Vergennes, Vermont - February 19, 2009
Midwinter-- when surrounding mountain peaks are looking their best.
"You just can't beat it. It's so beautiful," said Kate Mahon of Burlington.
Lake Champlain is transformed into a winter wonderland.
Prime conditions for Nordic skating.
"Basically it's as efficient as riding a skinny tire racing bike on the road," said Jamie Hess, a Nordic skating instructor.
The sport has its origins in Scandinavia.
Unlike hockey or figure skates, Nordic skates are designed for ponds, lakes, and rivers.
"The idea is they took the blade and made it longer," Hess explained. "It's been compared to a giant elongated kitchen knife."
That long blade allows skaters to glide over bumpy ice using motions similar to cross country skiing.
And the similarities don't end there.
Both sports utilize poles and the boot for one also works for the other.
"The woman I'm skating with said she hadn't been on skates for years until she finally tried these and it's like being a kid again. It's awesome," Mahon said.
"For one thing they're much more comfortable and they're warm," said Preston Turner of Salisbury. "Your feet never get cold in these."
Many skaters can glide across the ice at speeds of more than 20 mph, which makes it easy to get from one point to another.
"Welcome to New York. Those are the palisades over there," Hess said. "It's the most spectacular part of all of Lake Champlain's hundreds of miles of shoreline."
The cliffs here rise more than 900 feet above feet above the lake.
It's a nesting ground for peregrine falcons and an awe inspiring sight in winter.
"You don't get a chance to see these kind of conditions in the summer, with ice like this. It's really spectacular," Turner said.
"Yeah, we've been focused on-- Whoa!!!! Look at the wave coming across the ice. It's like an earthquake," Hess said.
It's easy to see why so many people are taking up the sport.
Jamie Hess claims to have introduced Nordic skating to New England 10 years ago and estimates there are now about 900 enthusiasts in Vermont alone, representing a variety of ages.
"I've talked to a few people in their 80s who were doing it and doing OK as well," said Tom Colby of Warren.
The perfect way to spend a winter day no matter what your age even if there's no snow for miles around.
And if you want to try the sport for yourself, this is the weekend to do it.
Jamie Hess will be holding a clinic for beginners on Saturday in North Hero and another on Sunday in Fairlee.
While the sport is a lot of fun -- it does require a somewhat hefty investment. The boots and skates cost about $250.
Click here for more information on both of the events this weekend, as well as specific locations where you can rent skates to try it out on your own.
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
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