Whether it’s a first date, a new experience together, or couple time in nature, the Nordic Village can take away that Valentine’s Day pressure and offer a memorable experience in the snow-blanketed forest that will make you laugh, give you something to talk about and burn up enough calories so you can have that red velvet molten lava triple layer sweetheart cake, guilt free.
“Cross-country skiing is a great first date,” says Nordic Village manager Wendell Johnson. “It’s an activity that keeps your body and mind busy, so you don’t have to worry about running out of things to talk about and have that awkward silence. It’s also very affordable, especially if you take advantage of our $5 Fridays. After 4 p.m., you can rent skis for $5, get a trail pass for $5 and enjoy a bonfire afterward, as we stay open until 7 p.m. on Fridays.”
Kristi Zapfe and Art Hernandez have been married for two years. “We started just this year cross-country skiing together,” said Zapfe. “For both of us, it was our first time, so we could learn together. We get competitive with it, so we race and we also have long chats. It’s relaxing in the midst of working out together and it’s fun seeing little animals jumping through the snow. You can also switch out snow bikes or snowshoes, and Fridays are best because it’s very romantic seeing the bonfire through the trees.”
“We always do outdoors activities, so cross-country skiing is one more thing we can do together,” said Hernandez. “It’s liberating to be out in the forest, the sky is beautiful and seeing the stars from out on the trails is nice – it’s another world almost. I’d recommend it as a date. It’s a good way to do something different, and you get that alone time.”
Anna Good and Anthony Heffel have been engaged for two years. “Cross-country skiing is one of those things that we can do at the same pace,” said Heffel. “Anna comes from a big skiing family and she’s faster, which makes it fun for me to try to keep up.”
“It’s almost like hiking, but in the snow, and the forest is really beautiful. We usually pack some sort of lunch,” says Good. “And if you’ve never tried it before, this is the year to go cross-country skiing. With all the snow we’ve had, the conditions are so good.”
The Nordic Village is open Thursdays through Sundays. Over the Valentine’s Day and President’s Day weekend, the ski area will be open on Monday, Feb. 15, as well. For more information, visit the website, FlagstaffNordicCenter.com.