TAKING to the slopes can be a daunting experience for first time skiers.
If downhill skiing isn't your thing, Glen Clarke's Traverse Hotham offers affordable and easy ways to discover cross country skiing.
Glen founded and has been operating the service for five years.
"I've been a regular at Hotham and Dinner Plain for at least twice as long as that and always from the perspective of nordic cross country skiing," he said.
"I started coming up here originally for the cross country skiing club before I discovered the wonderful trails in the area, got myself a lodge membership and then started managing a lodge for a few years which they say is the gateway to getting stuck on the mountain.
"What I found was I was quite surprised at the lack of an easy and affordable way of people trying out cross country skiing; there wasn't a way you could just grab an affordable beginner lesson to try it out.
"I saw a gap that hadn't been catered for here for quite some time, unlike Falls Creek where there's always been a dedicated nordic ski school and I think that has a lot to do with why Falls is so well known for cross country skiing.
"Hotham and Dinner Plain trails are no less good; they're amazing, beautiful trails.
"Falls Creek's trails can be quite exposed, open plains which can be intimidating for beginners but here we have some nice meandering, sheltered trails tucked in behind ridges, in amongst trees with a different style and scenery."
Glen said many people who come to the mountains for the first time aren't even aware that nordic skiing exists, with downhill skiing being the focus.
"What very few people realise is that this style of skiing has been around for ever," he said.
"Nordic goes back to the origins of skiing; its utilitarian origins of just getting around.
"The reality is that a lot of the first timers have no idea there's an alternate to shelling out for lift tickets and often you find people who just want to slide around on snow and try it out.
"Nordic skiing can be fast and competitive or you can just toddle around at your own speed, take photos or pack a picnic; it's best to get a lesson either way to learn some key techniques.
"Most of our sessions are available as private lessons or tours and we have 'teach as we go' tours where we explore the trails.
"For those already at a certain level we can go into nordic back country tours.
"Most people have no idea of the beautiful expanses of trails and back country that exists out there beyond the confines of the downhill runs, between Hotham and Dinner Plain.
"There are beautiful swathes of undulating back country, gentle plains, open snow gum forests to cruise through and just so much to explore."
You can find Traverse Hotham at https://www.traversehotham.com.au/.
