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All About Golf
Sunny laid back Sunday morning, extended weekends or a vacation, discussion on none of these is complete without a mention of golf. What exactly is Golf? Well it is an outdoor ball game wherein the aim is to hit the ball into a series of holes in...

How To Select the Ideal Home Weather Station
Have you ever considered buying your very own home weather station? Not that I'm selling them, but I believe I may be able to help you decide what to look for. There are certainly many good reasons for having a modern weather station set up...

Popular Play Tents
Not too long ago, kids seldom complained playing house with some old bed sheets or garments lying around the house which would provide them with endless hours of fun. Not the children of today. They are now more demanding and will give their...

Real Beauty Comes From Within
Since real beauty comes from within, it's important that your beauty products bring out your best natural qualities. Natural beauty product reviews can help you choose which products are best suited to your own individual needs. One popular type of...

Scrapbooking Your Christmas Memories
Christmas memories are some of our fondest, most heartwarming ones. So of course we want to preserve them in our scrapbook albums. However, when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us, we may forget to take particular photos...

 
The Great, Wide Wonderland Of Snow And Skiing

You've made up your mind. You've resolved (maybe again) to get more exercise. All that's left is deciding what to choose. What if you wanted something you can do either indoors or outdoors, in any season, at nearly any time, and provides an all-over "workout" without feeling like you've done any work?

Think a minute: This easily describes several of the different types of the surprisingly varied world of snow skiing. The image most people think of is standard: You get on a chairlift, drop off easily, and ski down the slopes. You're wearing heavy, cold-weather gear and usually topple over once or twice on the way down, skis askew in the air, the biting chill of the wind hitting your face.

Thankfully, the world of snow skiing has broadened widely and has become a year-round enjoyment for millions -- while also providing an excellent source of cardiovascular exercise.

Downhill, or classical, skiing, is the picture-postcard most of us think of when we hear the word "skiing." It usually involves places like The Alps, Aspen, Telluride, or just about anywhere most jet-setters and celebrities frequent.

This is the one that involves a chairlift, and skiing down often-steep slopes. There is either real snow or manufactured snow, and you will get cold, but you'll warm up once you get going.

The sport is not too difficult once you get the hang of it, but it definitely will not be easy the first day you try. Actually, you can expect to fall down many times. Lessons are usually a good idea, and this type is skiing is going to be expensive. Lift ticket prices, travel to and from ski sites, ski rentals or purchase, and appro-priate wear, including sunglasses, are going to cost you more financially, but the results can be exhilarating and quite fun -- again, once you catch on.

Next, there's cross-country skiing. Admittedly, this is going to be physically challenging to most people. Here's where you do all the work yourself. There are no chairlifts to bring you up the hills, and you must ski up on your own. But, on the flip side, you won't careen down mountains near as steep as the ones in downhill


skiing, and it's much more affordable than downhill ski-ing. Trail passes and ski rentals are relatively inex-pensive, and you probably can teach yourself -- hence, no lessons!

"Skate" cross-country skiing is another form of cross-country skiing that requires slightly different skis. You can actually "skate" with regular, classical skates, but skis do make it easier. You can pick up speed by simu-lating the physical motions of ice skating. It's not too difficult to pick up skate cross-country, but it is harder than classical cross country skiing, and requires more physical endurance. It is also helpful to have clear and wider trails for this to be truly enjoyable.

If you're really the adventurous type, the ski jump, in which you leap from specially prepared jump slopes, will definitely test your stamina and maneuverability. Note that this will also test your checkbook balance, as well as alpine skiing, which has fewer twisted courses that permit much faster speeds, but again, it will have a more pronounced affect on your bank balance than the other types of snow skiing.

Snowboarding involves a single wide ski, or snowboard, no poles, and is similar to surfing. Ski experts have also now come up with ski boarding, which employs shorter and wider skis that are generally used without poles. Ski boarding also offers the skier some of the sensa-tions of ice skating or in-line roller skating. It is usually easier to learn than classical skiing, largely because ski boards are simply more "handle-friendly."

With the comprehensive, attractive array of skiing methods out there today, there's something in it for everyone. Can't stand the cold? Try cross-country. Love the idea of bounding from a slope onto hard, impacted snow and hitting the ground hard and fast? Simple. Take up ski jumping. But please -- take lessons first!
About the Author

Sandy Knoll is the webmaster for http://www.fxsnow.com which is a great resource for all things related to snow and snow activities. Please be sure to visit the site at http://www.fxsnow.com

 

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Content Menu
  • 10 benefits you get from using trekking poles for hiking

  • 10 reasons to buy silk flowers and plants over real ones

  • 10 things to consider before getting a dog

  • 10 tips for great flower photography

  • 10 tips for shooting great digital photos

  • 11 hints to pick your next camping tent

  • 3 easy steps to becoming a backcountry hero

  • 4 steps to an enjoyable hike

  • 5 easy steps to giving the perfect backcountry gift

  • 5 tips for successful bird watching

  • 5 tips to get out there and smell the roses

  • 5 ways to get the most out of your backcountry gear

  • 6 things you must do if you want to havethe secret to catching more trout

  • 6 things you must do if you want to have the secret to catching more trout

  • 7 magic trick tips using invisible thread

  • 7 things you must do if you want to make that perfect camera shot

  • 7 tips for shooting great digital photos

  • 9 tips for taking great digital photos

  • alabaster antique lamps

  • all about golf

  • art career success with local businesses

  • attract birds to your yard with bird feeders

  • avoiding snowmobile crashes safety tips and avoiding injuries

  • awesome ways to get outdoors

  • a beginners guide to marketing images with mats

  • a great day of cat skiing

  • a kayaking community at your fingertips

  • a look at the intriguing history of snowboarding

  • a look at wet suits for kids

  • a new outdoor craft idea artificial rock boulders

  • a sport the world loves

  • backcountry skiing for intermediate skiers

  • bean bag chairs guide

  • best tips for enjoying the backcountry in the rain

  • black bear chasing kid style

  • blind skiers see the light

  • boarding your dog

  • bungee trampolines discover new heights

  • camping equipment essentials

  • camping in lead king basin

  • camping makes the weekend perfect

  • camping tents what the tent ratings mean

  • camping tent making sure you get the right size tent

  • camping with mans best friend

  • caribbean national parks explore the outdoors

  • carnival and madi gras masks

  • caught in the camera eye

  • check out the teva mountain games

  • choose the perfect fishing trip destination

  • choosing a wrought iron sword

  • choosing project wood

  • climbing and fear

  • cloudy day photography taking advantage of natures diffused lighting

  • code of conduct for outdoor enthusiasts

  • container gardening indoors and outdoors

  • creative scrapbooking albums for your pet

  • cymbidiums orchid plants what you need to grow successfully

  • did you ever try selling your images

  • dirt hole set ticket to canine success

  • dog training tips

  • do it yourself landscape design where to begin

  • do you have a healthy brain the secret to mental agility

  • dreaming winter photography

  • dried flowers for decorating

  • dutch oven cooking basics

  • easy navigation in the woods or on the water with the garmin etrex gps handheld

  • enjoy the view use a binocular

  • experience the adventure of a lifetime with river rafting trips

  • explore a whole new world on the water

  • exploring new trails

  • favorite hobbies camping

  • favorite hobbies yard games

  • feeding cattle

  • finding and catching fish has never been easier with the garmin 250 fish finder

  • finding snowmobile rentals in idaho fun and adventure awaits

  • find and catch those pesky fish with a garmin 240 fish finder

  • find the sunglasses that are right for you

  • fishing as family activity

  • fishing by moon phase increase your catch

  • fishing through the cracks

  • fishing vacation 101

  • five key factors that affect your pot plants in winter

  • five life skills for backcountry enjoyment

  • flower pictures a mild obsession 2

  • foot gear for a winter enthusiast

  • for fast paced fun nothing beats a pocketbike

  • funky fun garden plants

  • gearing up for an outdoor winter activity

  • geocaching a great way to get outdoors

  • getting ready for your backcountry adventure

  • get another hobby

  • get a hobby

  • get the most out of your hike

  • guitar performance make the most of it

  • hiking from your own home

  • history of kokeshi japanese wooden dolls

  • history of the adirondack chair

  • hobby ideas

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  • how to build a campfire

  • how to build a simple potting bench

  • how to buy the right binoculars for you

  • how to choose a right backpack

  • how to choose the right motor scooter for you

  • how to choose your dome tent

  • how to get the most out of your trekking poles

  • how to get your kids along on your next hike

  • how to pick your next camping tent

  • how to select the ideal home weather station

  • hunting by moon phase your best season ever

  • index

  • indoor trampolines and mini trampolines

  • introducing new horses to your herd

  • introducing the fascinating hobby of birdwatching

  • is backcountry snowmobiling for you

  • is first aid different in the backcountry

  • it was a christmas miracle

  • i hope it rains in heaven

  • keys to responsible recreation in the backcountry

  • kids croquet

  • landscape painting tips for beginners

  • landscape painting tips for oil painters

  • let there be light part 1 the camping lantern

  • log work bench plan

  • make it tonight glowing glass jar party lights

  • mike kelsey steward of the trail

  • mini bike madness

  • mission impossible construction of a backcountry ski lodge

  • mississippi outdoor adventures

  • my perfect campsite

  • natural stress relief without a doctor

  • navigating on the mountain in water or in woods there is an etrex unit for you

  • new years resolutions for the backcountry

  • night vision devices the ultimate in backcountry toys

  • north face tents

  • oil painting supplies guide for beginners

  • oil painting tips for beginners

  • outdoor design with old ladders

  • outdoor getting out of ones shell

  • outdoor navigation tips

  • paintball explained

  • photography poses the missing ingredient

  • popular play tents

  • quick guide to taking better photos

  • rainbow trout and trout flies

  • raising the bar for anglers who want quality equipment at a reasonable price the garmin 160 fish finder

  • real beauty comes from within

  • responsible recreation in the backcountry

  • rock climbing preserve your experiences

  • rock speakers and planters

  • rotator

  • sailing with wind orientation in mind

  • scrapbooking think about your theme

  • scrapbooking your christmas memories

  • setting up portraiture

  • set out a feast for your feathered friends

  • sewing with polar fleece

  • shih tzu history and legends cross breeding with pekingese and lhasa terrier shih tzu management

  • ski vacations how to end up in the right place at the right time

  • so you want to climb a colorado fourteener

  • stitching memories

  • summer fun with baby great scrapbooking ideas

  • teddy bears arent all cute cuddly toys

  • teddy bears aren t all cute cuddly toys

  • the best parts of camping gear

  • the great wide wonderland of snow and skiing

  • the journal of a gardener in tuscany june 2004

  • the many uses of the functional wetland

  • things you must do if you want to make that perfect camera shot

  • things you should know about tents

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  • top 10 ultracompact digital cameras

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