Page 9 - Jan_14
P. 9


W 
henthe temperatures drop 
toward freezing, Bob Dill of 

Burlington begins looking 
forward to getting back out on the ice 
again. A Nordic skater, Dill welcomes 
the extreme cold, which creates ideal 
long-distance skating conditions.

“You really have to go out and 
look,” he says. “Or else you risk miss- 
ing what could have been a really great 
day.”
No stranger to ice, Dill also enjoys 

ice fishing, skating in hockey skates, 
and ice sailing. But Nordic skating al- 
lows him to skate farther, away from 
the crowds. He has been using Nordic Ideal conditions and technique
skates for about 15 years and skates 
Large bodies of water such as 
with a group of friends for distances of Lake Champlain, Lake Morey in Fair- 
up to 20 miles in a day, traveling from lee (which features a four-mile tour), 
Shelburne Pond to points as far south as and Lake Memphremagog in Newport 
the Lake Champlain Bridge at Chimney 
Point. The conditions in January and are all popular centers for wintertime 
skating. The ice may be good, but clear 
February are usually favorable—thick ice is best, so skaters use snowblowers, 
ice with little snow cover. Even with shovels, and brooms to remove snow 
good conditions, Dill and others remain for a suitable skating surface. Though 
wary of hazards. When he’s out skating, 
Dill carries ice claws and a throw rope the ice doesn’t have to be perfectly clear 
to be skateable. The specially designed 
and wears a dry suit, helmet, joint-pro- skates handle imperfections in the ice 
tecting pads, and a life jacket.
surface much easier than any other va- how to go
“I go out by myself more often riety of skate. Nordic skates have longer 
than I should, so I make sure I take that 
extra precaution,” he says. “The water blades than conventional figure or hock- Freezing temperatures guarantee of Nordic skates provided by Jamie 
ey skates and attach to the bottom of a quality ice on many of Vermont’s Hess of nordicskater.com.
is freezing this time of year. It’s terrify- cross-country ski boot like any pair of ponds and lakes, including some of the The Lake Morey Ice Skating 
ing if you fall through.”
cross-country skis. The blades curve up largest open bodies of water like Lake Trail is 4.5 miles long and is located 
Jamie Hess, 59, of Norwich, dis- Champlain and Lake Memphremagog. just off Interstate 91 in Fairlee. When 
covered Nordic skating in 1999 while at the tip, allowing the skater to cruise 
on a trip to Sweden. Today, his entire through less-than-ideal ice with confi- This winter, Kingdom Games is heading conditions permit its full operation, the 
dence.
an effort to keep The Memphremagog trail is the longest ice trail in the United 
family Nordic skates, and he has since Hess says the technique is similar Nordic Skating Trail on the US side States. The trail is open to the public 
helped establish nordicskater.com, an to cross-country skate skiing, but Nor- of the border open. The trail starts at and can be accessed via Lake Morey 
online retail and organizational site for The East Side Restaurant, heads to Resort’s lakefront. Parking is available 
ice reports, tips, and safety for Vermont dic skating is faster.
Prouty Beach in Newport Bay, then at the resort as well as at the state boat 
and New Hampshire. Most of the lo- “It’s much more efficient,” says out around The Bluffs into Derby Bay launch.
Hess. “The comparison between Nordic before turning north toward Province Current ice trail conditions can 
cal interest in the sport revolves around skating and skate skiing is like road bik- 
recreation, though nordicskater.com has ing versus mountain biking. They’re the Island. Maps of trails are available at be found at lakemoreyresort.com/ 
held races.
trailfinder.com. During this month, The activities-iceskating.
“The races had a positive turn same technique, except when you road Great Outdoors will be offering rentals
out,” says Hess. “But people seem more bike, you go at least twice as fast for the 
same amount of effort.”
interested in recreational skating.”


































FEbruary/March 2014
VtsPorts.coM	9



   7   8   9   10   11