Cross-country skiing has suddenly become a very popular sport this winter with everybody wanting to find safe ways to socialize with friends and family outside where physical distancing is easy and there's space to spread out on the trails.
It's an affordable sport, easy to learn, and great for the entire family young and old.
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| Christmas Day Skiing in Kananaskis |
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| Christmas Family Photo 2019 |
Ten Reasons to Try Cross-country Skiing with your Family this Winter
One. Cross-country skiing is affordable and renting gear is easy
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| Cross-country skiing is an affordable way to get outside with your family |
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| Get out with family and friends this winter to explore Kananaskis on skis |
Two. Escape the crowds and safely connect with friends
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| Get outside for safe family fun this Christmas season |
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| Ski outing with our Rainbow Ski Club |
Three. Enjoy family bonding with a captive audience!
My house has several rooms spread out over three floors (including the basement) and so it's pretty easy to isolate yourself from other family members if you want to be alone. Even in the car, kids often bring headphones and electronic and like to tune their parents out (or in my son's case, a bag of books which he loses himself thoroughly in.)
Once you get on the ski trail though, there are no electronics, no books, and no distractions. I often ski beside my son (preferring to ski outside the tracks so we can talk) and he catches me up on his school week. He tells me about his challenges, he shares his fears and current anxieties, and he'll tell me about the books he's reading. (If you let him he'll also talk your ear off about Minecraft!)
Skiing gives parents the opportunity to bond with their children. I share stories from my younger days with my son and it motivates him to keep skiing. Sometimes we even play trail games and create stories as we ski.
Obviously if a ski trail is crowded, you'll have to ski single file and you won't be able to talk as much, but there are always rest stops, breaks for hot chocolate and cookies, and quiet trails are usually easy to find if you avoid crowded parking lots.
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| Family bonding is easy and natural when you go skiing together |
Four. Cross-country skiing is sweet and simple
I get a little bit overwhelmed at crowded ski resorts sometimes and I struggle with the logistics. Just getting all of your gear to the day lodge can be a challenge not to mention finding parking, finding a quiet place to have lunch, or just keeping track of your family all day (ever have somebody accidentally end up at the wrong chairlift for example?)
With cross-country skiing you just step out of your car and hop onto the ski trails that are usually less than 100 metres away. There's no waiting for chairlifts, there's no worrying about your child cutting off onto the wrong ski run (always a double black that I can't follow him down in my case,) and there's no accidently skiing past your child (who was playing in the trees and is now behind you.)
Cross-country skiing is slow, it's a relaxed sport, and kids will always stop when they come to a junction. Snack breaks are quiet moments when you find a peaceful picnic table along the trail and there's a beautiful lack of noise that I appreciate after a busy week in the city.
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| Cross-country ski days are sweet and simple! |
Five. Cross-country skiing is great exercise for the whole family
Here is a sport where you have to earn your turns! Want to enjoy some big fun downhill sections? You'll first have to climb to get to the top. My family loves hills, and the steeper the better, so we often ski to the top of fire lookouts, viewpoints, or mountain passes. If a 3 hour climb takes 30 minutes to ski down we know we've chosen the right trail.
Whether you like hills or not though, cross-country skiing always provides a great workout. Ask any parent pulling a ski pulk or chariot as well what kind of a workout they're getting!
And if you're a family skiing with young children, you just have to get creative sometimes if you want more of a workout. My husband will often drive to the end of a long trail if it's doable one way with a shuttle and will ski back to meet us. This allows my son and I a one-way ski (usually in the downhill direction) while my husband climbs to meet us and gets more exercise. Towing young kids can also give you more exercise if you choose a trail that's fun to descend (but requires work to get up.)
For families skiing with younger children check out this TowWhee product from Kids Bikes Canada. The business is run by a Calgary family and I know from experience how useful it can be to have a towing system when skiing with children.
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| We've done a lot of ski-towing to help our son enjoy the downhill descents |
Six. No early starts required!!
My boys left the house at 6am this morning to go skiing at Lake Louise. I got up to say goodbye and then went back to bed. I am not an early riser and what I most appreciate about cross-country skiing is that I don't have to wake up with the chickens.
Certain trailheads can get busy early season when options for skiing are still limited but as the season progresses, arriving at 10 or 11 am is definitely doable for cross-country skiing and you should never have to wake up before 8am (even if skiing at Lake Louise.)
If skiing with young kids, you can even combine different activities in the same day. Stop for a short ski, move on to a lake to skate, go for a hike... Options are endless if you aren't going out for a 20 km ski.
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| Get out with family and friends for a ski trip (no early start required!) |
Seven. You can ski close to home without leaving the city
Many Calgary golf courses and parks are groomed and track set throughout the winter. The trails are free to ski and tend to be very flat (and perfect for beginners.)
Sometimes we even bring a sled with us if we're skiing at the Confederation Golf Course.
Below are some of our favourite places to play in the city.
And I'll add that there will also be a skating trail in North Glenmore Park this winter (and that there's been ski grooming there in the past.)
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| Cross-country skiing on a Calgary golf course |
Eight. Connect with nature while getting a healthy dose of vitamin D
We all need regular doses of the sunshine vitamin and nothing beats skiing across sunny meadows, having lunch at a trailside picnic table, and stopping for frequent breaks to make snow angels.
We always feel better after we've spent a day playing in the woods, skiing through a snowy forest, and getting away from the urban lifestyle.
Playing outside resets the brain and helps set you up for another week of work and school.
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| Get out and soak up some Vitamin D and fresh air! |
Nine. Anybody can cross-country ski and it's easy to learn
There is no great skill required to enjoy cross-country skiing as long as you choose a flat beginner-friendly trail. We take my mother with us once or twice a year and she loves slowly shuffling along as she marvels at the winter wonderland around us. She enjoys spending time outside with us and cross-country skiing is not a strenuous sport if you take it easy and head out for a relaxed jaunt.
Nobody is too old or young to enjoy cross-country skiing. Even babies and toddlers can come along if you have a ski pulk or chariot with skis. (And most places that rent skis also rent ski pulks and chariots.)
If you want to invest in ski lessons for the family, check out the recommendations in the Cross Country Skiing YYC Group on Facebook.
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| My son connecting with his grandmother at the Canmore Nordic Centre |
Ten. Cross-country skiing is a sliding sport!
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| Winter is for sliding and gliding! |
Resources
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| We love skiing in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis |
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| Winter is magical season! |
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| Family ski days are a lot of fun! |
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