Backcountry Skiing

Skiing is always great, but it is even better to go skiing without using specially equipped tracks but freely choosing the route by yourself, with wide and strong skis, mainly through deep snow – enjoying the beauty and silence of the rustic winter landscape. Skiing toughens our body; it gives the skier the physical and aesthetic delight and an encouraging sense of freedom.

Ski-tour along the old valey of the Tirza river. Tirza-hollow. 2016 Photo: N.Treijs

Ski-tour to the ancient worshiping place “Jāņakmens” (Janis Stone) in Tirza 2016 Photo: Z.Priede

Ski-tour across the Small and Large Viranes lake in Tirza. 2016 Photo: Z.Priede

Although the modern scientists have proved that spending time in nature has a very good impact on the human body and especially the brain, our ancestors knew this already, therefore skiing during the winter time has been especially invigorating:

“ “None of the sports has those educational values and consequences as the winter sports; no other sports will take us to an atmosphere which is so much different from the unhealthy conditions while live among the stone walls in the cities; the unhealthy amusements are replaced by this sport providing light, cleanness and toughening of body.

&Scaron The amazing expansion of this type of sports can be explained by that beauty and appeal which are given to us during a season which has been rather hated - lending us the opportunity to take care of our health in an intimate closeness with the nature.

With the winter sports this season of disaffection, slackening of flesh and soul has become a season of work and victories. The winter has turned the disgruntled citizen to a juvenile and active man.

The most extensive and healthiest winter sport is skiing. Even the simplest wandering on skis can provide a huge enjoyment of sports and nature. Even more fun it can give to a tourist. Skier – either sportsman or tourist – is forced to meet changing situations and conditions, where overcoming the obstacles requires instantaneous finding of solutions, therefore this kind of sports never becomes boring, instead the skiers gain more and more fun as they have to increase their skills and gumption which encourage them more than any other sports to reach new success. Taking into account that this type of sport is practiced in the invigorating winter air, among landscapes and climate which has been recognized as very healthy the advantages and privileges of skiing can be easily understood.” This has been written in the introductory part to the book published in 1931 “Art of Skiing” by its author K. Luters.


Skiers in the neighbourhood of Ergli 1930’

Nowadays there are many who have never experienced a walk on bright cross country skis through snow covered woods and meadows. There are not many left who know what it is to ski down a hill in the winter silence and to walk up the slope. The Latvian snowy fields are waiting for you! Take out of the corner your grandmas skis and go for your first old-school walk on skis!