Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 12 One of the best ways to get out and get active in the frozen season is Nordic skiing. Also known as cross-country skiing, this activity is considered some of the best all-around exercise you can do. Plus, it's a lot of fun! Kicking and gliding with your friends or family through the snowy woods and mead- ows, along partly frozen rivers, snow falling gently, animal tracks etched in the snow, frosty mountains rising nearby… it's pretty hard to beat. And you don't have to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy it. Nordic ski equipment is easy to come by and not too expensive. Basic gear will take you a long way. You can choose your method—fast and aerobic skate skiing, or slower but plenty strenuous classic- style kick and glide. Southwest Montana boasts some of the best Nordic skiing in the known universe. Groomed trails make your ski experience easier and more accessible. You usually have to pay for that privilege, but free skiing is available wherever there are snow and public trails. Here are some, by no means all, of your options for Nordic skiing in the area. RENDEZVOUS SKI TRAILS West Yellowstone is a winter paradise with quick access to ski trails in Yellowstone National Park and the Custer Gallatin National Forest. e high elevation (6,600 feet) and snowy climate often brings some of the earliest reliable snow in the nation, with ski trails usually well covered by anksgiving weekend, when the Yellowstone Ski Festival takes place. e Rendezvous Ski Trails start on the south edge of town and cover more than 35 kilometers of groomed trails through snow-covered pine forests. ese trails are buffed out frequently and the terrain is friendly to all levels of ability, from begin- ner to Olympian. You can also ski from West Yellowstone into Yellowstone Park on the Riverside Trail near the Madison River, where you might spot Trumpeter swans or otters in the river. M ONTANA HAS A WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION FOR LONG, COLD, SNOWY WINTERS. e last few winters have started about November 1st with snow that has fallen heavily and stayed around. Winter often seems to last well into April in Big Sky Country. Given the six months of snow and cold, many Montanans embrace winter rather than hiding from it. e winter world can be spectacularly sparkly, with snow draping the trees and blowing in long banners off the mountain tops. e air is crisp and bracing, and the sky on clear days extra blue. GREAT PLACES TO by PHIL KNIGHT 1 Bighorn Pass Trail, Yellowstone National Park Rendezvous, West Yellowstone PHIL KNIGHT 7

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