The Essential Cross-Country Skier: A Step-By-Step Guide

Cross-country expertise . . . easily

Glide into an invigorating sport with this guide from true experts who show you how to have fun from your first day out and coach you all the way through the advanced skills you'd like to learn. No ordinary manual, The Essential Cross-Country Skier brings together the combined expertise of one of the country's top cross-country skiing instructors; a two-time Olympic biathlete and former Dartmouth skiing coach; and one of the sport's foremost professional writers.

This all-star team has created one of the most engaging, clear, and potent learning tools ever published for beginning and intermediate skiers. This unique, carefully illustrated guide gives you the information you need to get started: choosing the right skis, boots, and poles; where to find the best trails; what to wear for comfort and warmth; plus tips on safety.

And, if you're already familiar with nordic skiing, the book shows you how to improve your style and your conditioning; master the subtleties of waxing and ski maintenance; and enjoy new skills including ski skating, telemarking, ski racing, and backcountry touring.

Paul Petersen is a competitive cross-country and telemark skier, renowned ski instructor and ski writer, and architect-owner of one of the largest cross-country trail systems in the country, located in Bear Valley, California. On the Professional Ski Instructors of America National Demonstration Team for 12 years, he trained ski instructors around the world, serving as the team's coach his last four years. Richard A. Lovett is a full-time professional writer and avid weekend cross-country skier who ski backpacks and competes in ski marathons. The author of The Essential Touring Cyclist, he is a former law professor who also holds a Ph.D. in economics. John Morton, a two-time Olympic competitor, was also the U.S. Biathlon Team Leader at the Winter Olympic Games in 1988, 1992, and 1994. Head coach of men's skiing at Dartmouth College for 11 years, he now races competitively as one of the country's top-ranked Masters competitors.