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 SKI REPORT Nuts About Nordic As feisty La Niña brings more snow to the mountains than we've seen in years, cross-country skiing is becoming the latest retro craze. BY CHRISTINA MELANDER |
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Long before Alpine skiing, snowboarding and ski jumping entered the outdoor arena, Scandinavians got around on the predecessors of what we now call Nordic skis. Four thousand years after the first skiers took to the snow, about five million Americans cross-country ski for fun, not necessity. Decidedly unglamorous and low-tech compared with flashy, powder-hungry sports like downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing is experiencing a renaissance. It's easy to see why, especially if you're living in the Pacific Northwest during this La Niña season: All the rain that's been plaguing Portland (11.03 inches fell in November, more than twice the average 5.34 inches) indicates ample snow at higher elevations. Otto's Ski Shop in Sandy reports more season rentals so far this year than during the entire 1997-98 winter, and REI's rental rate has been about 90 percent higher than last season's. Drive up to Mount Hood right now and you might think you're in Iceland, there's so much snow. But perfect snow and winter-wonderland settings alone don't explain the ever-increasing popularity of cross-country skiing. According to Chris Frado, President of the Cross Country Ski Areas Association, 178 cross-country ski areas reported 1,524,802 visits during the 1996-97 season. During 1997-98, only 134 Nordic centers participated in the survey, but they had a combined visit total of 1,873,177. Here are some reasons for the sport's allure. 1. It's easy to learn. Cross-country skiing in the open is much simpler than mastering a Nordic Track. Classical style, which involves a diagonal stride and pole action, is a motion that feels natural. Skating, a V-type glide pioneered by Olympic silver medalist Bill Koch in the late '70s, is similar to ice skating and is remarkably faster than traditional Nordic skiing. New micro skis, about half the length of regular cross-country skis, make picking up the sport even easier. 2. It's inexpensive. A day on the downhill slopes of Mount Hood Meadows Ski Resort sets you back $39 for a lift ticket plus $20 to rent skis, boots and poles (or $28 for a snowboard and boots). The Nordic Center offers 15K of trails groomed to suit both skaters and classical skiers, and the fee is just $9. Add $15 for a full-day rental package, and you still have a $35 savings. Cross-country skiing is even cheaper if you buy your own equipment, which is markedly less expensive than Alpine gear. With a $10 annual Sno-Park permit, you're ready to hit the flats. 3. It's the best aerobic workout around. Alpine skiing may give you amped quads, but cross-country skiing will kick your ass. It provides toning for every muscle group and burns more calories per hour than any other sport. Yet it's low-impact and light on the joints, making it a popular pursuit among older athletes. 4. It's equally inviting to men, women and children. Most sports are dominated by men, but 52 percent of cross-country skiers are women. This slight majority is due in part to the sport's attractiveness to families. Kjell Rhode, co-owner of Otto's, notes that Nordic skiing used to be the domain of the "granola-munching crowd," but new "teched-out" equipment and an increase in groomed trails has made it more accessible and appealing to parents and kids. 5. Advanced technology has brought it into the '90s. If you're still wearing sneaker boots and gliding around on wooden skis, strap on a pair of mid-calf plastic boots, clip into a clap binding and marvel at the change. Cross-country skiing is a simple endeavor, but so is running--and look at how running shoes have morphed over the years. Higher, sturdier boots support ankles and arches, and durable, lightweight materials are being used to make sleek skis and poles. The clap binding, a cousin of the clap skate, allows feet to lock onto skis more efficiently. As the most recent innovation in Nordic skiing, it's expensive and primarily used by elite skiers--but wait a few years. 6. It's a sweet route to solitude. Peace and quiet is the driving force behind most Nordic skiers' powerful kicks. In some parts of the country you can literally ski out the back door and into the woods. Not everyone is so lucky, but most snowy locales offer both ski parks and back country. Ungroomed trails invariably offer greater solitude, but Nordic centers usually have serene forest tracks and lots of space. One thing you won't find is a lift line. As REI employee Laure Dwyer points out, "Recreation time is valuable--you don't want to stand in lines. You do that everyday." GET STARTED AT THESE MOUNT HOOD AREAS: Teacup Lake Sno-Park, one mile north of Mount Hood Meadows on
Highway 35, www.teleport.com/~tcup White River West Sno-Park, two miles south of Mount Hood Meadows Trillium Lake Basin, Trillium Lake Sno-Park, opposite Snow Bunny
play area on Highway 35 Mount Hood Meadows Nordic Center,
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