Ask Rachel Sadri why she goes cross-country skiing and she has a simple answer. “It’s the way I get through the winter.”
Sadri is course coordinator for the Everett Mountaineers cross-country skiing course, which begins in January.
She says cross-country offers something for everyone. It can be relaxing, meditative even. It can be easy, like a gentle walk in the park. Or it can leave you dripping sweat. It all depends on what you want.
Regardless of whether you want to work or relax, skiing takes you outside to enjoy the best the Northwest has to offer in winter.
The class is targeted to new skiers, but anyone is welcome to take it, including those who would just like to brush up on their skills. The class includes two lectures and three field trips.
It will teach the basics of technique: Kick and glide, turning, stopping and climbing and descending hills.
Sadri says this class has the advantage of going beyond many other ski courses, thanks to the classroom session. Students will learn about ways to really make the most of their time out in the snow. Proper clothing, equipment, nutrition and safety basics will be discussed.
There will also be information on how to maintain equipment, both during the winter and the off season.
Sadri is now an instructor, but she started out a student. She enjoyed the class so much, she took it twice. She says she found cross-country skiers to be an extremely friendly group. She’s always found camaraderie builds up quickly among the students and instructors.
“It’s a lifetime activity, you can do it at any level,” she said. “And it’s a cheap way to get out there in the snow.
Cross-country class
Two class lectures are scheduled for 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 9 and 24 at Evergreen Middle School in Everett. There will be three field trips, Jan. 18 and 25 and Feb. 8.
The course is $95 for Mountaineers members and $115 for nonmembers. This includes a ski pass for the Stevens Pass Nordic Center. Students pay for equipment rental and a share of a Sno-Park parking permit. If you don’t have gear, wait to buy or rent it until after the first lecture.
To get more information and to enroll, go to www.mountaineers.org or call 206-521-6001.
More outdoors
The Everett Mountaineers offer other classes:
- Avalanche safety, begins Wednesday, Dec. 4.
- Snowshoeing, begins Jan. 2.
- Basic climbing, begins Jan. 21.
- Backcountry skiing and snowboarding, begins Jan. 22.
- Alpine scrambling, begins Feb. 20.
More options are offered through other branches of the Mountaineers, including Seattle. For more information, or to register for any of the above courses, go to www.mountaineers.org.
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