Comments on: 17 Reasons to Cross Country Ski

By: Lesley

Lesley — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:36:10 +0000

I have been XC skiing for the last 20 years and love it!!!! My husband and I try to introduce everyone we know to the sport for all the same reasons Holly mentioned. We take our equipment on every ski trip we go on. We mix Alpine, snowboarding and XC in our trips. We have been pulling our daughter in a Chariot trailer for the last 4 years, but just introduced her to actually XC skiing on skies this year. I’m happy to say she loves the sport!!! She really got the hang of it fast! She is only 5 yrs. old!
Most of the time we go off trail in what is called Backcountry skiing. This allows us to get into the mountains and be one with nature.

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By: Christine

Christine — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:52:36 +0000

I started XC skiing again after I turned 40. I decided that I should try to take up the skating technique. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, and XC skiing has been a great way to enjoy winter and the outdoors. Congratulations, Holly, on making the Olympic team. I hope that this is the best Olympics for Nordic Skiing yet!

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By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:06:01 +0000

Holly you are so right! I grew up classic ski & down hill, and I played volleyball and track all through college. With all running and jumping brought awful knee pain so I could not enjoy running after college ~5k was my limit! I have fallen in love with skate skiing last year! I love the speed and cardio I gt from it. I live 30 mins from the The world famous Birkie Trail! I have signed up for my first Birkie! I can’t wait!!! Thanks for the inspiration and tips!!! :)

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By: Antonia

Antonia — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:26:34 +0000

This is a great article. I usually go snowboarding but I hurt my knee and wanted to do something low impact so I was thinking of cross country skiing.

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By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:58:18 +0000

Holly, hope you gain one of those extra spots the U.S. nordic team will get — you’ve worked so hard and have earned the right to be an Olympian. Hope to see you on the Anchorage trails and maybe one day get your “Olympic” signature on my Olympics volunteer jacket.

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By: grace

grace — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:52:37 +0000

I had my first intro to xc skiing when I was about 15 on a glorious sunny (but cold) day in the Trinity Alps in Northern Ca. with a friend and her family. I had always been a down hiller up to then and continue to love that sport, too. I thought it was SOOOO COOOOL that you could bring your lunch and just plop down anywhere and have this fantastic picnic in the middle of nowhere, chat and play then pick up and keep on skiing. I didn’t XC again until my 20′s but then was introduced to skating and found that I could to it fairly well.
Another memory is of a man XC skiing down one of the alpine slopes….He was FABULOUS!! He had to kneel down DEEP to make his graceful technical turns. I’ve tried this (on smaller hills!!) in my adult life and I LOVE the burn and the challenge and the fact that I can ski in both XC and alpine spots!!
I still love it all at 43–the beauty, the isolation, the community, the challenge and the burn!!
XC ON!!!

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By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:49:01 +0000

XC skiing is my newest favorite sport since I skied the Tour of Anchorage last year with SF Team in Training. Holly is so right about all it’s advantages. I also snowboard but having XC as an alternative is great. Ever since I broke my arm snowboarding, I am very picky about downhill conditions so now unless we have a perfect powder day, I opt for the much less expensive and better workout of XC. And even though skate skiing may look a lot more cool, my technique of choice is striding. It feels great and the uphill climbs allow me to catch up with my moderately fit skating friends. Try it, you’ll like it!

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By: Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:28:07 +0000

I used to get so depressed during the winter months. I didn’t like the snow & the cold, I felt miserable. Then I decided that if I was going to live in the Northeeast I might as well enjoywhat winters had to offer rather than dread it. So initially I bought used xcountry ski equipment and gave it a try. That was almost 10 yrs and many ski trails ago! I ski as often as my schedule allows during the week. And on the weekends, I have a group of ladies that join me on the trails. I never get depressed during the winters anymore, I am truly too excited about skiing and looking forward to the snow & cold.

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By: Vicky Lewis

Vicky Lewis — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:10:51 +0000

My husband and I built a cabin in a small town in the Methow Valley of Washington state. The town is called Mazama. Our kids started cross-country skiing when they were 2 years old and now they are teenagers. We could literally ski out of our cabin and onto the groomed trails of the Methow Valley. The Methow Valley is STUNNING. If you ever get the chance to go – take it! It has the second largest ski trail system in the nation, but it is very peaceful and quiet. You can ski alongside the river, through the trees and up, down and through the valleys. We sold our cabin 5 years ago and moved to Austin, TX. I don’t miss the rain and gloom of Seattle but I do miss our nordic skiing immensely. When the kids head off to college, my husband and I dream of finding a new spot next to the trails – and the kids can come and visit and ski. If you have a beautiful spot – please post it, especially if it’s near Texas (ha ha). I’m not sure anything can top the Methow Valley. http://www.mvsta.com/winter/

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By: Katie Bolling

Katie Bolling — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:56:58 +0000

I loved reading this. Numbers 1-17 are all the reasons why I’ve decided to try my luck at a new sport. I recently jumped into skate skiing feet first (Well, I guess skis first!) after wanting a new challenge in my athletic life (after competing as a top-tier triathlete for several years) and I’m so excited about it. Feel free to follow along my quest to become an Urban Working Mom and Future Nordic Champion! here: http://urbanskierworkermom.wordpress.com/

Thanks, Holly!…and to all the other active, inspiring women out there!

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