Killington finally is getting a real base area village center. In the March 2023 local election, residents of the town of Killington, Vermont, passed the TIF (tax increment financing) zone for a new village at Killington Mountain Resort. It will take up to $47 million and about four years to build infrastructure including a new water system and road reconstruction plus[Read More…]
“You haven’t aged a bit.” “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” “Young at heart.” “So when are you going to retire?” “Still skiing at your age?” We’ve all heard, read or experienced comments like that, because American culture is grotesquely youth-centric. The notion is that it is sad to be old, that wrinkles are embarrassing and so on. There is[Read More…]
Herman Smith Johannsen also known as Jackrabbit Johannsen was known for cross country (XC) skiing at 102 years old. He was a man who popularized XC skiing in Quebec and later in America. He lived until he was 111 and was always inquisitive about what was on the other side of the hill. The Jackrabbit kids’ ski program in Canada[Read More…]
Snowshoeing is an excellent way to get some outdoor physical and mental fitness in the winter and it can be a great warm-up for skiers or snowboarders. At alpine ski areas snowshoeing can be a great activity for those joining family or friends who may not want to ski at the resort. Recognizing a market when they see one, many[Read More…]
In the winter, the snow-covered hills and mountains in New Hampshire beckon cross country (XC) skiing families, couples, and individuals aged five to 95. Each year thousands of recreational XC skiers make the sojourn to the Granite State for the beauty and serenity of winter outdoor recreation and rewarding wellness associated with cross country skiing. New Hampshire’s XC ski areas[Read More…]
Purity Spring Resort in Madison, NH has partnered with Tin Mountain Conservation Center (TMCC) to bring snowshoe guided naturalist tour programs at the NH Audubon “Gertrude Keith Hoyt & Edward Eaton Hoyt, Jr. Wildlife Sanctuary” and trails located at the resort. These guided tours, led by naturalist and TMCC Outreach Coordinator Heather McKendry, will be offered to guests staying at[Read More…]
Prospective cross country skiers often make a decision opting for either classic skiing or skate skiing. These two forms of cross country skiing are very different regarding where they can happen, what type of gear is used, the techniques employed, how fast the skiing is, and how much energy is necessary on an outing. For a first time or inexperienced[Read More…]
Most dedicated winter sports enthusiasts are familiar with the major season passes such as Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective and Indy Pass, among others. So far, these multi-ski area passes have been geared toward Alpine skiing and snowboarding. Not anymore! Make way for a new season pass specifically for cross country (XC) skiing and a deal that highlights XC skiing for[Read More…]
The outdoor industry is big business: 57 million Americans engage in outdoor activities, generating an estimated $887 billion in revenue and creating about 7.6 million jobs. Snowsports, which account for about $20 billion in annual revenue in 38 states, rely on Mother Nature for cold and snow. A study conducted ten years ago by Protect Our Winters (POW), the Natural[Read More…]
XCSkiResorts.com recommends these classic New England towns and areas for a cross country ski vacation: Stowe, VT, is quintessential New England with its white steepled church and main street lined with stores. It’s also the home of the Trapp Family Lodge of Sound of Music fame. Trapp Family Lodge has a 110 km trail network with 60 km of groomed[Read More…]
If you’re among the many newcomers to XC skiing, I suggest that you take a lesson. XCSkiResorts.com recommends starting at one of the following locations: Metropolitan Boston — Weston Ski Track, a county-owned golf course accessible by public transportation. Snowmaking guarantees good cover and lights allow for night skiing. A 75-minute session covers the basics (i.e. motion, turning and negotiating[Read More…]
For newcomers to cross country (XC) skiing, deciding on the best skis can be intimidating, especially if you don’t want to rely entirely on retail sales people or on-line outlets for advice. The following guidance about selecting and using XC gear is general and intended to help you be an informed consumer. Note that as a rule of thumb, standard[Read More…]
Last winter XC ski gear was in demand like never before and all segments of cross country ski equipment sold out, with few or no options for retailers to reorder. There also was an uptick for backcountry gear and snowshoes. Retailers are still experiencing demand and supply issues. Coupled with global supply chain challenges, everything from the components that complete[Read More…]
XC Has Grown In Participation. Hopefully, Make More Tracks Played A Role. The Make More Tracks Resource Guide and series of articles in each issues since October was conceived to provide readers of SeniorsSkiing.com with information to expand their options in the winter of the pandemic. It was intended to provide info and perspectives about mostly XC skiing. As someone[Read More…]
Increased Interest In Nordic Makes XC Site A Place For Information. XCSkiResorts.com was established in 2003 as a major source of information for recreational and travel-oriented cross country skiers and snowshoers and it entered uncharted waters when the pandemic hit. Would anyone want to travel to go cross country skiing? According to site founder and editor Roger Lohr, “The response[Read More…]
[Please consider supporting SeniorsSkiing.com with a donation. We appreciate your help. Click here.] [Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.] Many cross country (XC) ski areas operate in an environmentally-friendly manner, and some of these operators, who are exemplars using the most sustainable practices, are models of sustainability in the effort to combat climate change. The operators at these[Read More…]
Either Falls Or Pre-Existing Conditions Can Cause Problems. [Please consider supporting SeniorsSkiing.com with a donation. We appreciate your help. Click here.] Cross country (XC) skiing is a sport with a very low incidence of injuries for a number of reasons. It’s a low impact sport with low sliding speed, plus the free heel allows twisting if you fall. The ski[Read More…]
XC Is Hot And Getting Hotter. The Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) has been conducting online sessions with its cross country (XC) ski area members since last spring, focused on sharing information about how XC operations should respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions resulted in widespread adoption of plans aimed at minimizing risk of virus transmission for staff and[Read More…]
From Wooden Skis, Wax, And Pine Tar Bases To High Tech Equipment in 50 years. Since the time that wooden skis were found in a peat bog in Sweden dating to 2,000 BC, there have been many milestones that brought XC skiing to where it is today. In the USA, the forefathers of cross-country skiing include people like Snowshoe Thompson,[Read More…]
This Might Be The Season To Get On Skinny Skis. [Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.] Getting outdoors, going at your own pace, enjoying and sharing an outing with a friend or family member of any age, and getting some winter exercise are all good reasons for older folks to try XC skiing. You can have a purpose[Read More…]
[Editor Note: Roger Lohr is SeniorsSkiing.com’s Nordic Editor and publisher of XCSkiResorts.com] The Older I Get, The More I Love Cross Country Skiing. I love the sensation of gliding on the snow through the forest, being outdoors in nature. I can smell the fragrance of the trees. I can hear the bubbling brook and the sound of a bird in[Read More…]
[Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.] Less Known, Excellent XC Destinations To Explore. With torrent of people hitting the trails and the outdoors across the country, XCSkiResorts.com wanted to give a shout out to hidden gem destinations for cross country (XC) skiing this winter. There may very well be an overflow of skiers at the most popular XC[Read More…]
Is This A Surge Season For Nordic? Will the upcoming cross country (XC) season fulfill the hoped-for surge projected by many in the industry? The COVID pandemic has some projecting a coming boom similar to the bicycle industry, which saw such a surge of sales and activity last spring. The kids were not in school, people were looking to get[Read More…]
XC Skiing And Snowshoeing Are Perfect Forms Of Recreation For The Pandemic. Based on activity with walking and bicycling last spring, many people in the snowsports business are anticipating a surge in XC skiing and snowshoeing this winter. If alpine ski areas are restricted in ways that lead to excessive waiting such as the amount of time waiting to acquire[Read More…]
So Many Choices, How To Decide? In general, xc skiers select their winter xc ski destination resorts using some rating system of how xc ski areas perform in eight categories of criteria including trail quality and grooming, scenery, food quality, staff friendliness and service, the ski lodge facility and family issues. There is a great range of xc ski areas[Read More…]
