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Five Reasons to Take a Family Nordic Ski Trip
in the Northeast
A family ski trip evokes an image of fun and togetherness on the snow as well as
travel concerns about time, distance and affordability. A Nordic ski trip is a
fun, enjoyable recreation for families, especially those with infants, toddlers
and school-age children. A Nordic ski trip eases family travel concerns.
Cross Country Ski Areas
Association, a membership organization of over 200 North American Nordic
centers, lists five reasons to take a family Nordic trip.
1) Close to Home-With the demands on family time for work and play, parents are
hesitant to spend the extra time driving to the mountains, waking before the sun
and returning well after dark to enjoy a day on the slopes. The rising price of
gasoline is rapidly becoming a factor in destination decisions. Cross country
skiing is available on rolling farmland, local parks and golf courses. A
CCSAA member center offering
groomed trails, rentals and lessons, is within a one hour drive of most major
metropolitan areas in the northern U.S. and Canada.
2) Time Together-After a week in school or day care, there is no need to
separate the family during play. Infants can be carried in back packs, toddlers
drawn in sleds and kids as young as three can learn to cross country ski or
snowshoe, gliding and walking on the same trails as the adults. Even the family
pet can get into the act at centers that welcome dogs on the trails or have
designated canine loops. CCSAA
centers provide rental equipment including toddler sleds and offer lessons for
kids.
3) Easy on the Pocketbook-Trail passes, rental equipment and lessons are priced
well below other winter recreation fees. Many cross country vacation resorts
include the use of the trails for free while staying at the resort. A day trip
for a family of four with kids ages 6 and 12 costs $40 at
Highland Lodge in
Greensboro, VT and $40 at
Salmon Hills
Resort in Redfield, NY and $20 at Nordic Skier in Wolfeboro, NH where kids
12 and under ski free. A weekend vacation for the same family including lodging,
breakfast, dinner and skiing is $480 at the
Sunday River Inn and
Cross Country Center in Newry, Maine.
4) Develop a healthy lifestyle-According to the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, obesity has moved up close to tobacco as the number one health
threat in the United States. An estimated 64.5% of Americans are overweight or
obese. The percentage of overweight or obese children stands at 37%. Overweight
children tend to grow up to be overweight adults and are at greater risk for
developing illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. A 150 lb cross country
skier burns an average of 572 calories per hour. The same weight downhill skier
would burn 429, ice skater 500, snowmobiler 250 or TV watcher 71. Cross country
skiing burns more calories because more muscles are working. It floods the body
with a feeling of well being, greatly improving one’s mood. Snow is soft,
lessening impact on the joints. Cross country skiing uses natural movements. It
does not require special skills to get started and has a short learning curve.
5) Fun for all- Cross Country skiing is an activity that energizes the body,
spirit and mind while breathing fresh air, surrounded by the beauty of nature.
It is one of the only sports that the entire family can do at its own
pace-leisurely or vigorously, individually as a family unit or socially with
other families. Without the use of motorized equipment and the force of gravity,
cross country skiing and snowshoeing offer a safer environment for families.
A listing of Nordic centers including a description of facilities and current
trail conditions is available on line at
www.xcski.org. A magazine,
“The Best of Cross Country Skiing” is available from the
Cross Country Ski Areas
Association by phoning 1-877-779-2754 or writing to CCSAA at 259 Bolton Rd.,
Winchester, NH 03470.
Cross country ski centers welcome journalists for individual media trips. Please
contact the center directly to arrange for a visit.
Sunday River Cross
Country Ski Center
23 Skiway Rd
Newry, ME 04261
207-824-2410
info@sundayriverinn.com
Contact: Eric Boyle-Wight
Bethel Inn Cross
Country Ski Center
6 Broad St.
Bethel, ME 04217
207-824-2175
bjerome@bethelinn.com
Contact: Brad Jerome, Marketing Dir.
Jackson Ski Touring
Foundation
PO Box 216
Jackson, NH 03846
603-383-9355
thom@jacksonxc.org
Contact: Thom Perkins
Smugglers Notch
Resort
4323 VT Route 108 South
Smugglers Notch, VT 05464
802-644-8851
smuggs@smuggs.com
Contact: Barbara Thomke
Highland Lodge
1608 Craftsbury Rd
Greensboro, VT 05826
802-586-8065
highland.lodge@verizon.net
Contact: Willie, David or Anne
The Mountaintop Inn &
Resort
195 Mountain Top Road
Chittenden, VT 05737
802-483-2311
diane@mountaintopinn.com
Contact: Diane Dickerman
Grafton Ponds Nordic Ski Center
Po Box 9
Grafton, VT 05146
802-843-2400
gponds@sover.net
Contact: Colin Lawson
Garnet Hill Lodge X-C Ski
Center
13th Lake Road
North River, NY 12856
518-251-2150
skishop.garnet@netheaven.com
Contact: Dick Carlson
Salmon Hills
Resort
100 Noble Shores Dr.
Redfield, NY 13437
315-599-7008
john@salmonhills.com
Contact: John Lauenberger
Gray Marketing - Marketing and Promotion
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