Episode 040: Fighting Nazis, Arctic Commandos, and Winter Sports

WWII is full of stories of epic heroism. One of my favorite of these stories is about a group of 10 Norwegian commandos who carried out an attack on an industrial facility in Telemark Norway to keep the Germans from obtaining the heavy water they needed for the atomic weapons research. One thing that makes this story stand out is the role that Nordic skiing played in it. And that’s what leads into today’s project. Nordic skiing is one of my favorite winter activities, so today, we’re going to be cleaning and waxing all of our skis and our expedition gear sled. If you’ve never tried Nordic skiing, but you’re interested in learning more, in this episode I walk you through everything you need to know to get started. What are the different styles of Nordic skis, and what style will be best for you? How do you know what size of skis you need? What other gear do you need as a beginner, and how do you make sure that all of your gear is compatible? Finally, what are some ways that you can combine Nordic skiing with other wintertime outdoor recreation?