Quieter, cheaper experience awaits Nordic skiers
Skiing doesn't have to be all downhill. There are plenty of places for cross-country skiers and snowshoers to enjoy the tranquility of the winter.
Many cross-country trails are through wooded or shaded areas; the snow is protected and lasts longer, offering an extended season.
The sport is easy to learn, not as expensive as downhill skiing or snowboarding, and excellent aerobic exercise. An average cross-country skier can burn 500 to 800 calories an hour, says Janice Peck, manager of the Grand Lake Touring Center.
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing also are accessible to people with varying abilities, says Linda Austin, ski shop manager at Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort in Tabernash near Winter Park.
Cross-country skiers have their choice of skiing for free on trails on Forest Service land, or paying a fee to ski at the groomed trails of a Nordic center, full-service facilities offering lessons, rentals and usually food.
Fees vary at Nordic centers; for example, the Vail Center doesn't have a user fee because cross-country skiers ski at the local golf course for free, while at nearby Beaver Creek skiers pay a $19 ski-lift fee that takes them to a back bowl ideal for cross-country skiing.
Most Nordic center fees range from $8 to $12; the closest to Colorado Springs, Fairplay Nordic Center, charges $10 for an adult and $5 for children and seniors. Season passes also are available at Fairplay for $75.
Cross-country trails at Nordic centers are marked the same way as downhill trails: green for easy, blue for intermediate and black for advanced. More experienced skiers can get off the groomed trails and try backcountry trails.
The following is a list of Colorado Nordic centers:
NORDIC CENTERS
Beaver Meadows: 50 miles northwest of Fort Collins; (970) 881-2450 or (800) 462-5870.
Breckenridge Nordic Ski Center: One mile west of Breckenridge on Ski Hill Road at the base of Peak 8; (970) 453-6855.
Copper Mountain Cross Country Ski Center: At Union Creek at the base of K lift; (970) 968-2882, Ext. 6342 or (800) 458-8386, Ext. 5.
Crested Butte Nordic Center: Second and White Rock streets in Crested Butte; (970) 349-1707.
Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort: Tabernash, 15 minutes north of Winter Park; (970) 726-8231.
Eldora Nordic Center: Nederland, 21 miles west of Boulder; 45 kilometers of trails; (303) 440-8700, Ext. 212.
Fairplay Nordic Center: Two miles north of Fairplay on Beaver Creek Road; (719) 836-2658.
Frisco Nordic Ski Center: Two miles off I-70 on Colorado 9 in Frisco; (970) 668-0866.
Grand Lake Touring Center: At the Grand Lake Golf Course; (970) 627-8008.
Keystone Cross Country Center: In the Ski Tip area on Montezuma Road at Keystone; (970) 496-4275 or (800) 451-5930, Ext. 4275.
Piney Creek Nordic Center: Nine miles north of Leadville at Ski Cooper; (719) 486-1750.
Silver Creek Ski Resort: 15 miles north from Winter Park; (800) 448-9458.
Snow Mountain Nordic Center: At the YMCA of the Rockies, 13 miles north of Winter Park; (970) 887-2152.
Steamboat Springs Ski Touring Center: (970) 879-8180.
Vail and Beaver Creek: (970) 845-5313.
GUEST RANCHES
C Lazy U: Granby, (970) 887-3344
Endaba Wilderness Retreat: Pagosa Springs, (970) 731-4310.
Latigo Ranch Nordic Center: Kremmling, (800) 227-9655.
Vista Verde Guest & Ski Touring Center: Steamboat Springs, (800) 526-7433
