Doug from St. Charles on 1/22/2011 8:34:32 PM:
I have been out skiing the trail twice since the last snow. Conditions
are pretty good for it. When the snow isn't deep enough you can tear
up skis pretty quickly, but the depth we have now is good. Moved here
from Alaska so I already had the equipment. You can spend quite a bit
of money on new cross country ski gear. If you are on a budget you
could probably find some ok second hand gear online. As little as you
would use it here I wouldn't spend too much. Additionally, you'll
probably end up using the skis in marginal snow depth so they will get
scratched up quickly. Fit is reasonably important too, for example the
pole length depends on your height, ski length and flex will depend on
your height/weight. Waxless skis with scales are simpler to start out
with, but don't perform quite as well. With waxable skis you use
different wax depending on snow quality and temperature. It will be
harder to find second hand equipment that is just the size you need
though. Hope this helps and good luck!