Cross-country skiing with Chad McGrath

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• Cross-Country Skiing Brings Fun To Wisconsin Winter

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  Many people look forward to winter in Wisconsin because it provides a chance to enjoy sports that rely on ice and snow. And a great way to enjoy Wisconsin’s natural areas while also getting some solid exercise is by cross-country skiing.

  Chad McGrath, the author of several cross-country skiing and hiking guide books, including “Great cross-country ski trails: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario,” said that cross-country ski conditions so far this season around the state have been good.

  “It’s been good early, and long. The only drawback, as everybody knows, has been that’s it’s been awfully chilly some of the time. That can be a little daunting to people,” he said.

  McGrath added that with “the right clothing, and the right attitude,” there is good skiing to be had.

  For someone has never skied before, McGrath said that he’s partial to finding somewhere to take a lesson. He pointed out that there are locations around the state that offer group lessons and lessons “virtually for free.”

  In a lesson setting, McGrath said that participants learn how to use the equipment and also basic techniques. When he teaches, the whole group does an “all fall down exercise,” he said.

  “Everybody has to fall down and, more importantly, everybody has to get back up,” he said.

  To buy equipment, McGrath said that there are many organized sales and swaps around the state, as well as retail outlets. If a new skier isn’t able to get help in choosing equipment to buy, McGrath recommends renting equipment first. That provides a chance to decide if you enjoy the sport, and to get a sense of what kind of skis work best for you.

  Good resources for cross-country skiers include the Skinny Ski website. McGrath said that it lists most trails in the state, and offers user reports on conditions. He said that it includes very up-to-date trail information.

  “This year it hasn’t been maybe quite as important to have that information because most trails are open and groomed well. But, when you’re having winters when there is poor snow or freezing and thawing, it’ll give you the latest scoop on what’s going on out there,” he said.

  McGrath also recommended locations like Copper Harbor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he said that they are up to 180 inches of snow already this season.

  “If you’re having trouble finding snow, you can almost always find it somewhere on the Keweenaw Peninsula,” he said.

  Ironwood and Hurley also average over 170 inches of snow a year, McGrath added. Near Ironwood, he also recommended ABR Trails, which calls itself “a full service ski touring center located on over 1,100 scenic acres of varied terrain along the Montreal River.”

  Winter Park near Minoqua is another favorite for McGrath.

  “People love Winter Park,” he said. “They’ve got over 60 kilometers of trail and it’s usually well-groomed.”

  And no discussion of skiing in Wisconsin would be complete without mentioning the Birkebeiner trail. McGrath said that “people generally have a love-hate relationship with it because it’s such a difficult trail, there are so many hills. It’s a grind sometimes.”

  McGrath is still discovering new places to ski.

  “I think I may have found a new favorite spot just three days ago,” he said. It’s the WinMan Trails, which borders the towns of Winchester and Manitowish Waters. It’s new this year, and has “a really nice feel to it,” he said. “I really enjoyed the flow of the trail, both skating and striding.”

  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also has an informational page about cross-country skiing in the state.