Humility on Sam’s Swoop By Jamie Redman In high school, I raced with the Spokane Nordic Ski Team. One afternoon, about twelve years ago, I was particularly confident in my skiing prowess and challenged my teammate to a friendly five kilometer race from the top of the Shadow Mountain Trail back to Selkirk Lodge. The […]
Two Tales from the Mount Spokane Nordic Trails Read More »
As an avid Nordic skier, I’m always on the lookout for fun events to scratch my competitive itch. So when I saw an advertisement for the “Spokane Nordic Challenge Loppet,” I was naturally intrigued. Now, what exactly is a “loppet”? I polled my coworkers, and their guesses ranged from logical to absurd: A large rabbit, a Scandinavian folk dance,
Don’t Knock it Until You Loppet: Take the Mount Spokane Nordic Challenge Read More »
With the first flakes of the ski season already behind us, and plenty more likely to fall in the coming month, resorts around the greater Inland Northwest are gearing up for what should be another solid season of powder days and sunny groomers (with a few variable, overcast days to keep it real, of course).
In junior high, all my cool friends were skiers, and it took until 9th grade until I could join them up on the mountain. Our family did a lot of cross-country skiing, which I loved for the chance to revel in quiet, snow-covered nature, but come Mondays, I listened longingly to my buddies talk about
In recent years, a growing contingent of people in the Inland Northwest have embraced snow sports besides downhill skiing – particularly snowshoeing and Nordic (cross-country) skiing. And while we live within easy reach of one of the premier Nordic ski areas in the Northwest, the Mt. Spokane Cross-Country Ski Park, it can be challenging to
Getting Into Cross-country Skiing in Four Easy Steps Read More »
With all the excitement surrounding the 2014 Winter Olympics, I can’t help but remember my own short-lived dreams to become a Winter Olympian. It was back in 2001, and I was a fifteen-year-old Nordic skier, racing at a high-school competition in the Methow Valley. I was feeling pretty cocky, and I was confident (in a
Inland NW Nordic Skiers Represent at 2014 Olympics Read More »
Join in a celebration of skiing, snow and community at Spokane Nordic WinterFest on Sunday, January 19 – a day of fun events for all ages and ski abilities. Pick your favorite event, or take in the whole day. Events include the Donut Dash 2-person relay sprint race, with options for lighthearted or competitive teams
Spokane Nordic WinterFest at Mt. Spokane Cross-Country Ski Park, Jan. 19 Read More »
“I STARTED TELEMARK BECAUSE I was getting bored with alpine and just skiing inbounds. I guess I wanted more of an adventure,” says Mark Beattie, now a 30-year veteran of the sport. “I am apparently built for telemark—my knees feel better after a day of this kind of skiing rather than alpine [skiing],” he says.
What’s Your Gear? Mark Beattie, Telemark Skiing Read More »
Here comes a time for many skiers, who have reached a certain point in their skiing abilities and experiences, when they yearn to expand the skiing experience. Maybe you’re tired of battling crowds, paying for lift tickets, the repetition of familiar runs, and skiing tracked-out snow. Maybe you’re searching for some solitude, a better workout,
Backcountry Skiing 101 Read More »
Among Nordic ski aficionados, the Methow (properly pronounced as ‘Met-how’) Valley is revered as Washington State’s mecca. And Sun Mountain Lodge, a 15-minute drive from the town of Winthrop, is a AAA Four Diamond award-winning resort with front door access to more than 200 kilometers of machine-groomed Nordic ski trails surrounded by over a million
Nordic Bliss at Sun Mountain Lodge Read More »
