Nordic Skating 101

Nordic skating is a rapidly-growing winter sport in which participants skate with a free-heeled boot and binding mounted onto a detachable skate. Compared with conventional hockey and figure skates, a Nordic skating setup is more comfortable, warmer, faster, and more stable over uneven ice. These attributes make Nordic skates the perfect tool for skating wild ice.

What is wild ice? Wild ice is any ice that forms naturally in the outdoors, often far away from rinks and zambonis. Think ponds, lakes, lagoons, sloughs, canals, or even frozen beaches. Wild ice is often irregular and sometimes good ice is hard to find–but the hunt is part of the excitement. And when conditions are right, wild ice skating is amazing.

For a quick introduction to wild ice skating in Alaska, watch the video below. Most shots depict Nordic skating.

Please note that this section is currently under development. Much more coming soon!