Woelber and Anchorage cinematographer Cale Green co-produce Wild Ice – Backcountry Skating Alaska, a short film showcasing wild ice skating around the state. Despite Woelber’s questionable skating technique, the film is quickly picked up by National Geographic, Outside Online, and the Washington Post, and is accepted into numerous outdoor film festivals. The success of Wild Ice demonstrates high public interest in wild ice skating and suggests a viable domestic market for Nordic skates.

2018

Woelber and Anchorage craftsman Brad Dickerson begin work on an Alaska-made Nordic skate, using American-made aluminum extrusion and imported skate blades. Planning stops in January 2019 after Dickerson is fatally struck by an intoxicated driver fleeing the scene of a prior accident.

2021

Ermine Skate LLC is officially registered in May 2021, becoming North America’s first and only Nordic skate company.

Ermine releases the first production Nordic skate made in North America, the A100, in September 2021. The A100 features extremely robust construction, a low deck for increased stability, and a 1.57mm blade — the widest blade on the market. The A100 is also the first Nordic skate in the industry to use polymer ceramic coating, which offers unmatched color consistency, durability, and a wide range of vibrant colors.

2023

In January 2023 the A100 is replaced by the A110, the first Nordic skate compatible with Rottefella’s new Xplore binding.

In November 2023 Ermine Skate releases the Williwaw 1A, a very long, stout, and tall skate designed for wind-assisted skating. The Williwaw 1A features a unique powder-coated frame with a bare aluminum deck, and is the first skate to feature built-in compatibility with AT/tech bindings.

2025

The Ak1, released October 2025, is the first complete revamp of Ermine’s original A-Series Nordic skates. Compared with previous A-Series skates, the Ak1 features harder blade steel, a more streamlined and optimized extrusion profile, and superior machining. It is the first Nordic skate to securely attach blades with coiled spring pins. The Ak1 is Ermine’s first skate to employ Salmonshark™, a new binding mount pattern that allows a wide range of boot sizes to be positioned precisely over any length of skate.

Four days after the Ak1, Ermine launches the Ak1 Alpine, the first Nordic skate for alpine touring (tech) boots and bindings. The Ak1 Alpine comes in two variants: the “Blank Slate” has a fully undrilled deck for DIY binding installs, while the “DSR” is pre-drilled for Dynafit Speed Radical bindings and includes a machined heel riser.

On November 7, 2025, Ermine releases Kit™, the first ever Nordic skate for kids. Kit features the same profile as the Ak1, but in a smaller size and with a more rounded form factor. Kit employs the new Salmonshark Jr.™ binding mount pattern and is available in three bright polymer ceramic colors.

On November 18, the Anchorage Assembly unanimously passes AR 2025-341, designating November as “Wild Ice Skating Month” and recognizing Ermine Skate as the first Nordic skate company in North America.

Paxson Woelber

Owner, Ermine Skate LLC

Paxson Woelber was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where he grew up hiking, backpacking, biking, canoeing, and skiing. Paxson earned his BA at Middlebury College and studied Design and Technology at SFAI. He worked as a professional designer for over a decade, with a focus on outdoor products and media. His outdoor writing was published by Backpacker Magazine, his photography appeared in publications by the Sierra Club and National Geographic, and two of his short films were featured in the National Geographic Short Film Showcase. His map of the Bomber Traverse, a popular Alaska backpacking route, was sold at REI and other Anchorage-area outdoor stores. Paxson discovered Nordic ice skating in 2015 and was immediately hooked. In addition to founding Ermine Skate, he is a founding board member of the Wild Ice Skating Club of Alaska and has become a passionate advocate for the sport. He currently lives in Anchorage with his samoyed dog Taiga, who keeps him busy with boundless amounts of floof and energy.

Meet the Ermine

The ermine (pronounced ur-min) ranges across Eurasia, Greenland, and North America, including nearly all of Alaska. Small, sleek, and bold, the ermine is a ferocious hunter capable of taking prey several times its own size. Encountering a curious ermine is always a highlight of any winter walk, ski, or skate.

In the summer, an ermine is typically referred to as a stoat. The name ‘Ermine’ is used only when animals are in their white winter coats; to use an archaic phrasing, when a stoat is “in ermine.” Few animals transform so much between the seasons that their names change too. This radical seasonal transformation is also a central part of wild skating, when waterways freeze over and change from liquid water into sparkling, smooth, skateable ice.

We hope to see you out on our skates this winter, when the lakes, sloughs, and lagoons have frozen solid and the world is “in ermine.”