Photo by John Churchman

Why You Should Go:
No one does nordic better than Craftsbury. The trails are designed by skiers, for skiers, and it shows. They wind gracefully through field and meadow, and the vast majority are plenty wide for skating. And, although the terrain is far from flat, the rolling hills aren’t as daunting as the lung-poppers at most alpine resort cross-country centers. Couple that with a 100K trail system and you get a nordic resort that would make Swedes smile.

The Lowdown:
Gotta Hit:
The eight-kilometer Ruthie’s Run loop is a Craftsbury classic, with short, grunter climbs, long, graceful downhills and views.

Local Knowledge:
It gets cold up here. Really cold. If you’re not prepared for minus-20-degree temps, you’re not prepared. And no matter what, don’t complain to a local about the cold unless he or she complains first.

The Deal:
For as little as 80 bucks, you can get lodging, a trail pass and three square meals at the center.

Dress Code:
Serious cross-country skiers know something the rest of us have forgotten: Lycra is cool. Even if you haven’t worn your second skin since Kiss was relevant, break it out.

Getting There:
Craftsbury is 60 miles northeast of Burlington, Vermont, or 4.5 hours north of Boston, Massachusetts.

Stats:
With 135 kilometers (that’s 83.7 miles) of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center can keep your aerobic jones sated for days on end. And because it’s situated in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, snow conditions are almost always superb.
Contact: 800-729-7751; www.craftsbury.com

Last Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
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