1000 x 90

WINTERFEST 2013: Cross Country Skiing Expo Features Gear and Instruction This Saturday at SweetGrass Resort

Minolta DSC
Cross country skiing on the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Price Lake Trail, not far from SweetGrass, site of Saturday’s Cross Country Ski Expo. Photo by Randy Johnson

Jan. 24, 2013. This Saturday as part of Blowing Rock’s WinterFest, Blowing Rock Realty will once again be hosting a Cross Country Ski Expo at the SweetGrass resort south of Blowing Rock near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The event will feature exhibitions of Nordic ski gear, a slide show and video of local Nordic ski sites, representatives of local ski shops that rent and sell cross country ski gear, and even instructors to offer pointers (think snow—some is predicted).

There will be drawings for gift certificates and prizes, including T-shirts from the 2013 High Country Nordic Association TeleFest. A free map of local cross country ski sites will be offered—as well as ‘Smore making by the lake, hot chocolate, cookies and good fun—and all the local cross country advice you could want.

Representatives of sponsoring ski shops will be on-hand, including 1st Tracks ski shop in Boone (that sells cross country skis) and the High Country Ski Shop in Pineola (that sells and also rents cross country ski gear).

Instructors/experts will include Randy Johnson, local author of Southern Snow: The Winter Guide to Dixie, and Troy Clark, owner of High Country Ski Shop (both are longtime cross country instructors trained by the Professional Ski Instructors of America).

The event lasts from 10 to 5 pm January 26th—with most instruction between 1 and 4 pm.

Directions—From Main Street, take US 221 south 6.5 miles toward Grandfather Mountain to Holloway Mountain Road and turn right. Go 1/4 to a right turn into the SweetGrass entrance and follow signs to the Lake House. If the Parkway is open drive south from Blowing Rock on the Parkway and exit at the US 221 signs to Holloway Mountain Road. Go left to the SweetGrass entrance and turn left into the resort.

SweetGrass is Blowing Rock’s mountain lake community where residents and guests can step outside their doors onto miles of cross country trails and 100 acres of recreational greenspace around the lake. For more information about SweetGrass visit www.BlowingRockRealty.com<>

For more information on Winterfest 2013 visit www.BlowingRockWinterfest.com. For extensive information on local cross country ski sites and conditions, visit www.ExploreBooneArea.com.