PE 1500 Cross Country Skiing
Spring 2008
Instructor: Tom Beery
Office: 235 Engineering
e-mail: tbeery@d.umn.edu
web: www.d.umn.edu/~tbeery
Office Phone: 726-7333
Office Hours: Before or after class
or by appointment
Goal: Students will develop the basic skills to enjoy cross country skiing for
lifetime fitness and natural world appreciation.
Objectives: This course is designed to teach basic cross country skiing skills.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
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Differentiate between different kinds of Nordic ski equipment and
technique.
Know how to dress properly for different kinds of Nordic skiing (e.g.
touring, fitness/conditioning, backcountry).
Perform the following:
 Diagonal stride
 Uphill techniques
 Downhill techniques
 Basic turns
 Double poling
 Kick double-pole
Demonstrate basic waxing techniques.
Distinguish between classic and skate ski technique.
Special Note: In order to fully develop the skills presented in this class, it will
require that you SKI. One ski outing a week is not adequate for skill
development nor long term fitness. You will not be charged to check out the skis
for use on the Bagley or Hartley trails during the Thursday time block of 9-12.
Please make an effort to find time to get out and practice. You will see that your
homework for this class is to get out and ski!
TENTATIVESCHEDULE…thinksnowthinksnowthinksnowthinksnow
NOTE: This schedule may change drastically based on weather. You are
responsible to respond to any changes that are emailed out by Monday
afternoon.
Week One:
 Course introduction
 Skier introductions
 Nordic ski history
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Scope of Nordic skiing
Clothing for comfort, clothing for safety, dangers of hypothermia and
frostnip/bite
Sizing and check-out of equipment from RSOP
Wax seminar
READINGS: pages 3-8, 40-48, 49-61
Week Two:
 Warm-up for skiing
 Falling!
 Fundamentals—skiing without poles
 Diagonal stride basics
 Trail ski
READINGS: pages 9-29
Week Three:
 Trail Report One due
 Warm-up
 Fundamentals reviewed
 Skill work:
 Diagonal Stride
 Double-pole
 Uphill techniques—side step, herringbone, uphill traverse
 Downhill techniques—wedge (snowplow), wedge turn, straight run,
 Trail ski
READINGS: 30-39
Week Four:
Hartley Park Trails—Van leaves the front of the SpHC at 9:10
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Trail Report Two due
Warm-up
Skill work
 Double Pole
 Kick double-pole
 uphill diagonal stride
 Step turn
 Kick turn
Week Five:
Piedmont Park Trails—Van leaves the front of the SpHC at 9:10
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Trail Report Three due
Individual or group skill building as needed.
Week Six:
Superior Municipal Forest—Van leaves the front of the SpHC at 9:10
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Skate Ski Workshop
READINGS: 68-79
Week Seven:
TBA—based on weather and course progress
Week Eight: Final exams, written and practical
Note: If you have any question regarding weather conditions/possibly class
cancellation, please check your email or call my office. I will try to email and/or
leave an answering message by 8:30 AM on class day if class is to be cancelled
or have a late start.
Trail information, trail reports and other information can be found on course
website. City of Duluth ski trail hotline: 723-3678.
Course text:
Petersen, P. & Lovett R. (2000). The essential cross-country skier. Camden,
ME: Ragged Mountain Press.
Evaluation:
Participation
3 trail reports
Practical exam
Written exam
35 points
30 points
50 points
50 points
165 total points
Grades will be issued on a standard scale of the following:
A = 100 - 93%
A- = 92 - 90%
B+ = 89 - 87%
B = 86 - 83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79-77%
C = 76 - 73%
C- = 72 - 70%
D+ = 69 - 67%
D = 66 - 63%
D-= 62 - 60%
Other Information
Note—many ski trails require the Minnesota Ski Pass, this is an inexpensive
pass and can be purchased at sporting good stores and any other site that DNR
licenses are sold; I recommend that you purchase this pass. The pass,
however, is not required at Bagley.
Ski Pass Rates
Daily ski pass: $5
One-season ski pass: $15
Three-season ski pass: $40
Go to: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/skipass/index.html for more
information
SAFETY:
Field experiences are an essential component to this course therefore we must
acknowledge the inherent risk of field program participation. Leaving campus and
use of the Bagley Natural Area presents risk management concerns including
transportation and field site based dangers. In order to avoid problems and
strengthen our risk management awareness, it is each student’s responsibility to
behave in a manner that promotes personal and group safety while in the field.
Any questions, concerns, specific medical information, etc. should be directed to
the instructor as a part of a shared effort to ensure a safe and optimal learning
environment.