State

5 DOME 7 the skin's height plus i hr length ol ihc forearm. I lie li.iiliiion.il iiu’IIiihI ol inca- Miiniinii is in slauil and exirnd .in .11 in above t In* head, palm parallel to the gmitnd. I In* ski should n*ai h the • up of i he palm. I.iglilct skins, however, i lioose shot lei skis, while I hose who are heaviei selei I longei ones. Beginners might also use shoi lei ones anil advance Some stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway offer great cross-country skiing opportuni¬ ties — when the weather is right. in length with expel iem e. Bool, binding and pole selft lion Inf¬ low. ( a nss-t niuiii \ bools are l.u more flexible than Alpine — almost like car¬ pel slippeis. Nordic bindings a< esimplei than Alpine. I'olcs. mam ol which are still made ol bamboo, should generally lit I roin the gioiind to the armpit, although dilleicnl length |>olesare used on different terrains. Bi me. Stable, сгочч- coiiiiIiy skiing coordinator lor the Asheville Ski Club, suggests that novices rent ecpiipinenl beloie 1 1 try такса pur¬ chase. But that max present a problem. Bee auseol the snow drought in Western North ( aroliua Foi live years oi so. there hasn't been an abundance ol oppoitu- niiics to ski ( loss-country. As a result, many drains have stopped renting Nordic rc|iiipincul. at least loi the lime being. When the wcalllct is cold enough. Alpine skieisian usually plan their ski outings, since most Western North Cai- oliua resorts can make snow. Nordic skiers, on the other hand, have to Ik* more spontaneous. < >p|Hii lunities to ski iniisl lie seized upon when and where they occur. It tilde's a heavy snowfall on Wednesday men niug. some enthusiasts may bleak out their ec|iii|)iiient and ski to work. II the ollic e is i losed. they max head to one of their lavoi ite spots. ( Inc of the In-si places to ski c loss cotintrv in West¬ ern North Carolina. Stable saxs. is along stretches id the Blue Ridge Parkway, w ine li are usiiallv i losed by a heavy snow¬ fall. < >nc sec tion, south toward Asheville from near the enliance to Mount Mile hell, is pat tic ul.u lx good. Stable also lists the Bald Mountain area and Bull Run Cap to Craggy Cardens, above ( '.raven's ( .ap, among the faxor ile venues loi Noidic skiing among loc al alicioiia- dos Neat Mount Mile hell, old logging loads and railroad beds arc* sometimes traversed In Nordic skiers. However, the snow tuiisi lx* at least a loot deep along the tail beds 1хч .disc of им ks and stones Moses II. Cone Memorial Park near Blowing Rock provides some decent oppoi lunities loi Noidic skiing when the weathei is tight, as docs the Roan Mountain area on the North Carolina- I ennessre border. Farther south, the North Carolina has plenty to offer cross-country skiers — just as long as the weather cooperates. The Nordic Way Bv Robert 1 1. Rufa Since blowing niaiiiilactured snow onto miles ol trails is inipiaciic.il. main ol North ( aiohna's i loss-, ouiitix skiers have been somewhat litisti.iied the last several years. < >1 corns.', in Winlci Park. Color ado. I hex might blow snow on trails — Inn that's because the l .S. Olxnipii < toss ( oiuitix Ski I earn trains there. Foi most l.u Heels. Colorado is a bit l.u oil lor an afternoon <n weekend outing. So what's the big rlealr There are plcnix ol ski ies.ii is dial use sin in-mak¬ ing Iliac bines on l ben slopes wli.'ii die weathei fails to . impel. He. in. lud ing a lew nr Western Noilh ( iarolina. II xou'xe just got to ski. ski down¬ hill. right' Well, lot the c ioss-c .1111)11 X skiet that max not be a salisla. mix allcrnalixc. I’hcy'ic look¬ ing lor a dillcrenl kind ol experience. While downliill (oi Alpine) skiing has become the predominant winter sport over the xeais. < mss-, ounirx (oi Nordic) skiing lias i. ’.'merged as a populai xvin- tet a. tivitx Some icct rational skirts pi e- fer tin- vat ied teiiaiu ol open toitnlry- side oi Hails to dial ol sir. light down the side of 'a mount. tin. I'odav. Nordic ski¬ ing is . oiisidercd by iii.inx lobe not onlx a spot i in its oxxii i iglil, but an e\< client inti .xlitc lion to Mpine skiing loi a liegin- riel . I . 1 1 1 1 pi 1 1<- 1 1 1 dill. is loi the two types of skiing. C mss-, ouulrv skis fall into lour basic categories: racing, light touring, general touring and inouniaincrriiig. According to Willi. till Hall, author ol I inw I nnnh't Skiing Right, the pro|M‘i ski "depends on voiii height, weight and abilitx A slat ling point lot ski length is tin* Slulr/N.ivi'iiiK'f I"*»: