While regular skiing is all about the thrill of speed as you zoom down the hill or mountain, your cheeks flush and the spray of snow covering your face, cross-country skiing in Winter Park CO is more focused on covering long distances at slow speed. And if you’re wondering which one is older, it’s cross-country skiing. In Scandinavia, where snow covers the ground for most of the year, this has always been the favorite way of transportation for thousands of years. It’s more like hiking on snow at a leisurely pace while you take in all the wonders of nature all around the trail. Using the same equipment as regular skiing, the cross-country skier kicks and glides on the snow, which is a powerful exercise for the legs, back and core muscles.
Best Times For Cross Country Skiing Winter park CO
For a successful cross-country skiing Winter Park Colorado excursion, you’ll need two things: lots of snow and an early start. From early December you can start enjoying this sport. It’s also recommended to try it after a fresh snowfall. Thankfully, Winter Park has the highest snowfall records in all of Colorado, which makes it an ideal spot to go cross-country skiing. The deeper the snow the better, too. So ideally between January and March is when the trails have beautiful snow and the views are fascinating.
Rent or Buy Ski Equipment?
While both regular and cross-country skiing use skis, the equipment is a little different for both. Cross-country skis are wider to distribute the weight and prevent you from getting stuck in the snow. If you’re new to the sport, you might consider renting the equipment until you get the hang of it. There are many rental services around town. One of those is Black Tie Ski Rentals, which offers a 20% discount for our guests.
Best Places for Cross-Country Skiing in Winter Park
Your cross-country skiing Winter Park CO experience depends on the trail you pick. Not all trails are the same and some have better views than the others. In Winter Park, there are three main trails. Grand Lake Nordic Center is one which allows you to bring your dog with you. The trails offer astounding views of the Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapahoe National Forest. The second one is Devil’s Thumb Ranch, which also allows dogs and offers lessons as well. Granby Ranch is the last trail and it has shorter trails than the other two.
Cross-country skiing is a unique opportunity to enjoy nature during the winter months. And Winter Park offers some of the best trails you can find this side of Colorado. For more information, call us today and ask about our vacation rentals.