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Cross country skiing enjoyed by over four million Canadians As snow once again blankets the land, cross-country ski enthusiasts of all ages are tak- ing to the resorts, parks, con- servation areas, lakeshores and golf courses of Ontario. Cross-country, or Nordic, skiing is the most ancient of winter sports, having been around since about 1200 A.D. But not until the mid-70s of this century did it really begin to boom. Today it's enjoyed by an estimated 4.6 million Canadians, 1.8 million more than the number who pursue the more flashy sport of down- hill skiing. Ontario alone has 1.4 million cross-country par- ticipants, accordingto a 1979 survey. The numbers are not sur- prising for Ontario is almost the perfect cross-country ski- ing environment, with its rela- tively flat terrain and thousands of miles of groomed trails. The Winter Book, a detailed directory put out by the Ontario Ministry of Industry and Tour- ism, lists no fewer than 306 cross-country skiing establish- ments in the province that boast marked and groomed trails plus facilities ranging from snack bars, cookout shelters and ski rental shops to child-care services, hi schools, licenced dining rooms and accommodation. Many of these resorts also offer other winter sports such as skating, snowmobiling and ice fishing. In addition the Winter Book lists 52 winter parks where ski trails are not groomed and marked. You have to blaze your own, which makes these areas unsuitable for novices but a delight for experienced skiers who love the wilderness. Cross-country skiing's broad mass appeal is due to its low costs, its high fitness value and the ease of pursuing itin the great, uncrowded outdoors. In short, cross-country skiing is seen by hundreds of thou- sands as the perfect family sport. The canny cross-country fan can get fitted for the trails for less than $100. During pre- and post-Christnas sales, you-can still get a complete outfit (skis, boots and poles) for about $60. Buying second- hand equipment cuts even that Mi iy. figure. Nordic ski fans also save on the cost of the activity itself. Admission to trails is either free or for a modest fee. One resort, Blue Mountain, whose downhill lift fees this season are 817 a day on weekends, 815 on weekdays, charges nothing at all for use of its First Nine Months Statistics Show Decrease in Fatalities TORONTO -- Motor vehicle- related accident statistics for the first nine months of 1981 show a 9.8 per cent reduction in fatalities over the same per- iod in 1980, Ontario Trans- Bi and Communications inister James Snow said recently. "There was a decrease of 115 fatalities from a total of 1,179 t0 1,064," Snow added. "The. decreases were most notable among drivers, from 525 to 480, and pedestrians, from 195 10 154.. , "The only mar on the record," he continued, "was in the case of bicyclists where, unfortun- ately, there. was an increase from 31 to 37 fatalities. "The most notable reduction recorded was in September coincidental with the stepping up of the educational and en- forcement programs on' seat- belt usage. : "During the entire June- July-August-September per iod," Snow noted, "driver and passenger deaths dropped from 471 to 401, or 14.9 per cent. And the figures for September were especially encouraging -- a drop of 32.2 percent, Typewriters Adding Machines REPAIR SERVICE PORT PERRY STAR 235 Queen Street 985-7383 from 171 to 116 -- the lowest September monthly total since 1959. . "While these figures are en- couraging, they still represent a loss of life that must be considered unacceptable. "Measures, such as seat belts and lower speed limits, have been effective but they can only do 50 much," Snow added. "There is an equally impor tant responsibility on the part of cach and every motorist to drive with due care and caution. "With every driver's co- operation, maybe we can make a further dent in the statistics especially in the injury figures which continue to rise. These increased from 73,199 to 74,900, or 2.3 per cent, during this nine-month period. "There is one decrease 1 would like to mention," he continued, "because pedest .rian injuries dropped by 105 or 2.3 per cent, from 4,651 to 4,540. However, they still repre- sent a great deal of pain and suffering which could be di- minished -if motorists would make a point of watching for pedestrians at all times. "In the past" Snow cone cluded, "the month of Dec- ember usually records the highest number of accidents. Extensive holiday travel, com- bined with unfavourable driving conditions, probably contri- bute to this or "Still, the statistics, so far, show a favourable trend, and 1 _. sincerely "hope _ this holiday season will be one of the safest on record." cross-country ski trails. Free, too, are the magnificent trails at Wasaga Beach, 20 minutes away. At Mount St. Louis near Barrie, a 83 fee gets you groomed trails, including a 2- 3 km novice area. A 15-km trail links with the adjacent, similarly picturesque Moon- stone resort, The trails mean- der through rolling hills and hardwood bush and 200 acres of evergreens. At the end, you emerge onto a novice down- hill slope where the cogno- . scenti can practise their beauti- ful Telemark turns, a graceful manoeuvre reminiscent of free- style ballet. For wilderness-loving skiers, there's good news in the recent introduction of "hut-to-hut" skiing in Ontario's huge Al- gonquin Park, already famed internationally as a summer destination for hikers, canoe- ists, nature photographers and campers. Algonquin Nordic Ski Touring maintains 85 km (53 miles) of groomed trails in the southerly end of the park, along which are located five overnight camps each a leisurely day's skiing (15 km or 10 miles) apart." Guided groups of up to eight skiers have a choice of two- to seven- day cross-country tours, with three hot meal intervals per day and the final night spent at the Algonquin Nordic Ski Lodge. port perry Raf ho PORT PERRY STAR -- Wed. January é, 1962 -- 15 hn 6 5 "iy Great outdoors: Cross-country skiing in Ontario is the almost perfect family sport. There are more than 360 established skiing areas with a wide range of facilities. Lodge-to-lodge skiing is also being introduced this season in the Temagami area, 100 km (62 miles) north of North Bay. Three area resorts -- White Gables Lodge, Ravens- croft Lodge and O-Pee-Chee Lake Lodge -- are the over- night stopovers. Luggage is transported between the lodges by van, allowing skiers to carry a minimal trail pack during the day. Cross-country skiing is one of the healthiest sports around, ranking slightly ahead of squash, jogging and cycling in its con- tribution to cardio-respiratory fitness. muscle endurance, weight control and tension release. It's significantly su- perior in those terms to tennis, swimming and downhill skiing. v S But perhaps the greatest pleasure of cross-country ski- ing is the experience of being free in a winter wonderland. The quiet on the trails is broken only by the serunch of fresh snow under your skis and the sound of your own warm breath on icy air. You can lend extra dimension to an outing by taking your camera along for some nature photography or packing a lunch in a backpack for a picnie on a sun-slashed hill- top. Snow sports are always at their best in Ontario in January and February. But snow cover is usually adequate for cross- country skiing from December' through late March. You can get up-to-the- minute reports on snow con- ditions across the province by phoning (705) 726-0932 or 728-5851 in Barrie or (416) 364-4722 in Toronto any day of the week. Additional infor- mation can be obtained by calling the following toll-free lines: From anywhere in Canada (except Yukon and N.W.T.), 1-800-268-3736 (English) and 1-800-268-3736 (French); from New York state, 1-800-462- 8404; from the rest of the continental U.S. (except Alaska), 1-800-828-8585. For a complete guide to cross-country skiing locations and facilities in the province, obtain a copy of the Winter Book from Ontario Travel, 900 Bay St., Queen's Park, Toronto, Ont. M7A 2ES. Stationery & Office Surrly 235 Queen St. - Port Perry - 985-7383 See Us Today For All Your REQUIREMENTS REPAIR SERVICE TO ALL MAKES & MODELS OF OFFICE MACHINERY.