Ski Area Assn. SkiingCross country skiing is only as strenuous as you want it to be, and it's easy to learn. For the rest of us, Nordic skiing represents an easy glide through woods and gentle valleys surrounded by the sparkling serenity of freshly fallen snow.
Equipment is simple, straightforward and inexpensive, with little risk of injury.
Light and forgiving, cross country gear contrasts with the heavy cumbersome boots and bindings of downhill skiing. Attached to the ski with only the toe of the boot, the free heel allows skiers to climb and traverse terrain, in addition to sliding downhill. Every member of the family that has learned to walk can participate in a Nordic excursion across the New Jersey tundra. Traversing a flat beginner trail is like walking with a sliding step in your socks across a slick waxed floor. Short, tentative skids quickly become longer motions rhythmically integrated with opposite arm motions, just like a natural walking action.