Survey Says XC Skiing is an Antidote to Covid Jitters

Intro by Mary Jo Tarallo: The results of two surveys conducted in early December by the Cross Country Ski Areas Association shed light on the role XC skiing might play during the pandemic. It suggests many new participants will be motivated to try activities that offer more safety in a pandemic, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Feedback also found that participants are most interested in local activities that allow them to control their risk but continue to get on snow. Casual downhill skiers are considering cross-country skiing and snowshoeing locally this season in addition to, or as a replacement for, downhill skiing. The second survey focused on product trends and purchases.

Here is a link to the results of the surveys. In the meantime, Roger Lohr, owner and editor of xcskiresorts.com, has some valuable advice for those who are interested in trying cross country skiing and what they need to do to be successful.

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By Roger Lohr:

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 to try XC skiing. You can have a purpose (fitness or reaching a destination) or a goal (getting out a few times a week, or attaining a number of times on skis a year) with your XC skiing. The sport is known to provide a level of calorie burning but it also is very helpful to combat various ailments including mental health such as depression and anxiety.

XCSkiResorts.com offers useful tips for alpine skiers to have a positive introduction to XC skiing:

1. Go to a XC ski area with machine groomed trails (packed with tracks) for a consistent trail condition and introduction to XC. Refrain from starting to XC at the local park, trail, or golf course in your neighborhood.
2. Use good light weight rental equipment. Boots should be comfortable and skis should allow good balance. Make sure it is not old equipment because the new gear makes it easier.
3. Get a few clinics or lessons from a professional instructor. Don’t expect a friend or relative to know how to teach you how to XC ski. Basic skills include weighting one ski at a time, good body position, making the skis glide, and controlling speed when going downhill. They’ll also show you how to hold the poles correctly if the grips have straps, which makes a big difference.
4. Dress in layers with a synthetic base layer (underwear top and bottom), light gloves (not alpine ski gloves because they are too hot), shirt and overpants, light jacket (not alpine ski jacket and pants). To be prepared bring a bottle of water, headband, heavier gloves, etc.
5. Go for a ski tour or outing less than 10 kilometers (5 miles) on a nice day (sunny and not too cold), which should be less than 2 hours.

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There are some major differences between XC skiing and downhill skiing.

Skis are much narrower and the boots offer much less support compared to alpine skis. This requires more reliance on balance and weighting the skis rather than leaning on a big plastic ski boot.

The clothing issues are also significantly different as noted in the above tips. XC skiing creates heat for the skier and you don’t go as fast so there is less wind involved that makes you feel cold. You also do not sit on the chair lift, so less insulation is needed.

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Going down hill, XC skis require an even weighting technique when snow plowing and it is recommended that you dominate the skis by making sure that weight is distributed to both your heel and the front of your foot. Rolling the ankles inward really helps to push the skis out in the snow plow (weighting the central part of the ski) so it slows down and allows control. Flimsy XC ski boots makes this more difficult but stiff boot should give more control. Twist the boot sole to compare the stiffness of different pairs of boots. On XC skis it is possible to go faster and out of control. In untracked snow you can burrow into soft snow and fall forward if too much weight is on the toes when snow plowing. 

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Longer poles have a different purpose in XC skiing as they should provide about 20% of forward momentum and are more than a turning cue as in alpine skiing except when you are turning the skis while going down hill.

The best suggestion is to avoid overdoing it – bring some chocolate treats, take in nature and winter scenery, and make it about more than skiing, and it can give you a quality experience and great memories.