Groomed Ski Areas vs Local Park

If you are a novice cross country skier, we suggest spending some time at a groomed cross country center and it will help your learning curve.    More details below:

Groomed Trails: They’re like skiing on rails. Using a heavyweight or hydraulic press, a groomer carves a hip-width double track into the snow. Each track measures 70mm wide, enough to accommodate most cross-country skis (except backcountry skis, which are wider). In addition to keeping your skis straight, the tracks guide you around turns.

Non-Groomed Trails:  Your local golf course (avoid the greens), parks, and frozen lakes in addition to any trails or walking paths not groomed for cross country skiing will provide a very different experience for the novice skier.  Skiing without a set track requires significantly more balance, but wider skis will aid stability.