Whenever another parent tells me they’ve never been skiing, I recommend they try cross-country skiing. It’s easy to learn and relatively inexpensive. Also called Nordic skiing, it’s said that if you can walk, you can learn to cross-country ski.

The traditional classic style is easiest to learn and has a relaxed pace, making it best for beginners and families with varied fitness levels. Skate skiing is faster, more strenuous, and requires different gear and a different type of groomed trail.

You can become acquainted with the basic technique by watching the 13-minute video on REI’s YouTube channel called “Classic Cross-Country Skiing for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started,” created in collaboration with Professional Ski Instructors of America.

If your family is willing to give it a try, here are four steps to make that happen.

1. Ensure you have proper base layers and outerwear for winter weather.

Every family member needs waterproof outerwear and other winter clothing to stay warm, dry, and comfortable. Visit the Spokane Nordic Ski Association (SNSA) website for a list of essentials.

The key is to dress in layers—you’ll get warm while skiing, but get chilled when you stop and rest. Be fully prepared.

2. Make an easy plan for where to go.

The younger your children, the easier you need your first day to be—meaning less drivetime, maximum fun, and a way to warm-up and get dry. Cold, unhappy kids are an adventure joy-kill.

For max simplicity and ease, I recommend visiting a Nordic ski area that offers rentals on-site.

• 49 DEGREES NORTH NORDIC CENTER: rentals, lessons, and 25K (15 miles) of trails; pass required.
• MT. SPOKANE STATE PARK NORDIC SKI AREA: Fitness Fanatics rental trailer is located near the area’s Selkirk Lodge and trailhead for 60K (37 miles) of trails; Sno-Park Permit and special groomed-trail sticker required.
• SCHWEITZER: rentals from the Demo Center, located in the Village; 32K (20 miles) of trails; pass required.

3. Rent gear in town and ski at a local park.

If there is snow in town and you don’t want to drive to a mountain, rent gear at a local shop and visit a park with (or without) groomed trails. Shop employees can help figure out the sizes you need, and SpokaneNordic.org also has tips for fitting XC ski gear.

• SPOKANE: Daily rental packages are available from Fitness Fanatics and REI. Spokane Parks & Recreation groom trails at city parks (no fee required to use) as well as Riverside State Park—see my.spokanecity.org/recreation/outdoor/groomed-trails. Or head to any local snow-covered field in a park and break your own trail.
• NORTH IDAHO: Ski Shack in Hayden and the Tri-State Outfitters and Vertical Earth stores in Coeur d’Alene rent XC gear. Groomed trails are available at 4^th of July Recreation Area, Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (start at trailheads in Heyburn State Park or in the cities of Kellogg or Wallace), and Priest Lake.
• PERMITS REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC LANDS: Find out the requirements to park at your chosen trailhead.
• For Washington public lands, in most cases you will need a state parks Discover Pass or Sno-Park Permit and Groomed-Trail Sticker.
• For Idaho, a Park N’ Ski permit is required for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Priest Lake State Park, Priest Lake Golf Course, 4th of July Pass Recreation Area, and Palouse Divide (permit also valid in Oregon).

4. Before you leave home…

Prepare a backpack with a stash of hand-warmers, snacks, water bottles, and extra, dry clothes for the trail. Bring a thermos of hot water to make hot cocoa on the go, whether you drink during a rest-stop along the trail or leave in your vehicle to enjoy upon return.

Nordic Ski Lessons

If your family enjoys Nordic skiing and wants more, then consider taking lessons. Spokane Nordic Ski Association (SNSA) offers private and group lessons, a Nordic Kids program, and also partners with City of Spokane Parks & Recreation and Fitness Fanatics to offer weekday evening lessons in town. SNSA also hosts an annual Winterfest, every January, offering inexpensive lessons.

Additionally, Schweitzer and 49 Degrees North offer Nordic ski lessons.

Find more stories about cross-country skiing in the OTO archives.

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By Robin Redman

Ski for Light Inc., a non-profit founded in 1975 by a group of Norwegian-Americans, promotes skiing for individuals with vision and mobility-impairments.

Five members of Spokane Nordic Ski Association had planned to join skiers from across the globe at the 47th annual Ski for Light international event. However, the event was canceled “due to changing conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the Ski for Light website.

The event was to take place at Snow Mountain Ranch, Colorado, January 30-February 6, 2022. Organized entirely by volunteers, the week-long winter adventure is held in different geographic regions each year.

The word “Light” in the organization’s name reflects the metaphorical human struggle to challenge perceptions of personal capability and achieve the unimaginable through perseverance.

Two cornerstone beliefs led to the creation of Ski for Light. First, is the principle that individuals with vision or mobility impairments can successfully learn to cross-country ski and have fun if they are given proper equipment and are paired with a sighted and experienced Nordic skier to act as instructor and guide.

In addition is the belief that experienced sighted skiers will also find it fun and rewarding to share their love of Nordic skiing by being an instructor and guide for someone who can’t easily experience the sport independently.

Volunteer guides are paired at the start of the week with a participant to assist with activities like skiing, biathlon, sledding, and mechanical bull-riding. This all culminates with a 5 and 10K race celebration at the end of the week.

Guides adapt for the unique needs of their ski partner and, more importantly, can carry the “light” back here to the Inland Northwest by assisting local vision- and mobility-impaired skiers in Spokane’s Nordic community.

Even if unseen, the transformational experience of gliding through forests and meadows can still be fully appreciated—in a totally unique way—through smell, hearing, touch, and taste.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Washington State Parks, City of Spokane Parks and Recreation, Spokane Nordic Ski Association, and community volunteers, user-friendly trail systems are easily accessible at both Mount Spokane State Park and Dwight Merkel Athletic Complex each winter.

For information on how to support, participate, or volunteer, visit Spokanenordic.org/adaptive or email info@spokanenordic.org.

Originally published in the January-February 2022 issue before this event was canceled.

Find more stories about Nordic skiing or local adaptive skiing and snowboarding programs in the Inland Northwest in the OTO archives.

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After a two-year hibernation, Spokane Nordic Ski Association’s cross-country skiing celebration, Winterfest, is finally returning to the Mount Spokane State Park Nordic Ski Area on Sunday, January 16, 2022.

This annual event is the only day all year that Spokane Nordic offers its cross-country ski lessons to non-members, so it’s a great opportunity for new skiers to get a taste of what SNSA has to offer while learning a few of the basics. 45-minute lessons for kids and adults are only $10 and a 2-hour skijoring clinic is available for $25.

The event’s title sponsor, Rambleraven Gear Trader, will be on-site offering free waxing to all participants. There will also be a treasure hunt that encourages kids and families to get out on the trails on their own.

To learn more about the event or reserve your spot in a class, visit Spokanenordic.org/Winterfest.

Find stories about Nordic skiing in the OTO archives.

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On December 1, if you snowshoe or Nordic ski at any non-motorized Snow-Park in Washington, you will need a permit. Season-long Sno-Park permits go on sale in November (available online or in local outfitter stores).

Washington’s Sno-Park permit fees increased this year: One-Day Sno-Park Permit costs $25; Seasonal Permit is $50; and the Special-Groomed Trail Permit has risen to $70. The groomed trail permit is an add-on to the season-long permit (also referred to as a grooming sticker) and is required at Mount Spokane’s Selkirk Lodge Nordic ski area parking lot, among other areas. 

The Sno-Park fee helps cover the cost of snow removal in parking lots accessed by winter recreational users.

Idaho Park N’ Ski Permits

Idaho operates a Park N’ Ski permit system for its 17 plowed winter parking lots for cross-country skiers and snowshoers, with fees going into effect on November 15. The permits are $7.50 for a three-day pass or $25 for the annual pass. Idaho has a reciprocity agreement with Oregon’s Sno-Park system too.   

New Trailhead & Trail at Antoine Peak

Spokane County’s newest conservation area trailhead and trail addition, Trentwood Trailhead to Etter Ranch (the soon-to-be southernmost access point to the Antoine Peak trail system), is now open.

You can also access the new Etter Ranch trail from one of the existing Antoine Peak Conservation Area trailheads. The new trail connects to the southeast side of the Emerald Necklace Trail. 

Waikiki Springs Trail Improvements

The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy has been making recreational trail improvements to its Waikiki Springs property, located in northwest Spokane County, both to improve the on-trail experience and also to reduce environmental and wildlife impacts.

The first new loop trail is now ready for hikers to enjoy just across the bridge over the Little Spokane River. Follow the newly installed trail signage. 

Check Out Snowshoes from the Library

Want to try snowshoeing before purchasing equipment? The Spokane Public Library keeps a selection of various snowshoe sizes in their “Library of Things,” available for check-out with your library card. (Editor’s Note: Some other public libraries, including at community colleges, also offer a Library of Things collection for check-out.)

Fee-free Days Coming Up

If you don’t have a Washington State Discover Pass, check the calendar of fee-free days at Washington State Parks, and plan accordingly for your next visit. This is a great way for out-of-state visitors to enjoy a complimentary visit to one of Washington States many states, including the two largest ones, Riverside and Mount Spokane State Parks, both located in Spokane County.

If you already have a Discover Pass, invite your friends or family who don’t yet have a Discover Pass to join you for a hike or bike ride. Find the 2022 calendar of Discover Pass Free Days at parks.state.wa.us. January 1 and 17, 2022, are the first out of 12 free days.

U.S. National Park Service also offers free entrance days, starting with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Holly Weiler is a long-time contributor to Out There Venture.  

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Spokane, Wash.

Things were quieter than normal in Mt. Spokane State Park’s Nordic Ski Area last year. The trails were still full of skiers seeking a cure for cabin fever, but Spokane Nordic Ski Association’s (SNSA) lessons, races, and gatherings were mostly canceled. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the organization, however, as a year without events gave SNSA time to plan for the future and expand their offerings to members and the Spokane community.

The pandemic presented two pressing needs: the ability to learn virtually and schedule flexibly.

That’s why, for the first time ever, parents will be able to decide if they’d like to enroll their children in the full seven-week Nordic Kids program or select individual lessons a la carte. SNSA has also started building out a virtual learning center for their members, complete with how-to videos, articles, weekly wax advice, and more.

Last year brought on another big change when beloved coach George Bryant retired. SNSA knew it had big shoes to fill, so the group brought in Jason Jablonski.

Jablonski’s background is diverse and impressive. After getting his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Central Washington, he spent three years as a professional triathlete and another five years as a professional mountain biker before starting his coaching career. He’s spent the last 18 years coaching cross-country skiing, in addition to serving 8 years as the coach of team USA’s Junior Mountain Bike Team.

If you or your family are interested in learning more about the programs and teams that Jablonski coaches, or any of SNSA’s other Nordic ski related events, you can learn more at SpokaneNordic.org.

An SNSA Membership ($40 for individuals, $60 for families) is required to sign up for any of the SNSA lessons and teams, including Nordic Kids, Transition Team, Junior Race Team, Adult Lessons, and Master’s Ski Club.

Spokane Nordic Ski Association, Transition Team (left) // Photo: Chris Sharman; Adult Nordic ski lessons (top right) // Photo: Barbara Jackson; Nordic ski race (bottom right) // All photos courtesy Spokane Nordic Ski Association

Find more stories about the Spokane Nordic Ski Association in the OTO archives.

Read “Cross-Country Skiing For Kids” from the Family Winter Sports Guide (Nov.-Dec. 2020 issue).

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Sometime around 2002 I happened upon a dusty pair of wooden Nordic skis for sale at a thrift store for $5. They looked as though they’d been languishing in a corner of someone’s garage for a few decades. I wasn’t sure what it might entail to make them usable, but they looked cool and were an excellent price. I had modern ski boots that could work with the bindings already mounted on the skis, so I brought them home to make them either part of my ski quiver or else wall décor. At that point it could have gone either way.

They had a serious layer of grime, which I removed with Murphy’s Oil Soap, and I had to do a lot of research into the care of wooden skis. This will come as no surprise to anyone who took up Nordic skiing prior to 1970, but I initially didn’t realize that I would need to acquire liquid pine tar, paint it onto the bottoms of my skis, and then carefully (and briefly) light my wooden skis on fire with a plumber’s torch. It’s a delicate and potentially dangerous process, and I discovered I loved it. While I did add a couple minor scorches to my ski bases, I didn’t light my hair on fire, so I called it a success.

In February 2003, I decided to enter the annual Mount Spokane Langlauf 10K Cross Country Ski Race on my wooden skis. I had been a participant in the race for several years using my modern skis and generally placing in my age group. But Langlauf has been in existence since 1979, and it celebrates its early history each year by having a separate category for competitors on wooden skis who dress up in woolen clothing, all of which I thought might be fun to do as a lark, at least once.

That first year, and several subsequent years, I won the women’s wooden ski division. It’s only fair to mention that I was sometimes the only participant in said division, but I also generally continued to place in my age group despite skiing on equipment that was a couple age groups ahead of me. The days of wooden skis making an appearance in international competition are long-gone, but it’s still possible to make these antique skis semi-competitive at the local citizen race level.

Unfortunately, like so many other fun community events, the 2021 Mount Spokane Langlauf race has been cancelled. Event organizers will be marking the course for the month of February, and area Nordic skiers can opt to ski the 10K route on their own and even choose to make a donation to the nonprofit Spokane Nordic Ski Association to help support trail maintenance.

If you have some old wooden skis hanging decoratively on a wall, consider taking them down and lighting them briefly and carefully on fire, before taking them to Mount Spokane for a trail tour this winter.

Holly Weiler, OTO Hike of the Month columnist, can be found skiing the Langlauf course and beyond on a regular basis and plans to take the wooden skis out for several tours this winter.

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This winter, SNSA’s traditional Nordic Kids program isn’t available because Selkirk Lodge is unavailable as a warm refuge for groups. There are two alternative options, however, and Halloran encourages Nordic families to sign-up for both at SpokaneNordic.org.

• Option 1: SNSA-generated weekly emails on how to get your child out on snow, includes videos and tips and recommendations for you as a parent ($15).
• Option 2: Scheduled 2-hour lessons, with one instructor, for groups of 5 or fewer; available every Saturday in January and February ($10 per person).

Though lessons begin outside of Selkirk Lodge, Halloran says, “Plan to have zero access to the lodge.” Be prepared to warm-up in your vehicle, bring your own hot cocoa in a thermos, and use the state park’s vault toilets. The lodge will be mainly available for the Nordic ski patrol.

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Once kids get familiar with the basics of Nordic (cross-country) skiing, they move beyond the flat learning area to the rolling trails. After a few sessions, many groups will venture off-track to explore the forest or head out as far as the Nova Hut for a break in front of the warm glow of the wood stove. The season is capped off with a Snow Carnival of games and food. The cost for the program is $80 per child with financial aid available. More details are available at Spokanenordic.org. 

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Returning racers tell us their favorite parts of Ski to Sea are camaraderie and community. From organizing your team to training, racing, and trading stories at the finish line beer garden, Ski to Sea is all about teamwork. It is also about our incredible community of over 800 volunteers who work together to make this event unforgettable, year after year, since 1973.

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