California – Cross-Country Skiing at the Shasta Nordic Center
Cross-country skiing is not free, but it’s a fun way to be outdoors in winter. During the winter of 2021-2022, I didn’t plan to go skiing or cross-country skiing. So when mapping out my northern-California road trip, I found the Shasta Nordic Center in the town of Mount Shasta. Once I discovered it, I knew I needed to go!
Cross-country skiing at the Shasta Nordic Center turned out to be a perfect place to dip back into the sport and experience winter in Mount Shasta. With a few different easy trails to choose from, we made loops to warm up and be amongst the snow and nature. In one section, we had a fantastic view of Shasta. If you’re in town and want to try out or practice cross-country skiing, I highly recommend the Shasta Nordic Center!
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Get the Gear and the Pass
On March 2, 2022, we checked out of our hotel and headed up to the Shasta Nordic Center. It’s a quaint operation with only one man working – Charlie – and not a soul on the tracks. It was a Wednesday at 10 am, but we were still surprised to be the first in the parking area. Charlie was a man of few words, but he set us up with the right rental skis, told us where the views of Shasta were at, and a bit of the recent weather. Like the rest of California, the Shasta area got snow in December, but hardly anything since. The Shasta Nordic Center was able to maintain the trails by compacting the snow each night, but he foresaw a shorter season.
Since it’s been an entire year since our last time on cross-country skis, it took us a little while to get started. A family also came, and a few solo expert folks who seemed to have season passes made their way onto the trails before us. I was happy to see that others were taking advantage of Charlie’s hard work.
Green, Blue, Black – what does it mean??
If you never cross-country or downhill skied/snowboard, you might not realize the different trail colors, and that’s okay! What’s great is that once you know it for cross-country skiing, you can apply it to downhill skiing. The colors are a rating system for how difficult a particular trail/route is and is broken down as:
- Green (circle) – Easy
- Blue (square) – Intermediate
- Black (diamond) – Difficult
- Double black diamond – Very Difficult
Depending on the cross-country ski center, they may use the icons or just use the colors.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, can’t wait to do it again
- Intensity: Warm base layer, vest, beanie
- Location: next to the Tamarack Lodge and Twin Lakes in Mammoth
- Cost: Adult Pass $25/day, Ski Rentals $25/full day, $45 package for both
- Restrooms: There are some Port-a-Potties in the parking area
- Timing: 2+ hours, depending on your stamina
Highlights:
- Views of Mt. Shasta on some of the trails
- Supporting a non-profit Nordic skiing center
- Being out in nature solitude in winter
- Full-body workout
Sugar Pine Loop Trail
As a warm-up, we started with a small loop. Although we were slipping around, muscle memory kicked in, and we glided along in no time. The Sugar Pine loop was a perfect starting spot as we were alone and were able to whoop, holler, and remember at our own pace. Once we got the hang of things, we came back to the car to shed a layer (it was a gorgeous and bit warm day out!), grab some water, and prepare to tackle a larger loop.
Bear Springs Loop Trail
Next, we tried out Bear Springs Loop Trail. This was a larger loop but still in the easy “green circle category.” The Bear Springs Loop was great to have a longer time out on the trails. It intersects a couple of other routes, so you can make it an even longer jaunt.
There was one section that had a couple of little rolling hills. The first time we went through these, we encountered a family of five people. It was tricky to navigate both them and the hills as newbies, but we made it out alive. In the next section, we let them get far ahead, so we could have some peace on the trails. It was funny that we got bunched up at that moment because the Nordic Center was generally empty.
Instead of completing the loop, we decided to climb part of the Cardiac Hill Trail. This is where we found the best views of Mount Shasta. Even with a cloud hat, it was gorgeous! I loved it so much that I made my partner take photos in this section twice. But seriously, take in the views here, because we could only see little peeks through the trees on the other trails!
Reprieve Trail
We didn’t climb all of the Cardiac Hill Traill. Instead, we made a right and returned to the entrance/parking area via the Reprieve Trail. Reprieve Trail is a long winding trail with a few fun-yet-not-too-scary downhill sections. Just as you pick up speed, there is a flat section to slow you down naturally. For an expert, that probably sounds terrible! Hah! But for me, as a newbie, it was absolute perfection to be able to try new things out and practice skills. You can put me in downhill skis, and I will fly downhill. But as soon as you put me in cross-country skis, I refuse to go over five mph. I’ll get there someday.
After returning to the entrance, we refueled and re-hydrated one more time. We decided to go out one more time and make the same loop — Bear Springs to Reprieve. The third time around, I felt very confident yet with tired legs. We moved a lot quicker and were at the viewpoint of Shasta in no time. I had to take a few more breaks this time around. We ended up skiing for about 3 hours during our visit.
Spring Skiing
Since it was early March with pretty warm weather, the snow was just like spring skiing – a little icy when we started in the morning and began to get slushier as the day went on. The spring snow might be why we were the first on the trails – everyone else knew to wait until it got softer.
Without any significant snow, the Shasta Nordic Center closed for the season on March 13th. Bummer! I’m super stoked that we did one cross-country skiing session this season. I might not be able to progress very quickly, but at least I can maintain my skills this season.
Thoughts on Cross Country/Nordic Skiing
Overall, cross-country skiing feels very approachable, with fewer people on the trails and a lower price point for tickets and rentals. It is very newbie-friendly, with the option to go at whatever pace you like. There are also lessons available at the Shasta Nordic Center that last about one hour, and I recommend taking a lesson for the first time. After that, it will be relatively intuitive. Also, it’s a friendly environment – who cares if you are terrible?? I fell while standing absolutely still, and a pro-skate skier just chuckled and wished me luck. It’s all good.
In my Breckenridge post, you can read about my experience going for the first time and learning how to cross-country ski.
Overall Thoughts: Shasta Nordic Center
Surprisingly, we picked up where we left off last year in Mammoth with cross-country skiing. The Shasta Nordic Center was even less busy and intimidating than Mammoth or Breckenridge. With hardly anyone out on the trails, it was a fun way to get out and be almost alone in nature with a view of Shasta. I will say that the gear was a little more worn-out than the other places we visited, but each piece operated well. We would see Charlie waxing skis or cleaning things up when coming back to the car. It was a homey vibe, and my fingers are crossed that the Shasta Nordic Center stays in business for many years.
- Find more information about the Non-Profit Shasta Nordic Center Website
- Another thing to do in the area are the McCloud Falls (I didn’t visit during my road trip because the road was closed, but I hope to do so in the future)
- A bit of a drive from Shasta, but oh so worth it is Burney Falls
- And if you’re passing through Redding, make a quick stop by the Sundial Bridge!
Have you gone cross-country/Nordic skiing? If so, where did you go, and did you like it? Cross-country skiing is a sport that I would like to continue doing in the future. Perhaps somewhere exotic like Norway, Sweden, or Finland? Or maybe domestic, like Grand Teton National Park? Let me know in the comments where I should try next!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
