Welcome to the official Poudre School District Nordic ski team website—home of the Prairie Dogs! This is a CHSAA-sanctioned sport with over 15 teams in the league, open to high school boys and girls. We are based out of Poudre High School, but it is a combined district athletic program open to all high schoolers in the area. This includes all public, private, home-based, and charter schools.
What is Nordic skiing?
Let's start with what it's not...Nordic skiing is not alpine/downhill skiing. We rip downhill, but we also go uphill. And uphill for us is not on a chairlift or gondola (which means there's no standing in lift lines). Our skinny skis don't have metal edges and our heels are free...just like our spirits!
Competitive Nordic skiing is also not your traditional image of cross-country skiing— walking through the snowy woods at a leisurely pace. While we'll occasionally do some of that, it's quite different. In fact, we use entirely different trail systems and equipment than that type of skiing.
Nordic skiing, used interchangeably with cross-country skiing, is an endurance sport at its core, but what makes it unique is that it's as physically demanding of an athlete's arms as it is their legs. Nordic skiing is almost unparalleled when it comes to required fitness. Traveling quickly, often uphill, using both your arms and legs, makes it a true full-body workout. It requires the endurance of ultrarunning, the sprint speed of mountain biking, the strength of rock climbing, and the mental toughness of open water swimming. To be successful, athletes must maintain impressive cardiovascular fitness in addition to muscular strength and coordination. Power, speed, endurance – Nordic skiing is the most technically demanding endurance sport in the world. But it's not all pain and suffering! It's also a heck of a lot of fun. You get to travel around and ski at beautiful locations with your friends and it's a life-long sport you can take with you well beyond high school.
If you want a quick glimpse into the world of Nordic ski racing, check out the video below!
What is Nordic skiing?
Let's start with what it's not...Nordic skiing is not alpine/downhill skiing. We rip downhill, but we also go uphill. And uphill for us is not on a chairlift or gondola (which means there's no standing in lift lines). Our skinny skis don't have metal edges and our heels are free...just like our spirits!
Competitive Nordic skiing is also not your traditional image of cross-country skiing— walking through the snowy woods at a leisurely pace. While we'll occasionally do some of that, it's quite different. In fact, we use entirely different trail systems and equipment than that type of skiing.
Nordic skiing, used interchangeably with cross-country skiing, is an endurance sport at its core, but what makes it unique is that it's as physically demanding of an athlete's arms as it is their legs. Nordic skiing is almost unparalleled when it comes to required fitness. Traveling quickly, often uphill, using both your arms and legs, makes it a true full-body workout. It requires the endurance of ultrarunning, the sprint speed of mountain biking, the strength of rock climbing, and the mental toughness of open water swimming. To be successful, athletes must maintain impressive cardiovascular fitness in addition to muscular strength and coordination. Power, speed, endurance – Nordic skiing is the most technically demanding endurance sport in the world. But it's not all pain and suffering! It's also a heck of a lot of fun. You get to travel around and ski at beautiful locations with your friends and it's a life-long sport you can take with you well beyond high school.
If you want a quick glimpse into the world of Nordic ski racing, check out the video below!
Navigate the tabs above to discover more about the program. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
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