Explore the exciting world of cross-country skiing this winter

Cross-country skiing gives you a reason to get outside in the dead of winter and takes you to places you would never normally go. Here's where to start.

Cross country skiing is incredible for a variety of reasons. Not only does it give you a reason to get outside in the dead of winter, it can take you to places you would never normally go, expose you to beautiful winter vistas, and provide you with a fantastic cardiovascular workout that can keep you in shape for the cold months.

Cross-country skiing means travelling over open terrain or tracks on the snow in a way more similar to jogging than downhill skiing. There are no lifts, no jumps and no resorts. It's just you and the open countryside, free to roam and enjoy the view and the exercise. Moreover, unlike downhill skiing, your feet are not clipped into bindings. They're loose aside from a toe clip in the front, allowing you to use your ankles and knees to propel you forward almost as if you were walking.

Cross-country skiing has a long history, starting with simple transportation. From countryside transit to military troops in barren, frozen conflict zones, many people across the ages have used cross-country skiing as a way to get around, and even to explore unknown terrain. Eventually it developed into the competitive sport and exercise we know today.

Today, cross-country skiing is divided into three basic styles. The first is ski-touring. This is where long tours take skiers far beyond the bounds of villages and ski resorts. Ski tours can last several days and require plenty of preparation and special equipment. Ski touring also includes ski mountaineering, which takes cross-country skiers into potential avalanche zones to scout out routes and possible dangers for people below.

Groomed trail skiing is also a popular style of cross-country skiing. This involves following set trails with well-manicured tracks around the area of towns and ski resorts. The trails are prepared by grooming machines, which compact the snow into a dense trail and can then be used by cross-country skiers.

The third popular style is competitive cross-country skiing, which involves a variety of formats of races across various different distances. The distances even go up to the marathon level, and cover over 40 kilometres of terrain. Another well-known form of competitive cross-country skiing is the biathlon, where cross-country skiers carry rifles and periodically test their marksmanship.