Cross-Country Ski Lessons

for Beginner, Novice, and Intermediate Skiers.

Link to the Club's main page here.

Are you interested in learning how to cross-country ski? The MTU Nordic Ski Club offers reasonably priced lessons in both skating and classic techniques at the beginner, novice, and intermediate levels. Our instructors have skied and raced with strong high school programs and several instructors were junior national or collegiate racers.

"You really did a great job teaching! I skied for over 3 hours today (Sat) and could tell how much your instructing helped. I even skied Hemlock and Skidder (?) with complete confidence and felt in control. I think I was faster than I have ever been, but of course that is still slow.Thanks for your help." --- A satisfied skier.

Our Eighth Year of Instruction.

Most recent page update: February 17, 2012.

GENERAL INFORMATION

New Format for 2011. Over the last several years people have wanted lessons at different times than we offered them or not necessarily the three lesson set which we previously provided. For 2011 level we are posting our rate schedule, a list of instructors and the types of lessons they teach. Community members can contact an instructor and arrange a time for a lesson or series of lessons. Skiers under the age of 18 must have signed parental permission.

Meet at the Nordic Ski Club Wax Room, the second door on the right in Wax Building. USE THE ATHLETES' ENTRANCE TO THE WAX BUILDING.

Unless you are a Michigan Tech student or a child 17 or under, or still in high school, you need a trail pass to ski at Tech Trails.

EQUIPMENT: If you need ski equipment both Cross Country Sports (Calumet: 337-4520) and Downwind Sports (Houghton: 482-2500) rent complete packages.

TYPES OF LESSONS:

Beginner Skate (BS). These lessons are intended for people with little to no background in Nordic skiing. Skills covered: falling and getting up, skiing without poles, gradual uphills and downhills, V1 (the basic skating technique), balance and weight transfer.

Beginner Classic (BC) These lessons are intended for people with little to no background in Nordic skiing. Skills covered: falling and getting up, skiing without poles, gradual uphills and downhills, the basic striding technique, balance and weight transfer.

Novice Skate (NS) These lessons are for people who are fairly comfortable with classic skiing but would now like to learn to skate. Skiing without poles, balance and weight transfer, V1 (the basic skating technique), body position on uphills.

Novice Classic (NC) Focus is on improving uphill and downhill technique, especially on steeper and longer hills. Double-pole and double-pole with kick are also covered.

Intermediate Skate (IS) These lessons are for people who want to improve speed and power. Instruction will vary with current ability of skiers but we presume skiers will be interested in specific instruction in weight transfer, uphill technique (happy feet light up the hill), downhill tuck, fine-tuning body position, V2 in varying conditions and transitions between techniques. If you can do these things correctly already you are beyond the intermediate stage.

Intermediate Classic (IC) These lessons are for people who want to improve speed and power. Instruction will vary with current ability of skiers but we presume skiers will be interested in specific instruction in weight transfer, uphill technique, downhill tuck, fine-tuning body position, improved double pole and transitions between techniques. If you can do these things correctly already you are beyond the intermediate stage.

INSTRUCTION RATES

One person: $25/person/hour

Two people: $12.50/person/hour

Three people: $10/person/hour

Four people: $7.50/person/hour

Five people: $6/person/hour

No groups larger than five people.

INSTRUCTOR LIST:

Contact is listed first for each instructor and the final codes are types of lessons offered by the instructor:

Lilly Manns, lkmanns@mtu.edu, 651-895-6741, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Megan Raspel, mlraspel@mtu.edu, 715-432-5539, BS, BC, NS, NC

Scott Ringwelski, sgringwe@mtu.edu, 231-492-5380, BS, BC

James Robinson, jmrobins@mtu.edu, 651-263-4429 , BS, BC, NS, NC

Adam Tuff, actuff@mtu.edu, 612-386-4688, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Kelsey Whalen, kmwhalen@mtu.edu, 651-999-9596, BS, BC, NS, NC

Seth Adams, swadams@mtu.edu, 715-520-2323, BS, NS, IS

Ethan Bowen, ejbowen@mtu.edu, 715-482-0384, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Sean Boyden, scboyden@mtu.edu, 906-370-9123, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Stephanie Dow, skdow@mtu.edu, 907-250-7444, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Sheridan Ethen, slethen@mtu.edu, 763-234-3487, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Helena Keller, hrkeller@mtu.edu, 763-227-5936, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

Jane Kirby, jmkirby@mtu.edu, 612-508-6588, BS, BC, NS, NC, IS, IC

* Liability Release Form (pdf).

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General questions can be directed to Blair Orr - Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club Advisor, bdorr@mtu.edu, 487-2291.