>> Cross-country skiing is cheaper, easier and more hardcore than downhill, with a history that’s longer and bloodier than you may have imagined

by LORRAINE CARPENTER
photos by RACHEL GRANOFSKY

If downhill is the crack-cocaine of skiing, then cross-country must be the heroin. Downhill (aka alpine) is your quick fix, a blast that’s all too brief, followed by a long, boring haul back to the top of the hill (or the nearest dealer); cross-country (aka Nordic) is your cheap-ass, chillax alternative, and it’s so easy you can even multi-task—rifles are standard playthings for “XC” biathletes, and the occasional smacked-out rock star.

And yet the sports, like the substances, have an equally potent impact on the body. If anything, Nordic is more hardcore, working every major muscle group for as long as you can take it, without interruption. But unlike extreme opiates, you really can quit cross-country any time (even mid-trail), and it’s readily available in this city.

Norwegian wood

Skiing is prehistoric. Remnants of ancient wooden skis have been carbon-dated to 2000 B.C., though cave drawings discovered above the Arctic Circle suggest that long animal bones served as the very first skis. Several countries claim to be the birthplace of skiing, from Sweden to Iran. But Norway has a particularly strong case.

Sondre Norheim is known as the father of modern skiing for having invented birch bindings and shorter, curved skis to facilitate turns—he was born in Norway’s Telemark region, namesake of a hybrid alpine/Nordic style in which the skier can use XC gear on a slope, descending slowly in wide S formations.

The word “ski” is derived from skith (stick of wood), from the Old Norse language. Skis were everyday tools for Northern Europe’s migratory indigenous people, the Sami, a culture primarily associated with Norway, though their territory extended into Sweden, Finland and even Russia. The Sami used skis for reindeer hunting and exploration, and their snow-faring ways were eventually adopted by the Vikings, whose monarchs embraced the activity as recreation, and whose armies employed it in warfare.

In 1206, skiing played a crucial role in an event that resonates in cross-country culture to this day, in the form of annual “Birkebeiner” races and marathons in Norway, the U.S. and Canada. Birkebeiner was an upstart political party that came to power during Norway’s civil war—they took their name, “birch legs,” from the opposition, who mocked the poor rebels’ makeshift shoes. After the deaths of two of their sitting kings, the Birkebeiners became vulnerable to their nemeses, the Baglers, and travelled a long, treacherous ski trail, somehow trudging through forests and over mountains while engaged in battle, to deliver the two-year-old heir to the throne to safety. And as King Haakon Haakonsson IV, that child went on to expand Norway’s boundaries and end the civil war. So, hail to the ski.

Nordique chic

And lo, 700 years later, cross-country skiing swept Quebec. Before the advent of the ski-lift in the mid-1930s (facilitating alpine), the Laurentian tourism industry grew out of Nordic trails, a trend abetted by improved and expanded railway lines. In 1928, 11,000 people rode into the mountains in train cars designed especially for skiers.

That same year saw the arrival of Norway’s Herman “Jackrabbit” Johannsen, who established ski clubs, competitions and major trails all over our backyard. Legend has it that “the Jackrabbit” was nicknamed by the Cree for his speed on skis—the traditional North American snowshoe is practical enough, but no match for a ski if you’re in a hurry. (Ironically, it was a Sierra Mountain mailman named John “Snowshoe” Thompson, another Norwegian, who brought skiing to California during the state’s first gold rush in 1849.)

Johannsen received the Order of Canada in 1972 for his lifelong dedication to the sport, which he continued to practice every day, even after his centennial birthday. The Jackrabbit’s longevity (he died at 111) is generally attributed to his favourite pastime, coupled with an “everything in moderation” lifestyle.

DOWNTOWN MOUNTAIN HIGH: Mount Royal

Hop to it

Like so many local activities, you don’t even need a car to cross-country ski in Montreal.

With the view of the city, the lake and the woods, Mount Royal Park is an ideal spot to see the sights and do the ski on their 20-kilometre trail—and that’s not even including the informal trail right next to Parc Avenue, where you can wind your way up the mountain from the monument. And if you’re a night skier, the park is technically open until midnight, with enough illumination from the moon and the city to stay safe afterhours. Download maps of the mountain’s trails in the Exploring the Mountain section of lemontroyal.qc.ca, where you’ll also find regularly updated information about snow conditions. The park opens at 6 a.m., but the equipment rental counter at the Beaver Lake Pavilion (2000 Remembrance) is open from 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday–Thursday, and until 9 p.m. on the weekend. Call (514) 843-8240 for more info.

Further south, the Lachine Canal’s bike path and the green space beside it are ideal cross-country skiing spots. With adequate snow cover, on either side of the canal, skiers make their own trails anytime, for free. However, you may need to cross one of the canal’s bridges or locks to avoid rough stretches, and night skiing isn’t advised because, as cyclists will tell you, parts of the path are poorly lit.

Angrignon Park is a 65,000-square-metre oasis modelled after traditional British parks, and it’s right next door to the western terminus of the metro’s green line. Three cross-country trails weave through Angrignon’s expanse, where you can also skate, toboggan and snowshoe, as long as you bring your own gear (3400 Trinitaires, or 7503 de la Vérendrye).

In the heart of the city lies one of our largest municipal parks, Lafontaine, bordered by Parc Lafontaine Avenue and Papineau, Sherbrooke and Rachel. Apart from the skating rink, the Théâtre de Verdure stage and a few other occupied spots, most of this charming 40-hectare space is free for DIY trails.

Further east, Maisonneuve Park and the Botanical Gardens beckon skiers to their 18 kilometres of intersecting cross-country trails. The park’s chalet is open from 9 a.m.–10 p.m., the park from dawn–11 p.m. Pie IX metro. Maisonneuve Park: 4601 Sherbrooke E., (514) 872-6555, Botanical Gardens: 4101 Sherbrooke E., (514) 872-1400.

Trek west

If you wanna hit the road, cross-country trails can be found on the south and north shores, and deep in the east. But the West Island seems especially awash in Nordic paths.

The Ile Bizard Nature Park (exit St-Jean #52 off the 40) offers trails of various lengths, a total of 20 kilometres long. Though the park is only open from 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., skiing under the stars happens every Thursday from 7–9 p.m., for $6 (including hot chocolate) or $7 (including parking). Sign up before Wednesday at noon the day prior by calling (514) 280-8517. Equipment rental is available.

Pierrefonds’s Cap-St-Jacques Nature Park (exit Ste-Marie #49 off the 40) is the largest of its kind in the Montreal region, with 32 kilometres of woodsy trails that loop through the park, past a little chateau, a cabane à sucre and a farmhouse, so you needn’t retrace your steps to the chalet. They also offer skiing under the stars for $6 on Wednesdays and Saturdays (call (514) 280-6871 to reserve). Their ski rental rates match their Bizard counterparts: $8 for one hour, $13 for three or $20 for a full day, available from 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. 20099 Gouin W.

Last but certainly not least is the Morgan Arboretum on McGill University’s Macdonald Campus in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue (exit Ste-Anne de Bellevue #41 off the 40). This majestic forest teeming with critters is an amazing backcountry getaway within 30 minutes of downtown Montreal. Non-members must fork over $6 to access any of their three trails, a total of 28 kilometres in length. A full-moon cross-country outing is planned for Feb. 20, conditions permitting, from 7–10 p.m., also for $6. Note that it’s BYO equipment. 150 Chemin-des-Pins, (514) 398-7811.