CROSS-COUNTRY AND SNOWSHOE RESORTS GET A NORTH AMERICAN WEB SITE OF THEIR OWN (June 24, 2003)

XC Skiing and Great Cuisine Go Together (October 2005)

XC Ski Resorts for Lovers

CROSS-COUNTRY AND SNOWSHOE RESORTS GET A NORTH AMERICAN WEB SITE OF THEIR OWN

XCSkiResorts.com describes North America's top cross-country (xc) skiing and snowshoeing. It is the only Web site with such an extensive coverage of Nordic (xc) ski resorts in both the USA and Canada with convenient links to descriptions and contact information about nearby accommodations, restaurants and après ski.

XCSkiResorts.com lets cross-country skiers find the perfect place to go Nordic (xc) skiing at virtually every major cross-country destination. Roger Lohr, the site editor, has designed the xcskiresorts.com to include top-line trail systems associated with North America's best downhill resorts plus U.S. and Canadian resorts as well as resorts that focus on the cross-country skiing and snowshoeing experience.

People take cross-country ski vacations for different reasons - a romantic getaway, quality family time, trail skiing, skating, snowshoeing," according to Roger Lohr, the site editor. "Until the creation of xcskiresorts.com, there has never been a complete resource for planning a cross-country skiing vacation, whether for a week or a weekend," Charles Leocha, creator of skisnowboard.com, continued, "We want to give vacationers a chance to easily compare cross-country ski resorts and facilities."

"At XCSkiResorts.com skiers and snowshoers can find xc areas in any region, get contact information, find out how many trail kilometers are offered and see the basic services and amenities that are available at each area," commented Leocha.

Lohr said, "XCSkiResorts.com is is linked to the SkiSnowboard.com, which provides comprehensive information about accommodations, dining, Alpine skiing, resort facts, descriptions and current prices. There is no other Web site that provides this combination of information."

Lohr added, "We'll will regularly post timely information about resort special offers, events, programs and activities throughout the winter season, as well as details about products and services that might be enjoyed by xc skiers."

XCSkiResorts.com is packed with more than 100 pages of information. And it is growing. The site can also be accessed at www.crosscountryskiresorts.com and nordicskiresorts.com.

Roger Lohr and Charlie Leocha bring extensive experience from both the Alpine and Nordic ski worlds. Leocha has produced Ski America and Canada for more than 15 years and created SkiSnowboard.com, the most comprehensive snowsports resort site on the Web. Lohr was the Nordic liaison for SnowSports Industries America and produces the annual Best XC Ski Resort Poll and the CCSAA Skier Visitation Study.

The food consumed on a cross-country (xc) ski vacation has no calories. Well, that's not exactly true, but almost.

You see, one of the best things about xc skiing, in addition to being a great way to get out in nature and enjoy winter, is that, as the best known form of aerobic exercise, it provides an excellent way to burn calories. So, whether you ski fast or slow, just getting out on the trails means there's no need to push yourself away from the table at an xc ski resort that is also known for its excellent cuisine.

So, to help you when planning your winter trip this year, the experts at xcskiresorts.com have come up with the top 10 list of resorts across the country that serve up extensive xc skiing combined with absolutely sumptuous cuisine. Here's a sampling of some of the favorites:

Garland Resort, Lewiston, Michigan
Cross-country skiing and gourmet cuisine are a longtime tradition at Garland Resort. This four-diamond resort showcases the Zhivago Night - "a gourmet overnight adventure" - every week in the winter. The night starts with a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a hardwood forest, complete with animal sightings; the destination: a romantic lodge. Diners get a private minstrel, personal waiter and a special five-course meal. Another weekly specialty - the Gourmet Glide - has skiers taking to the trails and stopping at five trailside feasts to fuel themselves along the way. The most famous stop is the Trout Pond where the family can fish for trout and have it prepared for them over a wood fire. www.garlandusa.com

Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, Montana
Set in the mountains north of Yellowstone National Park, Lone Mountain Ranch is a nationally acclaimed resort - a winner of "best resort" awards. Its cuisine is one of the reasons the resort boasts some winter months when 100 percent of their guests are repeat visitors. The owners decided that dining at Lone Mountain Ranch could and should be a stimulating culinary experience, a major step up from "traditional ranch cooking." The chef believes that the best food comes from the best ingredients and the best source for the freshest ingredients is local farmers. The Ranch is part of the Chef's Collaborative, a national network of more than a thousand members, who promote sustainable cuisine by partnering with local farmers, producers and fishermen. Want a sample of the results of such attitudes? How about bison tenderloin filet wrapped with bacon and roasted and served with horseradish scented toasted couscous, Big Sky natural beef or house-made potato gnocchi? www.lmranch.com

Mountain Top Inn, Chittenden, Vermont
The Mountain Top Inn is tucked away in the high country on 350 acres with snowmaking to guarantee xc skiing early in the season. Resort owners recently transformed the inn's dining room with custom designed fine china, Reidel crystal stemware, Scottish wool carpet and oversized antler chandeliers. And the spectacular view from the dining room windows overlooking the surrounding Green Mountains and pristine lake enhances the dining experience. Capitalizing on the inn's rural location, the chef at Mountain Top is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network, a partnership among farmers, chefs and consumers to use fresh and local food at restaurants. Homegrown ingredients from the inn's summer herb garden are used in culinary creations that blend healthy local ingredients with the elegance of the Mountain Top Inn & Resort experience. www.mountaintopinn.com

Vista Verde Ranch, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Vista Verde Ranch can be called a western dude ranch, a luxury ranch or an xc ski ranch. There are tracked and groomed trails, but be sure to check out the personalized guided backcountry xc ski tours, which are tailored to guests' abilities to be adventurous, yet safe and within skiers' limits. Bountiful meals are prepared by talented award-winning chefs and served in the Vista Verde Ranch lodge, on the sun deck or on the trails. All entrees come with the chef's recommendations for accompanying wine and, for those who took it easy that day, there is always a lighter side offered as an alternative meal. Consider the pleasure of dining on maple-seared muscovy duck breast sliced and served with a wild rice croquette and sautéed spaghetti squash or sautéed halibut topped with a roasted red pepper pesto accompanied by sautéed haricot verts and a lemon crème fraiche sauce after a day out on the trails. Weekly cooking classes are available and the chef's ranch recipes are on the Vista Verde Web site. www.vistaverde.com

The Balsams, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
The Balsams, a grand hotel in the New England tradition, may be more famous for its excellent cuisine than for its xc skiing, but it offers plenty of both. Amidst a panoramic setting in the northernmost mountains of New Hampshire, the Balsams has 95 kilometers of xc skiing and snowshoeing trails. The award winning cuisine and wine cellar are famous in the resort world. Uniformed waiters present the Table d' Hote menu with style. Internationally renowned, the Tastes of the Balsams Cooking Class is an annual affair that attracts culinary aficionados who get to learn the tricks of the trade from the resort's award-winning great chefs. www.thebalsams.com

It is a perfect romantic setting. The day was spent in the great outdoors, the fireplace flickers, meals are eaten by candlelight, a snowy panorama stretches in the moonlight and a sleigh awaits outside the restaurant. It's romantic and perfect for Valentine's Day?

It is and can be found at cross country ski resorts across North America, according to the experts who regularly update XCSkiResorts.com, the country's most extensive cross country ski area destination Web site. Add in the exhilaration of kicking and gliding or skating together down snowy trails, and an xc-ski vacation becomes the perfect getaway with your sweetheart, Valentine's Day or not.

The XCSkiResorts.com contributors present resorts that offer the perfect combination of dreamlike atmosphere and picture-perfect views together with beautiful lodging, cozy dining, and picturesque trails where couples can enjoy the winter outdoors together.

According to Roger Lohr the editor in chief, "XCSkiResorts.com gives much more than mere statistics such as the number of trails." He continues, "This site paints a detailed picture of more cross country areas than can be found anywhere else on the Web."

The XCSkiResorts.com Top 10 features favorite romantic xc ski resorts across North America listed in alphabetical order.

Callaghan Country at Whistler, British Columbia, is a secluded lodge where up to eight couples can enjoy 8,000 acres of wilderness with 36 feet of guaranteed snow without high altitude problems. No roads, no signs, no power lines. Just pure high-alpine terrain.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, in Alberta, is a graceful timbered resort in a fairytale setting -- surrounded by snowy peaks, nestled beside its own mountain lake, with a panorama of the Victoria Glacier. Hundreds of kilometers of trails lead right from the door of the Chateau.

Garland Resort in Lewiston, Mich. is a AAA Four-Diamond resort oozing with rustic elegance, where 37 kilometers of xc trails combined with gourmet meals to create a winter wonderland sure to melt any cross-country skier's heart.

From Lone Mountain Ranch at Big Sky, Montana, xc skiers can glide through magical Yellowstone National Park or kick and glide on 75 kilometers of prepared trails. Lovers can stay in their own private log cabin. The main lodge serves great cuisine, has massage services and an impeccable staff.

Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, is a Victorian castle set
spectacularly on Lake Mohonk only a one-hour drive from the city. Fifty
kilometers of trails, skis and snowshoes are included in the stay. An enticing couples massage and partner massage instruction will add to a couple's pleasure long after the vacation.

Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, Vermont is buried in the Green Mountains. Dream in rough hewn timber beds. Enjoy gourmet meals where your crystal glistens in the firelight. Ski on the 85-kilometer groomed trail network right from the door.

Royal Gorge in Soda Springs, Calif. has the largest xc trail network in the U.S. The majestic Sierra Nevadas surround the remote 1920s Rainbow Lodge. This is ideal for romance with a massive stone fireplace and fine French and Californian cuisine.

Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, Wash., has a 360-degree view of the Cascades. Choose a view room or lakeside cabin. Ski on 160 kilometers of trails. Enjoy the extensive wine cellar, gourmet meals and full-service spa (try the Double Decadence spa treatment).

The Balsams Grand Resort, in New Hampshire, is a step back in time to ornate elegance. The impeccable service, period rooms, dining accompanied by piano and strings and its 95 kilometers of xc ski trails makes this difficult to surpass for the perfect romantic weekend.

Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colo. is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. In their own words they are "kick-back-'n-relax, taste-tantalizing, mouth-watering kind of place." Couples can get away from the everyday grind and enjoy groomed trails, backcountry, plus horseback riding.