As the colder temps spread across the country and the snow begins to accumulate, there are many people who begin to prep gear for the chilly adventures that await. If you are familiar with the terms “Bluebird Day” or “Après-Ski”, you probably have spent some time racing down a mountain on skis or a snowboard. But have you ever tried Nordic skiing?
Originally, skiing began thousands of years ago simply as a means for traveling cross-country over snow in areas like Norway and Scandinavia. People in the region started using long, wooden boards to make traveling across the snowy landscapes easier. The word ski comes from the Old Norse word skíð which means a stick of wood. Skiers would wear skis of equal length and depend on a single pole to maneuver over terrain until 1741 when two poles were introduced. This provided greater balance and made moving through the snow much easier. By the 1800s, skiing evolved as a source of recreation and enjoyment.
Unlike the more traditional Alpine skis many of us are more familiar seeing today, Nordic skis are attached to a boot only at the toe allowing for liftoff of the heel and to give a skier the ability to move both up and down hills. Alpine skis are connected at both the toe and heel thus giving greater control for turning and stopping.
Nordic skiing involves a technique for pushing yourself along on rolling landscapes and on tracks. Nordic skiers are usually seen on specially made courses, often with two grooves cut into the snow, one for each ski. Nordic tracks are situated on terrain that is generally quite gentle when you compare it to Alpine skiing terrain.
The idea of Nordic skiing is to have an easier way of traveling through deep snow. The skating and gliding motion over snow is much more efficient than sinking into the snow on foot or even snowshoes.
The Different Types of Nordic Skiing
There are three main varieties of Nordic skiing: cross-country skiing, Telemark skiing, and alpine touring.
Classic cross-country skiing uses narrow, lightweight skis and poles on designated “tracks” in the snow. It’s a great choice for beginners because it’s fairly easy to learn and the amount of effort required depends on how fast you go.
Telemark skiing, named after the Telemark region in Norway, is more of an “off-road” variety of skiing that uses thicker and heavier skis. The increased stability of the larger skis combined with the loose heel of Nordic skiing allows skiers to make their way up steep hills as well as glide downhill.
Alpine touring takes is a step closer to downhill skiing. Alpine skis are also thicker and sturdier, but they let skiers either bind their entire foot or keep their heels loose. As a result, the skis are quite versatile, ideal for exploration.
For those of you looking to work on your New Year’s resolution of exercise, maybe think about taking up this activity. While it might not look all that difficult, Nordic skiing is possibly the world’s toughest outdoor sport, burning up to 952 calories an hour.
Just as the ocean calls to some, so to do the snowy mountain ranges in winter. Have you ever considered a second home somewhere cold like our featured destination home in Utah? After you move in, seek out one of their Nordic trails to experience it for yourself.