First Session is on Sunday, January 11, 2026
Hello skiers and wonderful coaches,
Welcome to our Adult Nordic Ski Lessons at Higley running for 4 Sundays starting on January 11th beginning promptly at 1:30pm. We look forward to seeing everyone. This note explains what to expect and how lessons operate.
I do hope you’ve experienced the excellent conditions currently at Higley. The forecast for Sunday calls for snow showers with a high of 29F. The temperature is a bit warm for great snow, especially since the day before (Sat, Jan 10th) the forecast is rain and snow conditions may deteriorate. I can testify that Higley’s volunteer groomers will try to work their magic. Even neophyte skiers can enjoy trying the lit Easy Loop around the Higley Park headquarters and the Higley Lodge.
My goal for these lessons is to help every person learn to ski more efficiently. Whether you are a true beginner or an advanced skier, this goal works because skiing more efficiently means better technique which makes skiing more fun and it is the individual who defines progress for yourself. I personally skied for years without lessons and then joined a Masters (over 30 years old) group in Anchorage, Alaska. The Master’s group was coached by a soon-to-be Olympic cross country skier. I was stunned at how much I learned in the first lesson. An extra set of eyes focused on your skiing may identify movement issues you never knew you had or explain a better way to accomplish a goal (e.g., making a downhill turn comfortably with speed. I can only hope that you will have a similar experience whether you are a true beginner or an experienced intermediate skier.
Meeting Info:
1. We will meet inside the Lodge. Leave your skis outdoors in the racks or nearby. You are welcome to use the facilities.
2. Dress appropriately for the weather. You may want an outside layer that you can leave in your car (or near the Lodge) when we actually start skiing. Cross-country skiing is high energy and it is easy to overheat so layering is the ticket. However, coaches (and real beginners) don’t ski as energetically, so I often wear an outer layer which I remove before skiing hard.
3. I will have an attendance clipboard with your name, email address, donation status, and self-identified ski level. Please sign-in and correct any mistakes. If you have not pre-registered, add your name and contact information to the list.
4. The first lesson is free and the remaining 3 lessons are offered with a $30 donation to Friends of Higley Flow. Checks are easy to process and they should be made out to the Friends and will be collected either at the first or second lesson. If you want to pay electronically with PayPal or credit card, do so through the Friends of Higley Flow web site – Adult Ski Program. We will track your donation on the attendance sheet.
5. Ski lessons are offered at the beginning and intermediate level. Your volunteer coaches want to help people learn to ski. I am also a believer that Nordic skiing can be more than shuffling through the woods (I personally shuffled for years, but once my technique improved, I loved it way more). Our coaches are experienced skiers and can help skiers at most levels by personally watching your technique and offering suggestions.
6. The Friends of Higley Flow State Park is a wonderful volunteer organization and entitles you to the latest email updates on snow conditions. Besides your Volunteer coaches, other Friends maintain and ski groom the trails, offer lessons for children and school groups, raise funds to purchase and maintain grooming equipment and in the past led the effort to build the Higley Lodge and Shed Sled. We also host the Lodge to allow night skiing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Membership is only $20 (unless you want to donate more!) and I can guarantee it is money well spent. Thanks in advance for becoming a member.
Ski Info:
7. For those renting skis, please go to Higley Park headquarters before the class. I recommend at least 45 minutes in advance of our lesson and an hour is probably better. Multiple people have queried me about renting so it may take time. It is helpful for new skiers to learn how to operate ski bindings before the class.
8. We will be classic skiing for the first two lessons and it is much easier to ski if your poles are long enough. They should reach to your armpit (preferred for beginners) or top of shoulder. if you use your own poles, Please, check your pole length in advance and if they are too short, rent a longer pair.
9. If you are an advanced beginner or intermediate skier and interested in learning to skate ski, we will offer 2 skating lessons on January 25th and February 1st. Bob will teach a skating-only class on basic technique. Those in Bob’s group who want to classic ski will join Jenny’s Advanced Beginners for the day. The 4th lesson will offer both classic and skating and you can rejoin your original group and the coaches should do fine with mixed technique skiers once the skaters have the basics. The Park HQ has some rental skis for skating but if interested, be sure to investigate sizing in advance.
Class Structure:
10. We need to quickly divide skiers into what I call neophyte, beginner and intermediate levels. We will ask you to self-identify which group you prefer. I will describe the groups in more detail at the first session.
11. We have 3 coaches (Danielle Jerry, Bob Platte, Jenny Townsend and a few assistant coaches. We will divide the group amongst the coaches, but the first session will be a little looser. After we assess skiers’ ability and group sizes, we may reassign skiers to a different group for the remaining 3 sessions.
12. Beginners will use the Easy and Overlook Trails. Intermediates will use whatever trail the coach wants.
We look forward to meeting you all on Sunday!
Danielle Jerry
Jenny Townsend
Bob Platte
And hopefully several assistant coaches who will be introduced on Sunday.