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Page 6C REGISTER-GUARD, Eugene, Ore., Monday, March 18,A half-rrillioJ:1 going cross countrySkiers turn from downhillPARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Skiers in increasing numbersare attempting to escape the expense and hassle of thedownhIll runs by turnIng to a different version of the sport ­skiing cross country_Although skiing cross country can be a lot more physicallydemanding than skiing downhill, its participants arefinding it cheaper, less competitive and something the wholefamily can enjoy together."Old people go at their own pace; young people becomeaware of nature," says G. Ingval HDewey" Tofson, who runsa ski touring shop at Park City. "You get away from the liftlines and the expenses."Tafsan's shop is among establishments across the countrythat report booming sales and rentals of equipment forskiing cross country, also sometimes called ski touring.MANY RESORTS full of chair lifts and gondolas fordownhIll skiers are now grooming trails and stocking equipmentfor the ski tour enthusiasts.A skiing magazine estimates there were 125,000 crosscountryskiers in the United States in 1970, and 500,000 thisyear.Cross-country skiing involves light, thin boots which areusually fastened to a lightweight wooden or fiberglass skionly at the toe. Then, with a pair of bamboo poles, and theright wax on the ski bottoms, a skier can easily make hisway up and down hills and across almost any terrain.It is very difficult to go uphIll with normal downhill skis.In the Lake Tahoe area on the California-Nevada border,there are now 13 cross·country schools, most of them'Old people go at their own pace;young people become aware of nature'set up in the last two years, says Skip Reedy, who runs theNordic Ski Center at the Squaw Valley ski resort."Cross country has been getting popular in the East andnow CalIfornia and the West is getting on to It," he said.TimberlIne Sports in Salt Lake City sold about 39 pairsof cross-country skis in the 1970-71 season, but 787 pairs lastseason, said Dave Smith, manager until recently.The article abave-shows trends, costs, problems, etc.article can be related to the situation in your town."THERE ARE a lot of people who downhill ski actIvely,but also do cross country because it lets you get out into themountains alone in winter", said Smith."It's a good family sport," he said. "In downhill, Dadtoes oIf one way and Mom another. But people of differentabilities can tour on the same terrain."Nonetheless'; downhill skiing has not lost its attractionsto its devotee. Skiers who have tried cross country stili talkenthusiastically about the thrills of speeding downhill. Thereare other advantages, such as lithe company of lovely women,"champion Stein Ericksen notes on the slopes and in thelodges."Downhill skiing is the immediate thrill; iCs very spon~taneOllS," says Joe Buys, a certified downhill instructor whonow manages a cross-country ski ·shop at Park City."Cross"country skiing will never come as far in popularityas alpine (downhill) skiing." said Ericksen, the winner offour Olympic skiing Gold Medals who now directs skiing atthe Park City resort. "Americans are not that dedicated tophysical conditioning."ERIKSEN SKIED cross country often during his youthin Norway. Cross~country skiing on a golf course where ParkCity offers many lessons is not much work, but touring inthe wilds can be strenous, he said.There are some suggestions. however, that conditioningmindedskiers might like ski touring because it is morestrenuous."The American people have been quite fitness~consciousthe last few years, and are finding winter weather can beenjoyed in activities similar to summer hiking," said SvenWiik, a former U.S. Olympic Nordic ski coach who now runsa ski lodge at Steamboat Springs, Colo.He agrees that ski touring "has been grOWing tremeD:'dously the last few years."1450me slope skiers are also trying ski touring, andwe're probably going to see more and more people who enjoyboth," he said.But for skiers who make a choice based on expense, skitouring probably would Win.While the boots, skis and poles for downhill skiing maycost $200 and ski lift tickets $6 to $12 a day, a cross-countr)package usually can be accquired for no more than $100.Parks, forests and golf courses can be used free in mostcases.The situation in theHave students investigatesales of sports clothing at local stores, possible needs for more tennis courts,bike paths, etc.Permission to use granted by The Associated Press375