Nordic Skiing

Sports on Our New Eaarth

I just finished Bill McKibben’s new book, Eaarth. McKibben is the writer, outdoor enthusiast, and environmental activist who, in 1989, brought national attention to the impending impact of global warming with his book, The End of Nature.

Hope Springs Eternal

Now that we’ve had a hard frost, it’s time for the biannual shoe rotation. Sandals, sneakers, and water mocs that are stuffed into the mud room cubbies get traded for snow boots, winter hiking boots, and Nordic ski boots that are stuffed into the spare bedroom closet.

Suffering from Berkie Fever

This winter, I knew of a handful of people who qualified as “really excited” about racing the Craftsbury Marathon. But a month later, at the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, WI, I witnessed about 10,000 people go completely nuts over a ski race. Out there they call it Birkie Fever.

FIRST WIND TURBINE AT A VERMONT SKI AREA UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT BOLTON VALLEY RESORT

(September 10, 2009) BOLTON VALLEY, VT.-- Bolton Valley Resort, a locally owned and operated family ski and snowboard area, has announced construction of a wind turbine that will be operational in late autumn. It is the first wind turbine to be constructed at a Vermont ski area.

Skiing and Me

Growing up in 1950’s Baltimore, outside of movies, I’d never seen a ski.

When I left for college in cold and mysterious Vermont, my mother’s friend gave me a pair from her college days. They were ancient even by 1958 standards: taller than an NBA center, with primitive beartrap bindings, and lacking that newfangled invention, steel edges.

Rut Buster

To paraphrase Merriam-Webster, a rut is a track worn by habitual passage of anything, a groove in which anything runs. Metaphorically, when you’re in a rut, you’re caught in an established habit or course of action, especially a boring one, and you can’t seem to get out.

Green Racing Project - An Alaskan Localvore

The Green Racing Project arrived in Anchorage, AK, yesterday evening to compete in the 2010 National Cross-Country Ski Championships. Kincaid Park in downtown Anchorage hosts this final week of qualification races for the Vancouver Olympics and Junior World Championships Teams.

Reader Athlete: Eric Eley

Age: 30
Residence: Stowe
Family: Wife, Jody; dog, Kodiac; cat, Rafeeki
Occupation: Teacher at Crossett Brook Middle School
Primary sport: Nordic skiing

Build it and They Will Come: Skiing the Trails of the CCC

Skiers in New England have it good. When it comes to terrain, just one word applies: varied. There are groomers, glades, steep chutes, alpine bowls. In other words, the works.

The Seven Principles of Preserving the Winter Backcountry

Thanks to advances in backcountry skis, snowshoes, and clothing, getting out into the winter backcountry is now easier, safer, and more fun than ever. To help ensure that the places we enjoy remain ecologically healthy and enjoyable for the next visitor and future generations, here are the seven principles of Leave No Trace geared for the winter environment:

1. PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE

Pre-Game Thoughts on the Beijing Olympics

It is two days before the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, although you are reading this at least a week after the Olympic flame has been extinguished and the Olympic flag has been handed over to the officials from Vancouver. As the Games are about to begin, I have some decidedly mixed feelings about the impending extravaganza.

The Search for Early Snow

A characteristic shared by most Nordic skiers is the anticipation of getting on snow. For dedicated competitors this becomes an obsession. Swimmers, runners, and tennis players can enjoy their sports year round, but Nordic skiers in this part of the country are typically limited to four or five months of reliable snow cover.

Andrew Johnson

The two-time Olympian gives an insider's scoop on the upcoming World Cup season. Interview by Andrew Gardner

Green Racing Project - The Real World

This is the true story of six strangers picked to live in a house, train for ski racing together, work on sustainability projects, and find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real. Welcome to the “Real World,” with the Green Racing Project in Craftsbury,VT.

Retail Junkie Superstar: Rubbing Shoulders, Olympic Style

My Olympic fever has gone down, but I still have a touch of the commercial flu. After three weeks of being glued to the TV, I don’t think I’ll ever turn one of those blasted things on again, or at least not until baseball season starts.

2009 Winter Gear

After a cool summer and a relatively early first frost, we have to wonder what Old Man Winter will have in store for us this season. We remember drinking lemonade in our shorts while building a deck at our house in December 2001. We also remember the truly world-class powder skiing we enjoyed back in late October 2005.

Vermont Ski Academies

Vermont is home to four distinct ski academies spread out across the length of the state. Starting in the south is the Stratton Mountain School, founded in 1972. Heading north is the Green Mountain Valley School in Waitsfield, celebrating its 37th year of existence. Forty miles up Route 100 is Mount Mansfield Winter Academy, the youngest of the group, having been established in 1993.

Honing Your Heart Rate?

For years and years we’ve been testing people in our Human Performance lab at UVM for all kinds of studies ranging from fluid intake to heat tolerance. One thing that has always plagued me is the accuracy of the maximal heart rate numbers we get. For the most part we don’t really question the data as it’s all carefully collected and monitored.

Classic vs. Skate Skiing

Back in the old days, going cross-country skiing didn’t involve much decision making. You strapped your leather boots onto your wooden skis and sallied forth. Now, not only is there a vast assortment of gear, but there are different disciplines to choose from, and the choice of classic versus skate skiing informs much of the equipment decision-making.

SWEET STATEWIDE DEALS FOR SKIING AND RIDING IN VERMONT

Grab your gear and hug your helmet; the love affair has continued! With the last two years of snow-filled February memories, the honeymoon of a Vermont Valentine’s Day and President’s Week is packed with dozens of discounts to get skiers and riders on the snow affordably.

vtsports.com Launches The Vermont Sports Gear Exchange

vtsports.com is launching a website for outdoor fitness and adventure enthusiasts to buy, sell, and trade new and gently used gear and equipment online. The company has set-up and is testing gear.vtsports.com as an auction site.

Ski Tours & Brew Pubs

Two great things about winter are cross-country skiing and cozying up in a warm pub. Getting off the couch and exercising in the outdoor cold seems to set one’s endorphins on fire. And when you’re tired, a little wet, and realize you’re getting really cold when you stand still, it’s time to hit the barstool.

Reader Athlete December 2009: Kate Crawford

Age: 26
Residence: Essex Junction
Family: Husband, Garnet Smith
Occupation: Environmental consultant
Primary sport: Nordic skiing

VS: You grew up in Western Massachusetts. How did you land in Vermont?

Giving Thanks for Mount Sainte Anne

If you’ve found yourself pulling money out of the markets and are looking for a good place to invest, drop what you’re doing and book a reservation for Thanksgiving at Mt. St. Anne in Quebec. Do it quickly before another investment bank fails and you lose another percentage point against the Canadian dollar.

New Nordic Skates

Help cross-country skiers conquer ice and asphalt.

Bet you never knew how     versatile your nordic ski

Reader Athlete November 2009: Lauren Jacobs

Age: 24
Residence: Craftsbury
Family: Dad, step-mom, and four siblings
Occupation: Cross-country skier, sponsored by Craftsbury Outdoor Center
Primary sport: Cross-country Skiing

VS: Where did you grow up?
LJ: Winthrop, Maine.

VS: How did you land in Vermont?

Return to the Strenuous Life

Summer weather has finally arrived in the NEK, and with it the return to hard full-time ski training in Craftsbury. The beginning of May marked the return of all six Green Racing Project skiers from last season, while June has brought three recent college graduates, each an All-American at their respective schools, who will be joining the team for the upcoming season.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - November 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Swix 2 in 1 Split Mitt

Floor Statement by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to Congratulate Vermont Olympians

Congressional Record – Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Lateral Ankle Sprain and Chronic Ankle Instability

The commonly occurring lateral ankle sprain, also called an inversion sprain, can be the precursor to painful and disabling chronic ankle instability. The ankle twist, rollover, or sprain may be the most overlooked athletic injury, and for that reason may also be amongst the worst. A common ankle sprain can lead to ankle instability, cartilage damage, arthritis, and a lifetime of ankle pain.

Vermont’s Best Après-Ski Hangouts

Our steady supply of fresh powder and steadier supply of fresh microbrews means Vermont’s après-ski scene is now in full swing.

Skiing in Solitude: The Mount Hor Trails

There’s no rental shack, no waxing stations, not even a vending machine at the Mount Hor ski trails.

The Life of an Alpine Skier Turned Snowboarding Tele Skier who Cross-Country Skis

My first time Alpine skiing was at Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire in 1983. I was ten years old and my family had just moved to Littleton, NH, from Portland, ME. My parents were nice enough to sign me up for the skiing program at my new school, which aside from providing me with a lift ticket and lunch, provided me with really lousy rental equipment.

Winter and Food at Their Finest

There’s nothing like the promise of food to inspire me to ski to the cabin at Trapps. I’m not talking about the standard fare they serve up there, which in itself is delicious, healthy, and full of calories. It was the thought of bratwurst and sauerkraut, hot potato salad, and quiche that got me salivating and waxing my skis.

The Phoenix Will Rise Again

Last winter I had the pleasure of cross-country skiing in Willoughby State Forest, just south of Lake Willoughby in Westmore, VT.

18th Annual Holiday Gift Guide

We are pleased to present the Vermont Sports annual Holiday Gift Guide. The goods we recommend on these pages were reviewed by members of the VS editorial staff (Jules Older, Brian Mohr, and Kate Carter) and are their picks for most interesting, impressive, and thoughtful gifts for people who spend time in the outdoors.

Olympic cheaters - an update

It’s a blessing of human nature that     less than four months after the Salt   Lake Winter Olympics, we can still picture the thrilling victories, but the shameful defeats are already fading from memory.

Vermont's Best Lift Ticket Deals

These days, buying a lift ticket is like being dealt a hand of cards and deciphering how best to play them. This season at Vermont’s ski areas you’ll come across special ticket deal cards named Magic, X2, Points, Passport, Fanfare, Club, and Express, to name just a few. Purchase one of these cards and you’ll get discounts on lift tickets and possibly other merchandise and services.

Around the State - Paul Robbins Ski Journalism Award Goes to Hubert Schriebl

Stowe, VT—The Vermont Ski Museum’s board of directors selected Hubert Schriebl to receive the Paul Robbins Ski Journalism Award. The Paul Robbins Ski Journalism Award recognizes a Vermonter who performs his/her skill in written, broadcast, or photo journalism, with ethics, humor, good taste, and always with the promotion of Vermont skiing and the larger skiing community in mind.

The Winter Olymic Games - Greek or Roman?

I always look forward to, and enjoy, the Winter Olympics. This year was no exception. It was thrilling to watch so many of our sons and daughters of the Green and White Mountains perform and excel on the international stage. While enjoying all of this exciting competition, I was also struck more than ever by the death-defying risks that so many athletes are taking in the pursuit of Olympic gold.

Bolton Valley Resort Installs Wind Turbine

Bolton Valley, VT—Bolton Valley Resort, a locally owned and operated family ski and snowboard area, is constructing a wind turbine that will begin operating late October. It is the first wind turbine to be constructed at a Vermont ski area. The turbine will be located near the top of the resort’s Vista Quad lift in an existing clearing adjacent to the ski patrol hut.

Skiing at the Vancouver Games

I’m really sticking my neck out here. My deadline for this article is February 1. The Vancouver Winter Olympic Games open on February 12, and the flame will be extinguished 16 days later, on February 28.

Winter Olympic Controversy, Part Two

Not to be outdone by the female ski jumpers who are generating headlines by refusing to take their exclusion from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics sitting down, some international cross-country skiers created headlines of their own recently. Every quadrennial, a year prior to the Winter Olympic Games, the organizing committee hosts competitions on the Olympic venues. This serves two purposes.

Vermonters in the 2010 Winter Olympics

When the 21st Winter Olympics kicks off in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 12, as many as eight Vermonters might be dashing from some sort of starting line, hoping to become immortalized in the pantheon of Olympic medalists.

Reader Athlete: Heidi Hill

Age: 37
Residence: Waterbury
Family: Husband, Tom; daughters Julia, 2, and Ava, 5
Occupation: Writer and stay-at-home mom
Primary sport: Cross-country skiing and running

Governor Douglas Proclaims January as Learn a Snow Sport Month in Vermont

MONTPELIER, Vt. (Dec. 31, 2009) - For the first time, Governor Jim Douglas proclaimed January as Learn a Snow Sport Month, endorsing Vermont ski resorts as learning destinations for Vermonters and all winter visitors to the Green Mountain State.

Meet Matt Johnson: Burke Mountain Academy Assistant Nordic Coach

Matt Johnson is a former captain of the Middlebury Nordic Ski Team, a World Junior Championship competitor, and the current assistant coach at Burke Mountain Academy. He talks about his transition into coaching, why he likes ski racing, and why he stayed in Vermont after college in lieu of returning to his native Alaska.

A Training Plan for the Craftsbury Marathon

The Craftsbury Marathon is one of Vermont’s most grueling Nordic ski races on some of Vermont’s best trails. For first-timers, training for the race can be daunting. While it’s easy to search the Web for information on training for a running marathon, information on ski marathon training remains somewhat elusive.

Eggnog Needs Eggs, Waxless Skis Need Wax

It's that time of year again, when, according to Andy Williams or anyone who has received royalties from a beloved Christmas tune, it is the most wonderful. Many others share that view as well, but when Christmas day is just one day off, wedged between two of the

Crust cruisin' in Yellowstone

Ol' Faithful, bison, and phenomenal wilderness skating

[Dick Carlson and Ron Bergin skate by acres of trees burned in the 1988 fires.  Photo by Kate Carter.]

Yellowstone is a great
    word to use in a game of

Reader Athlete November 2009: Mark Bouchard

Age: 41
Residence: Derby
Family: Wife, Laura; two sons, Andrew, 6, and Justin, 4
Occupation: Emergency Department Physician at North Country Hospital
Primary sport: Cycling and Cross-country Skiing

VS: You’ve been all over the world, hiking, skiing, and kayaking. What drives you to explore?

Racing and More in Aroostook

Aroostook County in northern Maine is one of the last places you might expect the final big ski races on the national circuit to be held. Besides snow, there isn’t much up there. “The County,” as Mainers call it, is the poorest region in the state.

Vermont Ski Resort News

From new chairlifts to wind turbines, from routine trail mowing to new cooperative ownership structures, Vermont ski areas have been busy these last few months preparing for the exciting winter sports season ahead. Here’s a look at what’s new for the 2009-2010 season.

ASCUTNEY MOUNTAIN RESORT

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - March 2010

I just got back from the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City, UT, where 40,000 or so outdoor industry types like me converged for a week-long gear summit. By the last day, I was dehydrated from drooling. Here are just three of the items that I found particularly tasty.

GSI OUTDOORS VORTEX HAND CRANKED BLENDER

Reader Athlete July 2009: Neil Van Dyke

Age: 55
Residence: Stowe
Family: Wife, Carol; three children, Sarah, 22, Forrest, 20, and Lia, 16
Occupation: Owner, Golden Eagle Resort
Primary sport: Hiking and Nordic skiing

Skiing Vermont’s Wilderness Areas

Whether it’s the haunted past of Vermont’s Glastenbury Mountain, the challenging steeps of the Bristol Cliffs, or the mature hardwoods of the new Battell Wilderness Area, there is something undeniably special about backcountry skiing in Vermont’s federally designated wilderness areas.

Burke Mountain Sled Dog Dash

“3, 2, 1, …Go Driver!” echoed from the loud speaker through the crisp cool air. “Eurrp” I bellowed, and lifted my foot from the claw brake and placed it firmly on the runner. The sled snapped forward, my arms instinctively tightened, and I grabbed hard on the driving bow.

Skiing and the Olympics - A Brief Primer

In the past, the skiing at the Winter Olympics was straightforward. The glamorous events were the Alpine disciplines (which originated in the European Alps), slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. Slalom required technical proficiency, while downhill demanded raw courage.

A Nordic Skiing Renaissance

It’s amazing what one bountiful winter of snow has done for the sport of Nordic skiing. Cross-country enthusiasts had been experiencing the effects of global climate change here in New England for at least a decade.

The History of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center

For what it is today—a world-class facility that grooms top athletes and attracts Olympians to its races—the Craftsbury Outdoor Center had humble and even uncertain financial beginnings.

Cold Season Outdoor Gear

We’ve made the long trip around the sun once again. Before long, Old Man Winter will blanket Vermont in white, and many of us will be out there making the most of it on our skis, boards, snowshoes, bikes, and sleds. Ever year, we stumble on a few items that we feel could make your winter season even more enjoyable, and they are featured here. Have a great winter, and stay warm and dry!

Nordic Boots

Many winter foot injuries happen because of poorly fit, worn-out, deformed ski and snowshoe boots.

Vermont Sports Magazine Offers Digital Subscriptions: 10% of subscription sales to support three Vermont non-profits

Vermont Sports Magazine and it’s online service www.vtsports.com, have recently launched a digital subscription service for it’s magazine readers interested in helping the magazine reduce its’ carbon footprint in Vermont and helping out some noteworthy non-profit organizations in the state.