INTRODUCTION:
No
matter what you call it, Nordic skiing, XC-skiing, cross-country skiing, this
winter sport is a definite favorite of mine!
Fridtjof
Nansen, the Norwegian Arctic explorer who traveled across Greenland on cross
country skis, wrote the following in 1890.
“Nothing hardens
the muscles and makes the body so strong and elastic. Nothing gives better presence of mind and
nimbleness; nothing steels the will power and freshens the mind as cross
country skiing. This is something that develops not only the body but also the
soul. It has a far deeper meaning for
people than many are aware of. . .”
Besides
the benefits of cross-country skiing described in Nansen's quote shown above, I
also admire the "minimalist" nature of this winter sport. For example, there is no need for expensive
technical clothing. And, there is only a
modest one-time expense for the purchase of skis, poles and boots. Plus, you can ski for free at a variety of
locations on public land, such as old logging roads, some State Parks, land
conservancy parcels, etc. Even if you
choose to pay for skiing on groomed trails at a Nordic Center, the rate for a
daily pass or a season pass is a small fraction of what it costs for a lift
ticket at Alpine (downhill) ski resorts.
And
so, with that introduction, here are just a few photos and brief commentary
about some of my recent cross-country skiing experiences.
1) Cross-Country
Skiing on Groomed Trails
In
terms of a groomed network of trails, the Bear Notch Ski Touring Center (Bartlett,
NH) is one of my favorites. (Click HERE
to link to their website.) Perhaps it
should also be mentioned that this place gets great reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Shown
below is a collage containing a few of the many photos that were taken when skiing at the Bear
Notch Ski Touring Center in mid-December 2014.
2) Cross-Country
Skiing on Un-Groomed Trails at a Variety of Locations:
When
skiing at locations where there are no groomed
trails, I'll often use skis that are designed for off-trail backcountry
exploration. They tend to do better in unbroken
snow, plus they're more maneuverable in rugged terrain, and have the capacity
for climbing moderate grades with little slippage. For this purpose, I own a pair of Rossingnol
BC90s with step-in bindings, but am certain there are other backcountry skis that
perform just as well or better. (Click HERE for a brief but informative
article about how to choose the right ski length and width.)
In
the following collage, there are photos which show some of the un-groomed
passageways skied in December 2014, as well as a few of the sights that were
seen by using these unimproved corridors.
To sum it up, cross country
skiing is a terrific addition to my other winter sport of snowshoeing. And, there are even times when I'll combine
the two sports when I know there will be a portion of my trek that is skiable, and a portion where snowshoes are more practical.
In those instances, I'll slap on the snowshoes that were strapped to my
backpack, then conceal my skis in the woods, and continue onward to my
destination.
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Links:
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Links:
Below
are 5 links that will take you to other postings that I've done about
cross-country skiing:
Cross-Country Skiing at Nansen Ski Club (at Milan Hill State Park)