XC skiing lessons?

[Candace66]

Well, the leaves are changing color and there's a chill in the air...time for me to start thinking about XC skiing again! :haha: I'm a total newbie so I'd like to get started on the right foot with some lessons. Any recommendations?

[DOSS]

Well, the leaves are changing color and there's a chill in the air...time for me to start thinking about XC skiing again! :haha: I'm a total newbie so I'd like to get started on the right foot with some lessons. Any recommendations?

My wife took a lesson last year at White Pine Touring, Just did the group lesson on a Sunaday. She ended up with a private lesson since no-one else showed up. I also like the Nordic Center at Solitude and the guys/gals there.

Rent gear the first couple of times you go out at least to make sure you like it.. Then I suggest picking up a used set if you like it. It is really common in the XC ski world to find brand new gear for sale by people who bought it, went 1X and decided it was too hard (got a killer set of fishers for my wife for $60 this way) :afro:

[Candace66]

Thx!

Tonight was slow at work so I used my time wisely :naughty: by checking out the offerings at different resorts. I see Solitude offers some instruction, as do other places.

I've also thought about trying out downhill skiing as well. Brighton has a 3-day newbie package for $199 that looks interesting. Downhill looks to me like an expensive sport though (going by the price of lift tickets)!

[DOSS]

Thx!

Tonight was slow at work so I used my time wisely :naughty: by checking out the offerings at different resorts. I see Solitude offers some instruction, as do other places.

I've also thought about trying out downhill skiing as well. Brighton has a 3-day newbie package for $199 that looks interesting. Downhill looks to me like an expensive sport though (going by the price of lift tickets)!

Yeah, downhill can get pricey... I don't really like to ski at Brighton though (it is a boarders paradise and the styles don't always do well on the same slope together).. Especially if you suck at downhill like I do :)

[Candace66]

It is very risky to do skiing in high mountains. If you want to learn about skiing then our company is one of the best in learning skiing as well as we provide the best quality sky boards to buy.

wtf? LOL!

[tallsteve]

I x-country ski a ton during the winter. With AF Canyon 5 minutes from my house it makes it quite convenient. The USFS grooms two campground roads/loops just for x-country. I just went and learned on my own the first year. The second year I took a half-day class from TUNA http://www.utahnordic.com at Mountain Dell in Parley's Canyon. The class helped tremendously and I recommend some form of training, the sooner the better before bad habits set in. Besides AF Canyon, I really like the Round Valley trails in Park City http://mountaintrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Low-RV-Map.jpg. It's free to ski there and I like the rolling terrain with nothing extreme. It also gets groomed a couple times a week. Before buying equipment I would go rent some first to make sure you like it. Most places rent x-country gear (skis, boots & poles) for $10 or so, per day. After you get hooked, like I did, then buy your own gear. If you buy used gear, make sure it's only a couple years old. The bindings and skis have seen big improvements recently. I made the mistake of buying used stuff that looked good but turned out to be too old and crap. Those skis/bindings are now at the DI. I ended up buying new early last year and haven't regretted it a bit. Even decent new gear you should be able to buy a package deal for under $300. Also, figure out which type of x-country skiing you'll be doing and where you'll be doing it at. If you'll mostly be skiing groomed track, then I'd recommend going with the basic non-metal edge, waxless skis with the NNN bindings/boots. That's what I have now and they work great for most of the skiing I do. I just bought a different set of skis which have a metal edge for more off-track skiing and icy conditions. I'm excited to try them out but, would expect to use the waxless gear 75% of the time. The waxless gear also works great in fresh powder. Skate skiing has also become popular but I wouldn't recommend beginning with that. Get the classic skiing down first. My 2 cents. Hope this helps. I'd be happy to meet you at Round Valley some Saturday and offer some tips and get you started. I'll bring along a buddy so you don't think I'm some creeper.

[DOSS]

I second what Steve says :).. I would be willing to come along on a X ski outing.. I went out yesterday in the foothills around Tooele but this snow was like glue...

Oh I also found that they are grooming trails near corner canyon as well http://www.facebook.com/DraperWinterTrails

[Candace66]

Steve and Doss--thanks for the info & advice! Now that the snow's here I need to get off my butt and schedule some kind of beginner lesson. But I'll be visiting SoCal for the second half of Nov. so it will have to be after that.

I was speculating that there must be some roads that would be good for XC once they're snowed over. And other places to go as well besides the known destinations (such as North Ogden, Mt. Dell, etc.). So thanks for the pointers there. :2thumbs:

[tallsteve]

Mountain Dell is OK to do a couple of times a season but, in my opinion, it's too crowded with mostly folks on skate skis. The first time I went there as a newbie I felt very intimidated.
The great thing about it is you can find any snow-packed road and just go. I love skiing the AF Canyon Alpine Loop Road which gets mostly snowmobile use. However, it can get icy and crusted over which is why I just got the metal-edge skis.

[Sombeech]

Steve and Doss--thanks for the info & advice! Now that the snow's here I need to get off my butt and schedule some kind of beginner lesson. But I'll be visiting SoCal for the second half of Nov. so it will have to be after that.

I was speculating that there must be some roads that would be good for XC once they're snowed over. And other places to go as well besides the known destinations (such as North Ogden, Mt. Dell, etc.). So thanks for the pointers there. :2thumbs:

I wouldn't be surprised if there are some paths up on in the foothills of Layton near the Bonneville Shoreline Trail that are well traveled in the winter. I'm not sure about grooming though.

I do believe they groom the trails up in Ogden Valley up in North Fork.

Here's a Google Map up in Eden where I think these trails, at least partially will be groomed. We ride these trails in the summer and they've got the big berms build up on some of the turns. If these trails aren't groomed then I know I've been in this area on the road that is groomed. I'm just having trouble remembering exactly which one.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=41.376326,-111.913905&spn=0.021898,0.038581&t=h&z=15&msid=100749669156101003180.000490e632d3d1a52a1da

[tallsteve]

Yes, I've heard the North Fork Nordic Park is fun. I may give it a try in January after I'm done with "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Center Theater Orem (shameless plug!) and have the time to drive up that way. http://www.ogdennordic.com

[Sombeech]

Yes, I've heard the North Fork Nordic Park is fun. I may give it a try in January after I'm done with "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Center Theater Orem (shameless plug!) and have the time to drive up that way. http://www.ogdennordic.com


Cool, here's a trail map
61159

[tallsteve]

We received barely enough snow yesterday that I was able to do about 6 miles at Little Mill Campground up AF. The tips of my poles were hitting asphalt here and there. Need 5-6" more to have it ideal.

[Candace66]

Well, I FINALLY had my first lesson! Wed. afternoon at White Pine Touring in Park City.

There was barely enough snow on the ground for a beginner lesson. I thought my "group" lesson might end up being a private lesson. But when I got there it turned out another lady had signed up for the same time. Still, a semi-private lesson for $35 ain't bad (I brought my own gear). :2thumbs:

It was pretty fun, and as a total ski noob I'll pat myself on the back for not falling. :lol8: However, I definitely need to figure out the "stopping" part, or if I venture out onto anything steeper than a a few degrees slope, I WILL be on my butt! She showed us this "plow" method but I didn't master it by any means, despite doing some practice on my own after the lesson.

I'm sure someone here can offer some pointers on stopping techniques! Maybe I'll spring for a lesson somewhere else too. Might be a case of just needing to hear/see it explained in a different way.

[DOSS]

Well, I FINALLY had my first lesson! Wed. afternoon at White Pine Touring in Park City.

There was barely enough snow on the ground for a beginner lesson. I thought my "group" lesson might end up being a private lesson. But when I got there it turned out another lady had signed up for the same time. Still, a semi-private lesson for $35 ain't bad (I brought my own gear). :2thumbs:

It was pretty fun, and as a total ski noob I'll pat myself on the back for not falling. :lol8: However, I definitely need to figure out the "stopping" part, or if I venture out onto anything steeper than a a few degrees slope, I WILL be on my butt! She showed us this "plow" method but I didn't master it by any means, despite doing some practice on my own after the lesson.

I'm sure someone here can offer some pointers on stopping techniques! Maybe I'll spring for a lesson somewhere else too. Might be a case of just needing to hear/see it explained in a different way.

W00T! Glad you finally got out on the snow. now just keep honing your technique and have fun :cool2:

As for stopping.. everyone I know initially has issues with stopping.. My suggestion is to go often, fall a lot and every time it snows hit up a local hill and practice till you get it :).. but Yeah a different explanation can be helpful too. I learned to "plow" when I took downhill lessons when I was 13 and it seemed to come pretty easy then (maybe the downhill teachers are better at teaching the plow (that or since you have to do it to get down the hill for the first few hours of your downhill life you just figure it out really quick)

[Candace66]

Probably because it's easier to learn something new at 13 than at...my relatively advanced age!? :lol8: You know the old saying about teaching old dogs new tricks!

Yeah, I'll definitely have to practice that bit...we need some more snow first!

[tallsteve]

Good for you! Glad you had a good time. Stopping and turning are more difficult with x-county skis just by their nature. Keep practicing- you'll get it. I'm still not comfortable with really steep hills. I think its a combination of never ski'd before and my height (my center of gravity is so stinkin' high!).

[Sun Dance]

We received barely enough snow yesterday that I was able to do about 6 miles at Little Mill Campground up AF. The tips of my poles were hitting asphalt here and there. Need 5-6" more to have it ideal.

How in the world did you do six miles at Little Mill? Up and down the road three times? Sounds like a good flat scenic place to get some good practice in.

[tallsteve]

How in the world did you do six miles at Little Mill? Up and down the road three times? Sounds like a good flat scenic place to get some good practice in.

Yep, 3 Laps. It's almost exactly 1 mile to the South Fork Ranger Station fence/gate. I did another 3 laps this morning. I wanted to head up to Round Valley but, road conditions here in Utah County were treacherous this morning.

[Sun Dance]

Yep, 3 Laps. It's almost exactly 1 mile to the South Fork Ranger Station fence/gate. I did another 3 laps this morning. I wanted to head up to Round Valley but, road conditions here in Utah County were treacherous this morning.

Did you by chance see a man and woman on skis and a younger woman on snowshoes up there? I just found out my aunt and uncle were there too.

[tallsteve]

Nobody on snowshoes but, we did see a man and a woman.
Yeah, Little Mill isn't the most exciting place to ski (although it is pretty, being right next to the river). I use it when I don't have a lot of time or am just concentrating on getting a decent aerobic workout. Because of its gentle slope, I can get into a good rhythm and concentrate on form, technique and speed.