Since it is such a fun sport, it’s easy to imagine that there may be other winter activities that can be done with cross-country skis.

Imagine cross-country skiing with an archery bow and a quiver full of arrows over your shoulder, or a 22 caliber rifle on your back, or a map holder with a topographical map in front of your chest. Also, try to imagine what it would be like to fly off a ski jump with Nordic skis, and land in a perfect telemark position. Or to make beautiful telemark turns with cross-country skis in the pristine snow of the backcountry. How about being pulled by your dog across a snow covered lake on cross-country skis?

All of these winter experiences and more contribute to exciting adventures to be experienced on cross-country skis, a.k.a. “skinny skis.”  Each of these snow time activities has a group of enthusiastic supporters who are always ready to encourage and assist those interested in trying a new winter sport.

If you enjoy hunting or target shooting, you might try biathlon, the Nordic sport of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. Biathlon instructors will assist you in learning to shoot, and to find places to practice and compete. In biathlon, skiers ski around designated loops to a firing range where they shoot at targets. If they hit all the targets they continue to the finish line. If not, they must ski around a penalty loop (or loops) before finishing the race. Biathlon has become a year-round activity enjoyed by foot runners in the non-snow months.

Archery, another very popular shooting activity has been joined with cross-country skiing to create the Nordic sport of ski archery. As in biathlon, ski archery participants ski one or two miles before shooting at targets. With the pulse racing, skiers steady their bodies, take aim and shoot their arrows into the targets before continuing to the finish line, or to the next shooting station. New England ski archery championships are held each year in New Hampshire while national ski archery championships are usually held in Vermont.

A Nordic sport requiring good map reading skills and quick decision making is called ski orienteering. Sometimes referred to as “cunning running” cleverness is usually more important than cross-country skiing ability in this sport. Participants must carefully study their maps to decide on the best path to several control points along or near the ski trails. With a map holder attached skiers navigate the most appropriate route to reach the hidden control points before heading to the finish line. Most orienteering clubs now offer ski-o programs, while state, national, and international ski-orienteering competition has also become popular in the world of Nordic skiing.     

Put your dog on a leash and he will instinctively begin pulling. Dogs that love to pull are easily harnessed for pulling their masters on cross-country skis. Skijoring, another winter activity can be a simple recreational adventure with your canine pet, or an exciting skijoring race at regional, or national sled dog competitions. Instruction is available through Professional Ski Instructors of America for those who seek to learn this way to enjoy skiing on skinny skis.

You can also take lessons in the Nordic sport of ski jumping at specialized facilities throughout the Snowbelt including weekend ski jump camps offered in Lake Placid. More girls are taking up this winter sport since the US Ski Association approved a competitive classification for women.

At the first ever ski jump competition exclusively for women, an 18-year-old girl broke the old time hill record at Rumford, Maine held, of course by a male. Still, another Nordic ski activity called Nordic Combined offers competition for both men and women in an Olympic sport combining ski jumping and racing on cross-country skis.

With all these Nordic skiing activities available to you there should be no excuse for leaving your cross-country skis in the garage or cellar. Try it, you may like it.