Stretch of snowy, cold weather pulls cross country ski lovers onto Laurel Highlands trails

Jean Thompson learned one thing Friday — don’t lean back.

That tip made the Fairchance woman’s first time cross-country skiing alongside her friend, Kristin Dunham, a fun experience. Despite the cold air atop Laurel Ridge at the border of Fayette and Somerset counties, both women had smiles on their faces as they headed for the groomed trails.

“It was beautiful, just so serene in the woods,” Thompson said while the pair took a break inside the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center. “I’ve always wanted to try this and I’ve never had anybody to go with.”

In the mountainous part of Southwestern Pennsylvania, downhill skiing is king. But plenty of accessible options exist for cross-country skiing around the region, whether in the mountains or in your backyard, and the recent stretch of snowy weather has brought enthusiasts, and newcomers, out in droves. The capper will be the 2025 Kind-a-Hard Classic cross-country ski race set for Feb. 2 on the cross-country ski trails at Laurel Mountain.

“That’s the beauty — as long as there’s snow, you can ski on it,” said Jim South, vice president of the Pennsylvania Cross Country Skiers Association.

That could be as simple as a snow-covered rail trail or local park. There are plenty of groomed trails, such as at Laurel Ridge State Park, the association’s trails on Laurel Mountain, Ohiopyle State Park and Forbes State Forest. Natural surface trails in state forests are open when they’re snow covered. Some prefer ungroomed trails.

Dunham, of Gans, an avid runner and hiker, said she’s been cross-country skiing for about 15 years, often visiting the 30 kilometers of trails on Laurel Ridge.

“It’s an easy sport to introduce people into,” she said.

Unique variation on skiing

Cross-country skiers use longer, thinner skis than downhill skiers and rely on their own momentum to get around. Poles help cross-country skiers traverse terrain in a sort of gliding, walking motion on flat spots and gentle slopes. It helps to have good balance, South said.

There are two different types of cross-country skiing — classic and skate, which uses a leg motion similar to ice skating. Laurel Ridge’s trails are groomed for the two styles, both of which are great cardiovascular exercise.

“It’s actually one of the best sports that you can do for your mind and body,” said Erica Smith, whose family has been running the Laurel Ridge center for decades. “It’s low impact and full body movement with little resistance and, of course, just being out in the wilderness and experiencing the natural beauty of the Laurel Highlands.”

There were a few first-timers on Friday mixed in with others who have decades of experience at the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center which has been having its best season since 2021.

“This part of the ridge is pretty unique … because of the elevation, we get more snow and we keep the snow longer,” Smith said. “It’s kind of like a little microclimate here.”

The precipitation and cold so far this season have worked in their favor — there was about 2 feet of snow in the woods outside of the groomed trails. As a result, Smith anticipates cross-country skiing to be available there through at least January.

Her family is the DCNR’s concessionaire for the cross-country ski center and runs Riversport School of Paddling in Confluence during warmer months. There are ski and snowshoe rentals at the center, along with day passes, as well as a few tables, bathrooms and warmth from the cold. They sell snacks and drinks. For now, the center is open Friday to Monday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. but days and times can vary based on weather conditions.

Grooming trails

Smith’s father, Bob Ruppel, has been grooming the trails off Route 653 for more than 30 years — it typically takes four to five hours. Over the years, DCNR has added more trails to Laurel Ridge, he said.

“They’ve done a lot for the sport and for us,” he said.

The Pennsylvania Cross Country Ski Association holds lessons for adults and children there. South works with the Yellowjackets program teaching youngsters how to cross-country ski and taking them to events and competition meets. He grew up cross-country skiing in New York’s Adirondack Mountains and lived close to Lake Placid, but now finds home in Uniontown.

He has noticed that cross-country skiers in Southwestern Pennsylvania are resilient — in an area where snow can sometimes be hard to come by, and often seen as a nuisance, locals will jump on the opportunity when it arises.

“They’ll go out and ski on anything as long as there’s snow,” he said.

For many, the solitude is what they seek. Even on busy days at the Laurel Ridge center, skiers can find themselves alone in the woods, Smith said.

While living in Wisconsin decades ago, Chris Jones became enamored with the sport as a way to pass the winters. Now living in Shepherdstown, W.Va., he praised the gentle Laurel Ridge trails.

“I love the quiet when you go off into the woods,” he said, contrasting it to the bustle of a downhill skiing area. “Even if you go out on a crowded day, you go out on the trails and you don’t see people.”

For Finland native Antti Pentikainen, the Laurel Ridge’s skate skiing trails were the best option from where he lives now in Washington, D.C. He’s been skate skiing since the 1980s and planned to do about 30 kilometers — just under 19 miles — on Friday.

He likes the sport because he can push on the gas and let up based on terrain while cruising through the forest.

”It’s a dance, it’s yoga, it’s meditation, it’s spiritual, it’s exercise,” he said. “It’s like I am in the flow.”