Long-time skiers wax poetic about gliding through a winter wonderland

Joy of cross-country skiing

Photo: J.P. Squire

One of the most enjoyable aspects of cross-country skiing is getting exercise while socializing with friends who enjoy the same sport, gathering at the trailhead and setting off to explore a winter wonderland.

And now, for something completely different...

Exhilarating. Breathtaking. The feeling of freedom. The adrenaline rush. Those are just some of the Ski Sheriff's personal feelings about why he loves cross-country skiing.

Yet, in decades on the snow, the Sheriff has found virtually no one ever talks about the joy of cross-country skiing. They just do it, huge smiles on their faces, an occasional yee-hah!

No one ever seems to ask the questions: Why do you ski? How do you feel when skiing? What do you get out of a day on snow?

So, the Sheriff posed those questions to long-time hiking/biking/skiing buddy Marshall Moleschi, a CANSI level 1 instructor, who has been skiing for eight years.

The president of the Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club explained: "For me, the joy of cross-country skiing is a deep and lasting love affair with winter itself. There is something profoundly uplifting about stepping outside on a crisp winter morning, feeling the sun on your face and gliding quietly through a snow-covered forest. The rhythm of skis and breath settles the mind, the cold air sharpens the senses, and the winter light — bright, clean and generous — has a way of lifting your spirits almost instantly. Kelowna Nordic feels like a hidden gift, closer than most people realize, yet worlds away from the noise of daily life. In minutes, you’re immersed in nature, surrounded by trees heavy with snow, moving through a landscape that feels both wild and welcoming.

"Over time, the trails become familiar, almost personal. You know every turn, every steady climb, every earned and exhilarating downhill. There’s comfort in that familiarity—especially on favourite stretches like the long, flowing descent on Lower Meadow, where anticipation builds at the top and joy takes over on the way down. But the magic doesn’t stop with the trails. It’s the people too—friends reconnecting at the cabin, new friendships forming on the snow, shared effort on the climbs and shared laughter afterward. Skiing together turns winter into a season of connection rather than something to endure.

"Kelowna Nordic is a perfect fit for all of this. It offers an easy, welcoming way to get outside, move your body, and feel connected—to nature, to community and to yourself. In a world that often pulls us indoors and inward during winter, Nordic skiing does the opposite. It draws you out into the light, into the forest, and into a space where winter nourishes the soul as much as it challenges the body."

Laurie Cole, the club secretary who has skied for the past 20 years said: "Skiing is what makes the winter a season I look forward to all year long. Knowing I can get on my skis and hit the trails makes me happy for the arrival of snow and colder weather. Some of the things which I like about skiing: I can socialize while I do it, I can get fit or stay fit while I do it, and I can enjoy nature while I do it. Particularly in the Okanagan, there is a mental and physical health benefit to spending time on the Nordic trails above the low valley cloud in the beautiful sunshine on a cool, crisp winter day.

"Cross-country skiing has several advantages over downhill skiing, the most important (for me) being that you don't need as much snow to be able to do it and have a good time. Grooming machines normally only need about 25 centimetres to do their magic on cross-country trails, whereas most downhill ski areas require at least 100 centimetres to cover rocks and other hazards. Equally important is the fact you generally expend more energy cross-country skiing so your body stays warmer, you don't need as much clothing on to stay warm, you get a higher intensity aerobic workout (superior cardiovascular endurance training and calorie burning) and it takes significantly less time to get your workout in than it does for alpine skiing."

Karen Wolfe, CANSI level 1 instructor, one of many KN volunteer coaches for the adult ski program, who has skied for eight or nine years aid: "For me, the joy of cross-country skiing — especially skate skiing — is about movement, adventure and connecting with nature. Being outside in the crisp air, under blue skies and winter sunshine, energizes me and makes winter feel like a season to embrace rather than something to wait out under grey clouds in the valley.

"Of all the local cross-country ski areas I have visited, I love the facilities at Kelowna Nordic the best. It is an amazing recreational property with a vast and varied trail network that can deliver whatever experience you’re in the mood for. Challenging climbs are rewarded with easy free-flowing downhill glides. Cabins provide shelter and warmth, a place to refuel and reconnect - and to decide how much further you want to go today."

Photo: J.P. Squire

Once you leave a cross-country ski trailhead, you can explore a backcountry wilderness beautifully decorated in fresh snow. It's quiet, peaceful and you are in your own world.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.