Every year I do a column on skiing and snowboarding to review aspects of exercise and fitness wrapped around these activates. With this year’s winter stacking up to be a great snow year, it occurred to me I am leaving out one of the very best winter activities for fitness: cross country skiing.

Cross country skiing is one of those activities that is a good fit for almost all ages and fitness levels. In the last few years here in the Inland Northwest, snow levels have not been very consistent to keep cross country skiing a true fitness regimen — or winter sport, for that matter.

In Scandinavian countries on the other hand, it is a staple for winter activity and fitness. In fact there have been a number of studies done in Northern European countries on the full body workout you get from cross country skiing. In one such study, it was found that healthy older adults who had consistently cross country skied over a lifetime had approximately twice the cardiovascular and muscular fitness of those from the same age group who did not. Now this in itself may not tell the story until it was compared to lifelong endurance athletes. What they found was cross country skiers were in overall stronger and better health. This certainly points to a very positive outcome for people to get low impact exercise and a full-body workout from skiing.

One of the best attributes to cross country skiing is the fact it is low-impact and a great way to have fun in the snow. Nordic countries rank it as their No. 1 complete fitness program during the winter. When you look at cross country skiing, it becomes clear it is the perfect aerobic workout for both newbie and hardcore alike. Cross country skiing can be tailored to fit a go-slow beginner or a high-intensity heart-pounding seasoned pro.

Once you get the hang of attacking hills, this activity can quickly become a muscle building anaerobic exercise for both upper and lower body since your momentum is primarily an arm-intensive activity with a quick double-poling action to keep your speed steady. This activity is great for building your arms, back and core muscles. Since this can be a high-intensity workout, it is fair to say cross fit move over, cross country skiing is almost an equal.

Cross country is certainly a great way to cross-train in the snow and keep a well rounded multi-sport training regimen in play that addresses strength building for swimmers, cyclists and runners alike. So say goodbye to off-season training issues and being stuck in the gym when you have great snow and a pair of Nordic skis and poles!

For both the seasoned athlete and rookies just looking to burn some calories, cross country skiing can burn more calories up to 1,122 calories per hour for those who work at it hard. The low-impact nature of the activity means no single muscle group is overstressed so recovery is easy and the risk of injury is also low. If you’re new to cross country skiing, the start-up costs are far more affordable then downhill skis. If you’re buying new, your costs can start around $500-700; used would be much less. Considering downhill ski costs would be closer to triple the cost or more makes cross country a very affordable and fun activity.

Learning cross country skiing is easy and can be enjoyed on local trails as long as the snow cooperates. I would say it is one of the easier ski sports to learn for both old and young alike. To sum it up, cross country skiing is all fun, a great workout, easy to do and it is a huge stress reliever, allowing you to get out of the house and enjoy our wonderful winter landscape.

If you’re not sure about spending the money and taking up cross country, you can rent skis at some ski resorts and local ski shops. If you’re looking for like-minded people to join in this amazing activity, you can check out the Panhandle Nordic Club of North Idaho. It has a very informative website with many really great local folks to gather information on trails, conditions and events.

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Judd Jones is a director for The Hagadone Corporation in Coeur d’Alene.