Boot n’ Paddle: Glide Edition

Greetings, booters and doodlers! It’s Friday, so that means you’ve studied hard, you had a blast at Java last night, and are now sitting hungover in the Pub as you munch a breakfast sandwich (pro tip: use an everything bagel). If you’re lucky, you don’t have too much to do today and have a nice chunk of daylight you can use to get some exercise. 

However, your roommate won’t let you borrow her car today (no Whiteface or Snowbowl) and let’s face it, you’d much rather go outside (no gym or climbing wall). What then? The answer is obvious: Nordic skiing.

Often considered the beige cousin of alpine skiing, Nordic skiing is in reality something elegant that invigorates the mind and the body. The basic premise is this: rather than walk across the snow, you click into a pair of thin skis, grab a pair of poles, and glide across the wintry landscape. 

Part of the allure of Nordic skiing is that pace is entirely up to the discretion of the skier—no steep hills send an athlete careening out of control, but once you get into the groove of things, each glide becomes quicker and leads naturally into the next, creating a cycle of self-perpetuating speed. 

This gliding leads me to the next important part of Nordic: the beauty of it. Once into the aforementioned groove, your body becomes intertwined with the impulse to go forward, the leading partner in a dance with the snow. 

The ski glides like a scissor through wrapping paper, each bend of the knee and kick of the heel a sensation both familiar and ever young. 

If my purple prose hasn’t convinced you by now, the only thing that will is trying it for yourself. But, you protest, I haven’t yet explained what you might need! Skis, sure. Poles, of course. However, these differ from alpine gear. 

In general, Nordic skis are skinnier and longer than alpine skis and include a free heel (meaning it can rise and fall). The free heel on Nordic skis allows the user to kick forward and propel themselves up a hill or across a flat.  

Nordic skis come in three types: classic, skate, and combi (a combination of the two). Classic skis function more as extensions of your legs, as you use them in a manner akin to running. Skate skis work more like, well, skates, as you send your legs behind you in a frog-like motion to move forward. 

Nordic skis generally benefit form condition-based waxing as different types of wax adhere to the base of the ski to provide it kick based on the temperature. Poles are generally longer (more so for skate than classic) and function as propeller-walking stick devices rather than turning aides. 

Boots are also less involved, generally looking and functioning more like shoes strapped to planks than foot protection. Rarely is a heavy jacket needed, as you work up quite a sweat while moving.

Perhaps, however, the most beautiful thing about Nordic skiing is its accessibility. Wherever there is snow, one can Nordic ski it. 

St. Lawrence tracks its golf course and the cross-country course for trails and provides gear in the Outdoor Program Gear Room in the basement of Newell. Nearby off-campus skis include Higley Flow State Park and the VIC at Paul Smith’s. These experiences are usually either low-cost or free. Of course, failing that, one can always just find some nearby woods or even your backyard.   

Says Morgan Pratt ’20, Vice President of the Outing Club, “I love to Nordic ski because it’s a way to slow down, talk to friends, and spend time in a beautiful place together.” That sounds nice, doesn’t it? I’m sure you’ve finished your eggs by now—maybe it’s time to chill outside.