Cross Country Skiing

Outdoor recreation refers to activities that are done with the absence of built facilities and beyond the confines of buildings. It usually utilises large masses of land, water or air. A great example of this is Cross country skiing, an outdoor winter sport which I will be talking about today. Cross country skiing is a competitive sport and recreational activity performed on skis on snow covered terrain. An athlete propels themselves by striding forward through the snow using their own locomotion rather than using chairlifts or any other forms of assistance to ascend up and over mountains.

It is mainly practiced in regions with snow-covered landscapes, including Northern Europe, Canada, Russia and regions in the United States. Skiing started as a technique for traveling cross-country over snow on skis, starting almost five millennia ago beginning in Scandinavia.  People participate in Cross country skiing for many different reasons.

Cross country skiing is quite easy to learn as the action is simple and there are many easy trails and locations for begginers. It can be quite challenging and gives many people a taste for adventure. Anyone can begin to learn at an early age and can continue into later life. It also contributes to a healthy lifestyle as it is very physically demanding giving participants a full-body workout that builds core strength, balance and coordination. It is proved to be one of the best cardiovascular exercises.

Being outdoors in nature enjoying the alpine environment is usually very stress relieving, relaxing and enjoyable for participants. People begin to have more of an appreciate of the beauty, peace and tranquility of the environment especially with friends and families making it a social recreational activity too. Compared to other snow sports Cross country skiing is quite inexpensive as the costs of chair lift passes are excluded. Lastly people participate in cross country skiing as there is something for everyone whether it is racing, exploring, track skiing, camping, back country, telemarking or snow play.

Cross Country skiing is quite simple and easy to learn. The two main things a participant must know is how to stop and how to move forwards especially up hills otherwise they simply glide across the snow with no effort or technique. Many people have a lesson or more in order to make sure they understand the proper technique before going out on their adventure. There are 2 main styles of cross country skiing, skate skiing where they push off the edge of their ski to the side in a ice-skating motion and classic skiing where they push down onto their foot and use the other ski to glide very similar to the action of walking or running. The equipment used is specially designed to assist skiers. Depending on what style of skiing the participant does their boots skis and poles change as they use slightly different techniques to push and glide.  

Making sure your equipment is right is one of the most important things to plan in order to have a safe trip. Planning the routes in correspondence for the individuals ability and familiarising themselves with them as well as knowing the weather and hazards for your trips are important to ensure the safety of the participant. As the conditions in the snow are incredibly cold especially at night it is important to bring sufficient clothing for the activity. Wearing many layers rather than one thick layer is crucial as you are then able to adapt to the weather conditions and to your body temperature as it rises and lowers. Having waterproof pants and jackets is important to be protected from rain as being wet in the snow increases your chances of hyperthermia especially in cold winds and at night.  Thermals, scalfs, gloves, beanies, balaclavas, thick socks and jumpers are all essential to surviving in the snow conditions and keeping warm.

Specifically, for Cross Country skiing Ski boots, skis and poles are the key items a person needs to participate. A helmet depending on the experience of the skier can be used to protect you from head injuries if falls occur. Sunscreen, hat and glasses are key to protect people from the sun, Mobile phones, cigarette lighter, maps, compasses, first aid kit, whistles, plenty of food and drink for the trip, day pack and a filled water bottle are vital to survive throughout the activity and in the case of an emergency as they will help someone to find the participant if they become lost or the participant to find their way back to safety. If they are planning on going on an expedition and sleeping in the snow overnight tents, repair kits, stove fuel, a billy and sufficient high energy food for the trip are important to keep energy levels up and have a good night sleep. In cases of hypothermia participants must know the signs and how to treat it.

The alpine environment is very special and should be treated that way by anyone who decides to use it. Conserving the nature is the job of anyone who utilises the mountains in order to protect the animals and environment for other people to enjoy it. The concept of “leave no trace” is respecting the natural environment and interacting with nature with minimal impact. By removing all rubbish avoiding animal homes and not purposely destroying the trees and other aspects of the natural environment it creates an enjoyable space for others to who utilise it next. Ethically the responsibility lies with the participants.

There are very limited places in Australia where you can cross country ski due to the climate. Snow is quite a rare occasion in most of the country other the alpine region that stretches through New South Wales and into Victoria. In NSW the Snowy Mountains region is home to Australia's highest mountain Mount Kosciuszko and good snowfall from June through to September. Perisher and Thredbo are the 2 main mountains people travel to for cross country skiing usually off trail to normal skiing routes.

SkiForLife is an organisation in which their mission is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired people through a program of cross-country skiing. They run a week long life-changing event every year which is a great experience for the visually- or mobility-impaired participants and guides who attend. It is organizations like this that can create so much enjoyment, inclusion and participation into the recreation of cross country skiing.