This past weekend NENSA, JacksonXC, Beaver Meadow XC Skiing/Concord Nordic, Capital Region Nordic Alliance (CRNA), and Concord Parks & Recreation came together to host a Learn-to-Ski day on the Concord Community Ski Trails at Beaver Meadow Golf Course. The event offered morning and afternoon ski and sitski clinics for folks 6 years of age and older who had never been on cross country skis before. We aimed to create a welcoming and inclusive for people to try a new sport and discover the joy of gliding on snow. JacksonXC brought down ski equipment and CRNA provided sitskis and sitski instruction. The clinics were taught by experienced Concord-area coaches and instructors, and covered classic cross-country skiing basics including skiing on flat terrain, getting up from a fall, climbing, and navigating downhills. Beaver Meadow XC Skiing recently met their fundraising goal for a new groomer and the Parks & Recreation department did a fantastic job grooming the trails for the day.
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The energy and momentum behind building and growing the ski community and access to the sport in Concord is palpable and it was inspiring to see seventy-four local people try the cross country skiing for the first time. Janel Lawton, director of the New Hampshire Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development at the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, shared “Nordic skiing is one of the best ways to enjoy the winter beauty in New Hampshire and the Concord Area Learn-to-Ski clinic was a great event to learn the basics of this low-cost sport. There are networks of trails in the backyard of Concord and beyond that individuals and families can explore and enjoy for winters to come. We are fortunate to have Beaver Meadow XC Skiing host this event with Jackson Cross Country Ski Area joining the event to provide additional support and offerings.”
The Executive Director of JacksonXC, Ellen Chandler, shared that “Part of JacksonXC’s mission is to provide skiing experiences to individuals who have not otherwise been introduced to the sport. NENSA provided the framework for us to work with a new, highly accessible venue and a group of motivated coaches to introduce skiing to a completely new audience. It was rewarding to talk with participants at the end of each session and hear them make plans to ski in the future.”
We are incredibly grateful to the coaches and instructors who volunteered their time, energy, and expertise with the participants. A big thank you to JacksonXC and CRNA for providing equipment and Concord Parks & Recreation for use of the trails. Before we wrap up this recap, we’d like to express our gratitude to our NENSA associate level sponsors – L.L.Bean, Swix, Salomon, and Fischer – and make special shoutout to the folks from Salomon, Rossignol, and S&W Sports for joining us on site.
And last, but not least, thank you to everyone who attended the event! Anyone interested in exploring more places in New Hampshire on skis can check out options at Ski NH and the Cross Country Ski Area Association. Additional information about Beaver Meadow XC Skiing is available HERE. And those interested in purchasing their own equipment can check out S&W Sports and CRNA. We hope to see you out on the trails!
