Cross Country Skiing

If you've been following my blog you know that Santa dropped off some XC Skis at my house a few weeks ago.  (I'm planning on doing a lot of Cycling Cross Training w/ my XC skis this Winter.)  Since then, those skis have been dying to see some snow.  (they told me so..haha)  If you live around me (Doylestown, PA) the only snow I've seen so far this year was a coating around Thanksgiving.  That's NOT a problem, however, because I didn't buy XC Skis so I could ski in my backyard.  I bought them to ski further North like the poconos.

BTW,what really irks me is the fact that there are NO decent XC Ski websites in the Philadelphia Area with recommended places to ski within a 2 hr. ride.  And, I'm NOT driving out to Williamsport for XC Skiing.  The reason I'm XC Skiing is to get a good leg workout in for cycling...not to sit on my butt for 4 hrs. driving one way to get there.  Is it some kind of secret with the XC Ski purests? 

So, where do you cross-country ski in the poconos?  Well, you can always sneak on a ski resort like Jack Frost/Big Boulder, Blue Mtn, Camelback (where I used to be a Ski Instructor: http://www.skicamelback.com/ , etc.)   In fact, I think JF/BB and Camelback have already opened.  But, as one guy told me, in a comment on a previous blog, a lot of these resorts are getting smart and having ticket checkers right outside the lodge to make sure EVERYONE has a lift ticket.  In prior years, the only time the ski resorts checked for a lift ticket was when you boarded the lift.  And, hell NO, I'm NOT paying $50 for a lift ticket when I have no plans on using one.  I'll pay a $10 greens fees of sorts, if they want, but I'm not paying $50.  Besides, I'm only going to be working out on my skis for 1-2 hrs.  (2 hrs. of XC Skiing and I'll be ready for the bar.)

I'm really not counting on the ski resorts in the Poconos for XC Skiing.  However, that's the only place I/you can be sure has snow all Winter long due to their snowmaking capability.  So, if snow is sparse..that's where I'll be.  Where else can I go?  Well, there are always the State Parks in the Poconos (and locally) that have XC Ski Trails.  But again, I'm relying on them to have snow.  The closest are:
Hickory Run State Park- http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/hickoryrun.aspx
Lehigh Gorge State Park- http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/lehighgorge.aspx#winter
Promised Land State Park- http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/promisedland.aspx#crosscountry
Nockamixon State Park- http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/nockamixon.aspx
Fort Washington State Park- http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/fortwashington.aspx
Washington Crossing State Park- http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/washcros.html

The best part about these Parks is that you can Mtn Bike in them too..if there isn't enough snow.

Ok, where else?  There are a couple resorts/inns that come to mind which are less than a 2 hr. ride from my home.  They are:
Cliff Park Inn- http://www.cliffparkinnandgolf.com/
Pocono Manor Inn/Resort- http://www.poconomanor.com/
Sterling Inn- http://www.thesterlinginn.com/

Here is another place the looks REAL good, except it's probably a solid 2 hr. drive:
High Point XC Ski Center- http://www.xcskihighpoint.com/

Just like when I bought my Mtn Bike, I checked out all of the local Mtn Bike Trails, I'm going to try to do the same with these XC Ski Trails this Winter.  We'll see.

If anyone knows a place I missed, please comment/email me.  I'm not looking for any fancy resort to ski, just a place to get a great workout in, within a 2 hr. drive, and a "watering hole" nearby for afterwards.  Thanks.

Power ON!  Coach Rob