Ski Special: California : Cross-Country Western : The fast-growing sport of cross-country skiing is exciting, inexpensive and environmentally correct--and available all over the Golden State

Soft, thick flakes of snow fluttered before me as I skied cross-country along the Aspen Forest Trail at this near-wilderness resort in California’s Sierra. The trees of the forest assumed a magical appearance, aspen branches stark against the white, pine branches bent almost vertical with the heavy snow. The gray, stormy sky seemed somehow inviting and warm rather than ominous. Only the crunch of our skis, gripping the snow in the touring track, interrupted the complete stillness of the forest. In the good company of my two children, Karin, 16, and Paul, 14, I savored the moment. It is for days like this that I’ve made cross-country skiing my winter sport of choice.

I’m hardly alone in my affection for cross-country. Resorts devoted to the sport are booming across the country. An estimated 3.5 million Americans enjoy this kind of skiing (also called Nordic, to distinguish it from the downhill or Alpine version). That’s admittedly less than a third of the 10.7 million or so downhillers in America, but a number that is growing all the time.

What is it that makes cross-country so attractive? To begin with, the experience is characterized by a pleasant mix of solitude and sociability. While skiing cross-country, I’ve had wonderful conversations with my children and other companions. On the other hand, of course, it’s possible to ski cross-country alone, or to withdraw into yourself while skiing with others. In cross-country, there’s none of the enforced sociability of the lift line or the gondola.

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Cross-country is great exercise, too. As a jogger who enjoys a couple of miles of moderate running each evening in snowless climes, I find the prospect of skiing through the snowy forest, continuing my fitness trajectory in such different and appealing surroundings, to be most enticing. I also like the fact that cross-country is a lifetime sport, safe for all ages. Though hardly geriatric, I’ve been forced to realize in recent years that, among downhill skiers, I’m definitely one of the older set. Having once been hit from behind by an out-of-control hot-dogger in downhill, I now find myself drawn even more to cross-country, where I know I’ll be able to ski forever (as it were), with little risk of injury, in a stress-free environment.

Although lessons on correct technique are certainly recommended, cross-country is an easy sport to learn; if you can walk, you can probably ski cross-country.

That doesn’t mean that it’s boring, though. There’s plenty of excitement and speed, if you want it, in the version of cross-country called “skating,” in which skiers use shorter skis and a skiing style that mimics the movements of speed-skaters on ice. (When this style appeared in the 1980s, its practitioners competed with conventional cross-country skiers for trail space, which caused some bad feelings on both sides. Cross-country resorts have resolved the issue by grooming 14-foot-wide trails with a skating lane of compacted snow and a double set of touring tracks.) And even conventional cross-country has its thrills: Each cross-country touring region has its “black” or steep downhill sections, as well as the flat “green” and intermediate “blue” trails.

Unique experiences await cross-country skiers. For instance, I’ve skied out to Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome at Yosemite and stayed overnight in a small bunkhouse there, savoring spectacular winter vistas. Anyone can do the same, but only by cross-country skiing the 10.7 miles to Glacier Point.

Many other inviting areas of the Southern Sierra become accessible through cross-country. The wilderness region around Bear Valley, the back-of-the-mountain skiing at Royal Gorge and the lovely National Forest land in the Hope Valley are among my favorites. Cross-country is well-suited to delicate, wild environments, because it is such a minimum-impact sport. No chairlifts mar the mountainscapes, and skiers move along efficiently on the top of the snow, causing virtually no environmental damage. All trace of the cross-country skier will disappear with the spring melt.

Cross-country is surprisingly hassle-free. The invention (in the late ‘70s) of waxless skis, with the skis gripping the snow through scale-like ridges on their bottoms, was particularly relevant to California cross-country, where frequently changing snow conditions used to require a repeated change of waxes. (Experts still enjoy the slightly higher-level performance of waxed cross-country skis, but this needn’t concern the beginning and intermediate skier.) Boot bindings have also improved, making it easier to snap in and out and offering more control over the slim skis.

Finally, cross-country is a bargain: I paid $158 for my complete equipment package, including skis, bindings, poles and boots. Trail fees are a fraction of the cost of downhill lift tickets, too. The most expensive and elaborate of all cross-country resorts, Royal Gorge (near the north end of Lake Tahoe), charges about $15 a day. Some publicly owned sites, like Yosemite, charge no trail fees at all.

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While cross-country skiing is popular nationally and is practiced in virtually every snowy region of the country, California boasts the largest cross-country ski operations in North America. Here is a north-to-south list of the state’s major cross-country venues. Most offer groomed trails with separate spaces for both conventional and skating cross-country skiers. All also offer lessons, which are strongly recommended. Cross-country season runs roughly from Dec. 1 through April 15, though exact dates depend on snowfall and the altitude of the resort area.

Royal Gorge. This is the largest and most elaborate cross-country ski resort in the country, and probably in the world. Located off Interstate 80 at Soda Springs, about four hours northeast of San Francisco (and near the Sugar Bowl downhill resort; see page L18), it opened in 1971, making it California’s oldest cross-country venue. Royal Gorge offers 83 trails, serving every level of skier and covering 321 groomed kilometers, about 200 miles (cross-country skiing distances are commonly given in kilometer, one kilometer equaling about five-eighths of a mile), which means that it’s possible to ski here for days and days without repeating a trail. Also available are three lifts to the resort’s steeper, elevated touring runs, allowing skiers to practice their downhill skills on cross-country skis. Ten warming huts are scattered around the 7,000-acre site, and a gradual 22-kilometer run descends to the Rainbow Lodge, which offers fine dining and inn-style lodging. The other facility on the property, Wilderness Lodge, is somewhat fancier; accessible only by skis or sleigh, it is geared toward skiers who plan to spend at least several days at Royal Gorge.

Tahoe-Donner. This is a medium-size, high-quality resort off Interstate 80 at Truckee, just west of Lake Tahoe. The aforementioned Glenn Jobe, co-developer of the resort (now no longer associated with it), believes that cross-country skiing is best practiced in a stress-free environment. Thus he arranged most of the tracks here (70 kilometers of them in all) so that skiers travel in one direction only--meaning they don’t have to watch for skiers coming the other way. The resort also offers nighttime cross-country skiing on Wednesdays and Saturdays on 2.5 kilometers of lighted tracks--a particularly enjoyable experience. Part of the property extends out to a scenic region known as the Euer Valley; here, the resort provides fine food at the Cook House Cafe and more casual meals at the Donner Party Cafe, located at the trail-head shop.

Northstar. A full-service resort on the northwest side of Lake Tahoe, south of Truckee, Northstar has cross-country trails as an adjunct to the resort’s large downhill facility. There are about 65 kilometers of groomed trails in all categories--45 kilometers of them on one side, offering views of the Martis Valley, and 20 kilometers of steeper, wooded trails on the other, with a arming hut made from an old train caboose and views of Lake Tahoe.

Diamond Peak. Located on the northeast side of Lake Tahoe, Diamond Peak offers spectacular views of the lake from its Rim Trail. This newly developed cross-country area features pleasant wooded terrain full of fir and pine trees, with plenty of ups and downs for variety. There are 35 kilometers of well-groomed trails. The Rim of the Lake, Lover’s Lane and Vista loops are all for intermediate skiers. Great Flume and Diamond Back are black diamond areas for expert skiers. There are no accommodations here, but there is parking just off Nevada 431 (on the hill between Lake Tahoe and Reno) and a warming hut/ski shop (which seems to grow a bit each year) that offers limited equipment rentals, some lessons and a modest restaurant.

Kirkwood. About 35 miles south of Tahoe on California 89, this resort grooms more than 80 kilometers of trails along 4,200 acres of hills, and because of its high altitude, often enjoys good ski conditions (with particularly dry and powdery snow) even when conditions at other nearby sites are poor. Conservation and environmental awareness are distinctive parts of the program here. The Caples Creek trail passes beaver ponds, and there are scenic views of the western downslope of the Sierra Nevada, and the Desolation Wilderness. A large meadow at the cross-country trail head permits beginning skiers to build their skills slowly, and elaborate intermediate and expert trails can be found in the adjacent hills along the Schneider and Caples Lake trail systems. Ski-accessible condominiums and a fine-dining restaurant, the Cornice, are adjacent.

Hope Valley. John and Patty Brissenden’s Sorensen’s Resort in Hope Valley, south of Lake Tahoe, presents another approach to cross-country. It consists of 30 rustic cabins, a serious dining room (try the tomato tarragon soup) and plenty of cross-country trails--most of the 60 kilometers are marked but not groomed--leading right from the cabins. One, Indian Head Trail, proceeds directly into near-virgin terrain.

Bear Valley. Bear Valley offers a ski milieu as close to wilderness as it is possible to come at a cross-country resort with groomed trails. Located south of the Mokelumne Wilderness, in Gold Country, this is a small-scale resort where you can park your car and find all required services--lodging, dining and skiing--within walking distance. The network of trails, however, is not small-scale at all. Some 35 groomed trails covering more than 80 kilometers await the skier.

Yosemite. Yosemite offers cross-country skiing at several sites within the park, but the superlative experience here is an overnight ski trip to Glacier Point. With a guide, you ski (in a group of five or more) the 17 kilometers from Badger Pass to Glacier Point, stay overnight for one or two nights at the rustic lodge and then ski back. The highlight of the trip is a ski outing to Sentinel Dome, where a 360-degree panorama of the park opens up, encompassing El Capitan, Half Dome, the Clark Range and many other features of Yosemite. The guide cooks your food and assumes basic safety responsibility for the group; intermediate cross-country skills and good physical condition are advisable.

Mammoth Lakes. Well-known to Southern Californians as both a summer and winter destination, Mammoth boasts two attractive cross-country trail systems--at Sierra Meadows Ranch, with about 30 kilometers of trails set in meadows near the town, and at the Tamarack Lodge, in pine forests winding around several small lakes.

GUIDEBOOK

California Crossing

Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort, Soda Springs, telephone (916) 426- 3871. Accommodations: Rainbow Lodge, $65-$99, including breakfast; Wilderness Lodge, two- to five-day packages only, including lodging, meals, trail passes, ski instruction and guided ski tours, $210-$460 per person (depending on length of stay). Trail fee (for non-guests): $17.50 on weekends and holidays, $13.50 half-day; $8.50 children 7 to 14$12.50 seniors mid-week, non-holiday.

Tahoe-Donner Cross-Country, Truckee, tel. (916) 587-9484. Accommodations: Nothing on the site, but numerous hotels and motels are available in nearby Truckee. Trail fee: $14, $11 half-day; $12 teen-agers, $9 half-day; $9 children 7 to 12, $7 half-day; $12 seniors 60 to 69, $9 half-day, 70 and over free.

Northstar-at-Tahoe Cross-Country, Truckee, tel. (916) 562-2475. Accommodations: On-site condominiums are available, tel. (800) GO-NORTH (466-6784), $129-$185. Trail fee: $15, $11 half-day; $8 children and seniors, $6 half-day.

Diamond Peak Cross-Country, Incline Village, tel. (702) 832-1177. Accommodations: Many types of lodging are available nearby, and may be arranged through (800) GO-TAHOE (468-2463). Trail fee: $12, $9 half-day; $7 children and seniors, $5 half-day.

Kirkwood Cross-Country, Kirkwood, tel. (209) 258-7248. Accommodations: Condominiums are available on sitetel. (800) 967-7500, $110-$295 weekends; $75-$210 weekdays. Trail fee: $13, $10 half-day; $5 children, $3 half-day.

Sorensen’s Resort/Hope Valley, Hope Valley, tel. (916) 694-2203 or (800) 423-9949. Accommodations: Cabins at Sorensen’s range from the rustic to the deluxe, $85-$160; $95-$250 holiday rate. No trail fee for guests of the resort.

Bear Valley Cross-Country, Bear Valley, tel. (209) 753-2834. Accommodations: The Lodge at Bear Valley, tel. (209) 753- 2327 or (800) 794-3866, $89-$169. Trail fee: $14, $9.50 half-day; $10 teen-agers and seniors, $8 half-day; $8 children age 8 to 12, $6.50 half-day .

Yosemite National Park. Accommodations: A range of lodgings is available within the park, from cabins to the posh Ahwahnee Inn; all may be booked through (209) 454-2000. Five-dollar entrance fee to the park, but no additional trail fee. Special programs: The guided “Glacier Point overnight ski trip” adventure, booked through Yosemite Cross-Country Ski School, tel. (209) 372-1244, $90 per person.Also offered is a mid-week Glacier Point package, including four days of cross-country instruction, ski rental and one night (including food) overnight at Glacier Point, $150 per person. (Participants make their own arrangements for the remaining three nights’ lodging.) The Ski School also books trans-Sierra treks, at $350 per person. Treks are scheduled for March 28-April 2 and April 4-9, 1994, but custom trips can be arranged upon request.

Sierra Meadows Ranch, Mammoth Lakes, tel. (619) 934-6161 and Tamarack Lodge, Mammoth Lakes, tel. (619) 934-2442. Accommodations: Numerous types of lodging are available in the area. Call the Mammoth Lakes Visitor Bureau, (800) 367-6572. Trail fee: $10; $6 seniors; $5 children; 5 and under free (Sierra Meadows). At Tamarack, $14, $10 half-day; $10 children and seniors, $7 half-day; age 10 and under free.