Cross-country skiing – the crown jewel of winter sports in Calgary and Edmonton

hello. This is Miki’s Honey, MikiHani.

Summer in Calgary and Edmonton is great weather for outdoor activities. The days are long, so there is a lot of time for outdoor activities, and the temperature is around 28 degrees and the weather is dry, providing optimal conditions for all outdoor activities such as golf, camping, biking, hiking, and kayaking. And because the Rocky Mountains are less than an hour from Calgary, many tourists come from all over the world in the summer.

On the other hand, in winter, the days are short and the cold weather continues, so it is easy to think that winter is only about indoor sports and not much outdoor activities. However, people who live in Canada for a long time do not stop doing outdoor activities even in the cold weather. Although many people ski and snowboard, many people enjoy cross-country skiing more than that.

When you think of winter sports in Canada, you probably think of ice hockey, but since it is such an intense sport, it can be burdensome to play as an adult. However, cross-country skiing is a winter sport that has many advantages without putting a strain on the body of all ages.

If you are reading this and live in Calgary or Edmonton, I would like to encourage you to start cross-country skiing as soon as possible.

If you enjoy various sports such as camping, hiking, golf, etc. in the summer, but are itching to have nothing to do in the winter, try cross-country skiing! Now you can look forward to winter. lol

First of all, cross-country skiing has many advantages compared to other sports. Below are five reasons why you should definitely do cross country if you live in Calgary or Edmonton.

1. It puts less strain on your knees.
   • Because it is a sliding exercise, it puts less strain on the knees compared to jogging, skiing, or snowboarding. Perhaps that is why many older people continue to practice cross-country skiing even if they do not normally ski. So, if you go cross-country skiing, you will definitely see a lot of older people.
2. You can also do high-intensity aerobic exercise in a short period of time.
   • In fact, it is such an intense aerobic exercise that it is very difficult to do it for more than two hours. If I had to compare it, would it be possible to compare it to swimming? This is an exercise that uses both your arms and legs more than you might think.
3. Accessibility is very good.
   • There are plenty of tracks in downtown Calgary and Edmonton as well.
   • The City of Calgary also offers eight maintained cross-country ski trails to its citizens. And many public golf courses provide residents with trails for cross-country skiing in the winter. So, if you look around, you can find many trails within 10-30 minutes.
   • If you go a little outdoors, you can easily find scenic cross-country trails in the mountains.
4. It’s definitely free!
   • Haha, if you want to go skiing or snowboarding, you first have to buy a lift ticket that costs about $100 per day, but for cross-country skiing, most trails are provided for free.
   • All you need is three pieces of equipment: skis, poles, and shoes. I bought the three as a set for about $1,000. I haven’t paid for cross-country skiing since.
5. And it’s fun.
   • It may not seem fun at first glance. But it’s really fun.
   • First of all, the trail is very scenic. Since the trail is located in a very good environment such as a park or golf course, the snow-covered scenery you see while running is very beautiful, so you can enjoy much better scenery than jogging in the summer.
   • And ski sliding is a lot of fun. Once you get used to it, you can get the hang of it. Of course, it takes time to learn at first, but once you get used to it, you can feel the taste of hitting like speed skating.

If you have friends who play golf together in the summer, it would be perfect to do cross-country skiing with them in the winter. Just as you play golf, have a meal, and then break up in the summer, you can probably have a good time in the winter by going cross-country skiing for two hours and having dinner together.

Then have fun cross-country skiing this winter!

If you don’t have anyone to ride with in Calgary or Edmonton, please contact us and we’ll create a new club. lol

Calgary Cross Country Trail Information:

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

Cross-country skiing in Calgary is an exhilarating way to get active and enjoy the beauty of our snow-covered landscapes. Several cross-country skiing

Edmonton Cross Country Trail Information:

Edmonton Nordic Ski Club – Cross-Country Skiing & Biathlon Programs for the Whole Family

Club Programs

Trail information:

Trail Conditions | Nordiq Alberta

Trying to decide where to take your weekend ski trip? Maybe you have a free evening during the week and want to know where to enjoy a night ski under the stars. Nordiq Alberta can help you pick the best place for you, your friends, and your family to enjoy some time in the fresh air. Nordiq Pulse is also a great resource for finding trail conditions across Alberta.

Kananaskis, Banff and Yoho area trail information:

SkierRoger.ca

Cross country skiing blog and information for the Canadian Rockies