Why XC ain't so bad

[Cannonball]

It was a little depressing to have to leave NH for MA to find snow. Zero inches fell in Lincoln, NH yesterday, while Marshfield, MA picked up close to a foot. But Marshfield is pretty self descriptive and is very much a "marsh" and a "field", neither of which offer any pitch. So XC skis are the tools of choice. And here is why XC skiing isn't so bad when it's all you've got.

- When it's 12 degrees out you are sweating instead of freezing.
- You actually do burn enough calories to justify that apres beer (unlike the false rationalization of downhill)
- It's free.
- You can always get first tracks.
- Even though steep AND deep is best, deep alone is better than nothing.
- Skinny skis sink, making it seem even deeper.
- You can bring your dog
- Any pitch at all... ANY pitch at all... is exhilarating!

Just gonna keep telling myself this until a storm hits further north.

 

[JDMRoma]

Hey Good for you making the best of the current situation !!! Great Idea and your at least outside enjoying it !
Its a great workout too….wish I had some XC ski's now but I guess I will settle for snowshoeing !

Id certainly be happy to be XC skiing…..without question !

 

[marcski]

I love XC skiing. If there's a snowpack here at home...I'm out there mid-week mornings skiing before work.

Sunrise from today:



Fresh tracks from yesterday:

 

[bdfreetuna]

I like XC skiing at a few spots in western mass. Stump Sprouts and Northfield are nice trail networks.

Going down mountains on XC gear is too much fun.

 

[crank]

I love xc and love it more when I can go close to home. Planning on both Saturday and SUnday excursions to local state parks. However, for the most part I am looking for some good tracks to follow in and have no love of fresh pow on xc skis.

 

[Domeskier]

Going down mountains on XC gear is too much fun.

Hitting Tunaspeed on XC gear must be an exhilarating experience!

 

[bdfreetuna]

I love xc and love it more when I can go close to home. Planning on both Saturday and SUnday excursions to local state parks. However, for the most part I am looking for some good tracks to follow in and have no love of fresh pow on xc skis.

Agreed I like tracks and some skating its more fun to move fast. Cutting through deep freshies on XC skis is a day much better spent skiing downhill.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I've never done XC, although I did end up on an XC trail at da loaf on alpine skis. Took about 1/8 of a mile of thinking "man this trail is flat" before I figured it out

Trying to get the GF into skiing, and she wants to try XC first so I am happily obliging


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone mobi

 

[Wavewheeler]

When I move to an area that has more natural snowfall XC is def on my list. Right now snowshoeing works for me when I can't go skiing. Nice to have an alternative to enjoying the snow.

 

[abc]

I love xc skiing more than downhill. But there's usually not enough snow nearby to do it often enough. So, when there's snow for xc, I drop everything to do it.

This week, I unfortunately left my xc gear in my Mom's place. So tomorrow evening, I'm going to go get it. Will be xc skiing Saturday!!! Yeehaa!!!

 

[Powderhound]

Agreed I like tracks and some skating its more fun to move fast. Cutting through deep freshies on XC skis is a day much better spent skiing downhill.

I have backcountry XC skis with a 3-pin binding and soft, duckbilled boots. Perfect for the local woods and trails.

 

[MadMadWorld]

XC is a blast. It might be cheesy but I love enjoying the outdoors without all the stress and sounds of civilization. Plus the dog loves being able to go with me. We both are exhausted when it's all said and done.

 

[twinplanx]

Yeah, due to the lack of vertical and the abundance of snow in my back yard, I have considered xc skiing. If I can get into a good groove and get a nice kick/glide rhythm going I don't see how snowshoeing could compare. But anything that gets you off the couch and enjoying winter can't be a bad thing.

Sent from my SCH-S735C using Tapatalk

 

[〽❄❅]

I have backcountry XC skis with a 3-pin binding and soft, duckbilled boots. Perfect for the local woods and trails.

In as much as i'm bumming about the Utah powder happening at home and not in the mountains, i have been having fun doing XC on the trail and in the woods at my local park, Philadelphia's Valley Green.
I did the metal edge BC XC ski with manual BC NNN binding. The minute i have to walk around in the snow in my boots, those NNN's become a real hemorrhoid to clamp into. Regreting not going with the duckbill version of my Fischer BCX-6 boots.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Hitting Tunaspeed on XC gear must be an exhilarating experience!

What is the conversion rate for XC skis?

 

[abc]

The minute i have to walk around in the snow in my boots, those NNN's become a real hemorrhoid to clamp into. Regreting not going with the duckbill version of my Fischer BCX-6 boots.

I learn to NEVER take the ski off!

(I learn that lesson when I used to ski in the upper midwest, where snowpack were deep: a couple feet! Taking the ski off would mean immediately sinking down to my hip!)

 

[Scruffy]

XC is a blast. It might be cheesy but I love enjoying the outdoors without all the stress and sounds of civilization. Plus the dog loves being able to go with me. We both are exhausted when it's all said and done.

Nothing cheesy at all about it The solitude of the woods or mountains is where you find what your mad of. Any lazy ass can lock into a pair of alpine skis, take a lift, and ski with the masses. With XC, the more you do the better it gets. Climbing mountains and skiing down in XC gear is hoot.

 

[Scruffy]

XC is a blast. It might be cheesy but I love enjoying the outdoors without all the stress and sounds of civilization. Plus the dog loves being able to go with me. We both are exhausted when it's all said and done.

Nothing cheesy at all about it The solitude of the woods or mountains is where you find what your made of. Any lazy ass can lock into a pair of alpine skis, take a lift, and ski with the masses. With XC, the more you do the better it gets. Climbing mountains and skiing down in XC gear is hoot.

 

[Powderhound]

Nothing cheesy at all about it The solitude of the woods or mountains is where you find what your made of. Any lazy ass can lock into a pair of alpine skis, take a lift, and ski with the masses. With XC, the more you do the better it gets. Climbing mountains and skiing down in XC gear is hoot.

+1!

 

[Wavewheeler]

Variety is the spice of life!