THIS STORY IS PART OF OUR WINTER SPORTS PLAYBOOK. READ MORE HERE.
For a downhill skier, learning to appreciate cross-country can take some time. After all, downhill skiing is faster, more exciting and, honestly, gravity makes going down so much easier than the flat – or even uphill – terrain one encounters in cross-country.
But with every winter I weather, I find the slower pace and quietude of cross-country skiing more and more appealing. There’s a stillness to the snow-covered landscape that is so wonderfully wintry. I look forward to those brilliantly bright days when the powder is fresh and I can blaze my own trail at my favorite spot, Whitnall Park.
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I’ve even come to appreciate the challenge of climbing those hills. In this season of indoor sluggishness, it’s nice to have an outdoorsy way to get your heart pumping.
Another thing I enjoy about cross-country skiing is the price tag. Compared to downhill skiing’s ever-inflating cost, it’s a bargain. Most trails are free or charge only a small fee. Plus, secondhand gear is easy to come by, since the sport is often abandoned by those who never reached the clarity on this delightfully easy-yet-difficult sport.
Hit the Trail
1. Lapham Peak
DELAFIELD | RENTALS AVAILABLE
It has snow machines blowing fresh powder, so you’re not dependent on Wisconsin weather. The 17 miles of trails offer routes ranging from beginner to expert.
2. Whitnall Park
FRANKLIN | RENTALS AVAILABLE | FREE
Like the golf course under the snow, this cross-country ski trail is intermediate. The groomed loops feature picturesque rolling hills and wooded paths.
3. Brown Deer Park
MILWAUKEE | FREE
These frost-covered fairways loop through woodlands with gentle slopes – a great spot for beginners.
4. Menomonee Park
MENOMONEE FALLS
The hilly routes here wind through maple woods, cattail marsh and other wetlands. The nearly 5 miles of trails are groomed.
5. Minooka Park
WAUKESHA
Head to Waukesha County’s largest park for moderate groomed routes. The trails pass through open fields and wooded terrain.
