Where to go cross-country skiing on Long Island

As an avid cyclist, Ellen Reichel rides whenever she can. But when there’s snow on the ground, she straps on her ski boots and goes cross-country skiing, usually in Heckscher State Park in East Islip.

“I just love being outdoors,” said Reichel, 66, of East Islip, a retired nurse.

Last year, Reichel joined the Long Island Cross Country Ski Club, which organizes ski outings and has about 120 members, to be around others who share her interest.

“I thought I’d become a better skier if I was skiing with other people,” Reichel said.

Unlike downhill, or Alpine, skiing, cross-country skiing is typically done on relatively flat trails, fields and woods. It involves movement similar to walking, running and skating, and the sport uses different equipment with lighter and thinner skis than downhill skiing.

Kristi Halpern, the ski club’s president, noted that one of the advantages of cross-country over downhill skiing is that there are no lift lines.

“And you’re usually not in crowds of people, and it’s a far lower cost,” Halpern said.

The startup cost can be as much as $500 for new equipment, but it is free to cross-country ski at many Long Island parks.

The sport can also offer a less intense experience and more chances to take in nature. At Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve in Lloyd Harbor, Halpern said she has spotted foxes, pheasants and deer.

“With the new fallen snow, there’s a quietness to it that’s really enjoyable,” she said.

“The majority of the club members are recreational skiers,” she noted. “They’re just out there for the enjoyment, for being in nature. They’re not intending to win any races.” The sport also attracts a lot of runners and former downhill skiers, Halpern said.

This past week has been good for skiing, but the dearth of snow in the past few years has led the club to focus on trips, organizing about five or six per season. The cmembers just returned from a weekend in Stowe, Vermont, and is going next to Sun Valley, Idaho, for a week.

“We also have a club trip to Norway,” Halpern said. “This is a first for the club.”