By Ross Lawrence
Like a long jog in the rain or a scenic river trail hike, Nordic skiing is an ideal way to get a workout while basking in the glory of North California’s unique landscape. Imagine – the wind at your back, a clear winter’s day, and you gracefully striding down a perfectly manicured snow trail with a breathtaking view of Mt. Shasta. Lucky for local Nordic skiing enthusiasts, the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center has made such experiences possible for almost a quarter century.
In 2006, a group of passionate cross-country skiers, snowshoers and skate skiers started the Mt. Shasta Nordic Ski Organization (Mt. Shasta Nordic), which operates the Nordic Center. A community based non-profit, Mt. Shasta Nordic works to increase interest in the sport of Nordic skiing by providing marked backcountry as well as groomed trails to a broad range of skiers. During a snowy year, Mt. Shasta Nordic provides approximately 25 km of groomed trails, a rental facility, group lessons, drinks and snacks and special events.
“When we have snow on the mountain, we’re really busy,” stated Mt. Shasta Nordic’s Executive Director Justi Hansen. “We have a strong Nordic ski community locally, but we get visitors from as far away as the Bay Area and Oregon.”
Mt. Shasta Nordic is a community-oriented group. The organization runs several programs for youth including one that allows entire school groups and mental health facilities to learn the fundamentals of cross-country skiing in a day. Instructors are able to design their curricula around an exercise-filled day of Nordic skiing.
“We have the Nordic Ski Youth Program that’s really popular,” noted Hansen. “We receive grants for the program which helps us provide scholarships and transportation for local schools and mental health organizations. Everyone learns how to ski, eats in the yurt and it’s really a lot of fun.”
Younger visitors to the Nordic Center may enjoy the Junior Skate Ski Program, which is an eight-week program where the same group of kids learns to skate ski. Mt. Shasta Nordic does not just host events and programs for kids though. People of all ages and abilities can enjoy cross-country skiing, skate skiing and snowshoeing at the Nordic Center. In fact, affordable group and private lessons are offered to anyone from a four-year-old to and an 84-year-old. Also, this year, Mt. Shasta Nordic plans on having a Veterans Day event where former service members will be able to ski for free. On Senior Day this year a biologist will come out to do a snow, nature and wildlife interpretation for snowshoers 65 and over.
“We get people of all ages, abilities and interests, and I think it’s because Nordic skiing and cross-country skiing in particular is a lot easier to learn than downhill skiing or snowboarding,” observed Hansen. “You can start with your skis wedged into a track, which makes it easier to get the hang of it if you’re a beginner.”
The availability of lessons with quality instructors combined with tracks in the groomed trails and lack of steep hills makes cross-country skiing readily accessible to novices. It’s why the Nordic Center can host large school groups, and by the end of the day kids that have never been to a ski park are skiing. As participants become more comfortable on cross-country skis or skate-skis though, a technical aspect and rhythm comes into it. Advanced cross-country skiers often seek a new challenge in skate skiing, which is more difficult than traditional skiing.
“With skate-skiing, you have really narrow skis. It’s a more aerobic form, and it’s mostly on flat, but you can go up and down hills too,” said Hansen. “It’s almost like ballet on skis. You can get a lot of speed. It’s an excellent workout and very intense.”
For new visitors to the Nordic Center, getting into the groove is easy. Rentals of cross-country skis, skate skis, boots, poles and snowshoes are available, and the trailhead fee is just $15 for adults. Additionally, private lessons start at $15 and group lessons range from $10-$20 (lessons typically last an hour and a half). So, you can get your family out on the trails in no time, and because there’s rental gear you don’t have to invest a lot of money before you’ve even shown up at the trail. If you find that Nordic skiing is your thing, a season pass only costs $75 for an adult or $150 for a family – a small price to pay for a whole season.
“We have a rich history of skiing at Mt. Shasta that’s embedded into the cultural past of the area,” expressed Hansen. “We want to continue building on that in addition to making the sport of skiing more accessible. People need to see how beautiful it is up here.”
With all the hype and coverage of downhill skiing and snowboarding it can be easy to overlook Nordic skiing. For decades around Mt. Shasta, locals and tourists have been enjoying the scenic trails in the area on their snowshoes, skate skis and cross-country skis. Now, with resources provided by Mt. Shasta Nordic, trying the sport is as simple as ever. If you’re looking for something new this winter, hit your stride at the Mt. Shasta Nordic Center.