Glide On: Cross-Country Ski Extravaganza in Aspen

Cross-country skiing is as easy as walking, just with carbon-fiber sticks on your feet. This weekend, the Aspen Cross Country Center hosts a ski extravaganza, offering free lessons, demos, rentals, waxing and food to anyone interested in testing out the sport. Whether one’s after the simple swoosh of classic skiing or the lung-busting workout demanded of skate skiing, both types will be available for testers.

The Aspen/Snowmass Nordic trail system is the largest free network in the United States, offering more than 90 kilometers of groomed trails. Skiers can tackle easy, flat trails aroud the Aspen Golf Course or try the challenge of an uphill climb from Aspen to Snowmass via the Owl Creek Trail. There are even two dog-friendly loops so that Spot has a chance to run freely too.

“It’s Aspen’s best-kept secret,” says Dave Peterson, manager at the Aspen center.

The ski fair runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Aspen Cross Country Center.