Help Needed: First time cross-country skiing

[GeorgiaGirl]

Hi all - I will be visiting Steamboat in March and plan to take my first ever cross-country ski lesson. I'm a very inexperienced skier (have only been once, almost 20 years ago, so it will be tantamount to my first time on skis). What are your best tips for a first-timer in terms of getting the technique down, common mistakes, any special clothing or gear, handy items to bring with me, etc?

And what should I know about cross-country vs downhill skiing? I have been told that it can be harder work, so am prepared for that, but anything else?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[geargrrl]

take a lesson and dress in layers.

 

[Jenny]

It's a lot harder work so layers are definitely key - because you'll be sweating! Even my hands sweat when I cross-country ski.

And I always feel uncoordinated at first, too, because it seems to take my body a while to remember what it's doing.

 

[abc]

Skating or classic?

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Skating or classic?

I haven't decided on one vs. the other yet. Any recommendations about which makes more sense? I don't expect to take a ski vacation more than once every year or two, so whichever one is easier to grasp quickly would probably be ideal.

 

[abc]

I haven't decided on one vs. the other yet. Any recommendations about which makes more sense? I don't expect to take a ski vacation more than once every year or two, so whichever one is easier to grasp quickly would probably be ideal.

Whichever is easiest to grasp quickly depends on your background and intent.

For exercise, skating is more rigorous. It'll get your heart rate up in a hurry in the smallest hills. At least in the beginning before you get the techniques down, it feels like sprinting! THE WHOLE TIME!!!

People who's done a lot of ice skating can get the hang of skating skis very quickly. But since you asked, I suppose you're not a proficient ice skater? There's also a theory strong downhill skiers have an edge on skating ski, I'm not sure I buy that.

Once you can get going smoothly, the rush of speed on a skating ski can not be underestimated! It has the highest of "highs" I get in all sports I tried! Super addictive!!!


Classic, on the other hand, is a bit more forgiving at the beginning. You can simply walk on the skis for a while if you get tired, in between actually "skiing": i.e. kick and glide. And as you get better, you can gliiiiiideeee a long way for each kick, which is really sweet.

Downhill is what "gets" a lot of occasional x-c skiers. With the heel free, control is a bit sketchy. A lot of people totally freak out on downhills. And a lot of the so-called "lessons" spend all the time on downhill control. I'm not a big fan of that approach. Their client never really got into the "skiing" technique. They're just walking around on skis. They might as well walk around on snowshoes! Best to separate the two and focus on each for a day, or at least half a day on each aspect.

A lot of people x-c ski just to "get to" places they can't get to without skis. For that, classic would be the easiest and most appropriate. It also lets you go off the groom tracks easily. Majority of first-timers start on classic, for that's what they want to do.

If you don't get to ski a lot, and don't have a strong ice skating background, classic would be the easier choice.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Great advice, thank you! I think I'll end up going with classic, most likely.

 

[Jilly]

Classic will be easier because it's more like walking. Co-ordination will be the hardest. As for clothing, layers, just like running in the winter. Don't even think about an insulated ski suit. You'll be sweating enough with layers.

 

[abc]

Dress like winter running, with wind & water resistant (better yet, waterproof) outer layer, espeically the bottom half.

Pack an insulation layer for when you stop for lunch (or any long break).

Light weight gloves, preferrably with wicking material. Your hand will sweat like you never knew could. Wicking socks too.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Thank you! This helps tremendously.

 

[wpsally]

Yay for taking a lesson. I finally got around to learning classic last winter as I wanted to be able to ski anywhere and there are a lot of forest trails around me that can be skied in the winter.

In my first lesson, the best thing my instructor did was have us jump (without the skis). Just jump up and really focus on how you land -- where's your weight, what's your body alignment from head to toe. Then we hopped from one foot to the other, back and forth, with the same focus. I found that when I started skiing, this knowledge of my body made it easier to keep myself in a good position. Sometimes when I'm out I tend to stand straight up, knees almost locked and then I fall over. When that happens I go back to thinking about jumping foot to foot. This will make more sense once you actually get on skis, but not all instructors explain things this way and we all learn differently. I've shared this with other people and and they've had a bit of an "aha" moment from it. So something to think of when you get closer to your trip. And enjoy Steamboat! It's one of my fav mountains.

 

[snow addict]

I haven't decided on one vs. the other yet. Any recommendations about which makes more sense? I don't expect to take a ski vacation more than once every year or two, so whichever one is easier to grasp quickly would probably be ideal.

Classic will be easier, so start with it. Skating is a more advanced technique, very helpful in racing on uphill. I agree with posts above, no insulation, unless it's seriously sub-zero, and even then nothing too heavy.
As for XC skiing vs. alpine, the latter is much easier as most of the job is done by gravity rather than your muscles Do XC regularly and you will have abs of steel.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Wpsally, that is a great tip! Thanks so much. I'll definitely remember that when I get out there. Snow addict - I'll be ready for sore ab muscles the next day.

My 1-hour lesson includes a trail pass for the day. What's a reasonable length of time to expect to be out on the trails after I'm through with instruction and (hopefully) have gotten a grip on the basic technique? I don't want to push it too hard and pay for it the rest of the week.

 

[vanhoskier]

Wpsally, that is a great tip! Thanks so much. I'll definitely remember that when I get out there. Snow addict - I'll be ready for sore ab muscles the next day.

My 1-hour lesson includes a trail pass for the day. What's a reasonable length of time to expect to be out on the trails after I'm through with instruction and (hopefully) have gotten a grip on the basic technique? I don't want to push it too hard and pay for it the rest of the week.

That depends on what kind of physical condition you are in, as well as the weather conditions. If it's nice (not a bitterly cold, blustery day), you may want to ski for a few more hours, practicing what you've learned in your lesson. If there is a lodge at the XC ski center, bring an extra layer in case you get sweaty, so you can change into something dry. That goes for gloves and hats, too. You will sweat!

Don't underestimate the power of a XC lesson. After skiing a few days, you may want to take another to learn even more.

I started classic XC, and a few years later, took a skating lesson and was addicted. I must have taken a dozen skating lessons after that, because as I progressed, I found there was more and more to learn.

Have fun! It's a great workout, and the peace and quiet of XC trails is wonderful.

 

[SkiBam]

You ask whether to do classic or skating. A lot will depend on the trail(s) where you're taking your lesson. Skating trails need to be wider with a flat surface to skate on. For classic, you just need a path through the woods. Me, I'd opt for classic as you can go anywhere with it.

And you're very wise to take a lesson. I x-c skied pretty much all my life, but only got around to take a series of lessons a few years ago. Learned I wasn't doing the diagonal stride (your basic movement) quite properly and I was reaching too far forward with my arms. Your aim is to ski as effortlessly as possible (like with downhill) so that you can go for as long as you want.

As others have said, expect to get very warm so dress in layers. I believe x-c skiing is one of the best exercises around.

And then there's the issue of whether to have waxless or waxable skis. The former are much better than they used to be and are what I tend to use now for more backcountry skiing. If I'm on a set track, I'll go with my waxable skis.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Thanks for the feedback, vanhoskier and SkiBam. I didn't know that there are both waxless/waxable skis - I will be renting the equipment this first time out (just to be sure I like the sport before investing in gear). So I'll ask the ski center what they recommend.

 

[abc]

For beginners, it's ALWAYS waxless

You got enough to worry about without needing to fuss about waxing

 

[vanhoskier]

For beginners, it's ALWAYS waxless

You got enough to worry about without needing to fuss about waxing

Yeah, you only need to get waxable skis if you get skate skis or classic racing skis. All recreational skis and most backcountry skis are waxless.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Great, that simplifies things. Thanks.

 

[mahgnillig]

Ooh, have fun! I really enjoy XC skiing with my dogs... once you get into it, you will love it!

Definitely dress in layers... you will find yourself sweating a lot. I usually start out with long baselayers plus a softshell jacket & softshell trousers. I like softshell stuff for XC because it breathes much better than waterproof/breathable (Gore-Tex etc.) while still shedding snow. I got my first XC session of the season in at Kirkwood this weekend and it was so warm I ditched the jacket & gloves in the parking lot!

Once you have done your first lesson you'll have more of an idea of what you want to do XC-wise. Bear in mind that if you choose skate skiing, you'll pretty much be limited to skiing at an area with groomed trails, but you will go fast! I wanted to be able to do both track and off-track, so when I bought my own XC skis I chose a metal-edge pair that are still skinny enough to fit in the tracks, but floaty enough to tackle some light backcountry stuff (Madshus Voss). This year I'm planning on adding some wider backcountry only XC skis (Madshus Epoch) to my quiver, so I can still get out with the dogs even after it dumps.

Another nice thing about XC is that it doesn't break the bank to get started. You can often pick up package deals for really good prices, and most pairs of skis are under $200 (when was the last time that happened for downhill? lol).