nordic ski guide nordic ski guide Winter 2016-17 By Tim Hauserman
It snowed! It snowed! After a few winters of well below normal snowfall, 2015-16 came through with plenty of the white stuff and the Nordic ski areas around Lake Tahoe returned to full operation. This made a lot of skiers pretty dang excited gliding over the trails that they love. This season, 2016-17, started out fluffy and white, as well, so hopefully the excitement will continue. Cross-country skiing is easy to learn and an excellent full-body workout. Kids, ages 4 to 90, can do it. It’s a great way to enjoy the boundless snowy bounty of a Tahoe winter while escaping the massive hordes that congregate around the lifts. During much of the winter, if you have your own gear, at most cross-country ski areas, it will take you less than 5 minutes to go from shutting your car door to gliding away from the trailhead. Even during the busiest holiday periods, while the lodge might be busy, out on the trails, a peaceful experience awaits. For the budget conscious, even at the most expensive crosscountry ski resorts, trail passes are about a quarter the cost of downhill lift tickets. The Tahoe-Truckee region provides the greatest concentration of cross-country skiing opportunities in North America with more than 500 kilometers of groomed trails. Most resorts have equipment to rent and also provide access for snowshoeing. Many provide lessons and clinics to improve your skiing technique. A few locations also allow skiers to bring their dogs along on the trails. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start skating and striding.
Northstar California
Tim Hauserman is the author of “Cross-Country Skiing in the Sierra Nevada.” He teaches skiing and runs the Strider Glider program at Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area.
fat bike
snowshoeing
tubing & sledding
night skiing/snowshoeing
dog friendly
biathlon