Cross-country skiing has been a common winter activity for many families within the Townships and with many free trails located in most municipalities, plenty of locals enjoy the sport.
The Record spoke with Jeffery Schoolcraft, a structural engineer who enjoys the sport despite his busy life. Schoolcraft first got introduced to the cross-country skiing at a young age.
“My mother used to take me and my brother to different trails when we were young,” Schoolcraft said. “The two I can remember were in Brown’s Hill and Tomifobia where local residents would have trails made for it.” Many of these trails still exist, scattered around the Townships, where anyone can throw on a pair of skis and take part of the fun. To Schoolcraft, the sport is still one of his favorite winter pastimes and he often goes to Orford and Craftsbury, Vermont, which he believes are some the some of the best in the area.
However, the recent irregular winters have had a substantial impact on the quality of the sport and the length of the season. In cross-country skiing, temperature plays an important part in both how well the skis perform but also in the maintenance as well. For the skis to be in top shape, a layer of temperature specific wax is usually applied onto the base of the ski to both protect the base as well as make it easier to maneuver. However, the irregular winters recently have caused more types of waxes to be used more often. When asked on how the waxing methods have changed, Schoolcraft replied, “I have to watch the temperature when waxing the skis, but recently I’ve been using the warmer variants the most.”
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