Palmatier has also introduced some interesting twists, which includes a woman's day, full-moon skiing and a owl program that involves venturing into the wilderness on skis to locate different species of owls. The next owl programs will be tonight and in mid-March. The next full-moon adventure will be March 3

Howard Peterson, general manager of the Soldier Hollow nordic complex, the only such center in the world to host the Olympics (2002), the Paralympics (2002) and the Deaflympics (2007), said business is up 25 percent year-to-date.

He points to the fact that the junior program at the Olympic site is growing, as well as adult participation, and that it is the adults or parents who are following in the tracks of their kids.

"When we look out on the track," he offered, "we see a lot of parents with the kids. Very often it's the parents who are trying to keep up with the kids," he noted.

Lauren Adams, nordic director at the White Pine Cross County Center in Park City, is also seeing numbers increase, especially among adult skiers, and attributes part of the increase to alpine skiers making the switch.

"In some cases they simply don't want to go that fast anymore. They want to take their time and enjoy themselves. We're seeing more and more women sending their families off to (alpine) ski and coming to our track. And we're seeing parents out there with their kids," she noted.

In some cases the additional skiers are new to the sport.

Adams noted that there is a growing number of new skiers and recommends, first, that they take a lesson and then head out on the course.

"People will enjoy the experience more if they take a lesson," she added. "They will be more efficient in their movements, go a little further with each stride and will be able to stay out longer and not get so exhausted.

"We can also help overcome their fear of falling. That's the biggest hang-up with adults. Kids tend to be fearless and will take right off. Many adults have a fear of falling ... and they will fall. But it needn't be something they should be afraid of."

All of the centers also offer cross country ski lessons, teaching both classic and skating. Classic is old-world skiing; skating is new world. Classic involves a parallel sliding motion, identical to walking. Skating is a little more technical and involves a V-shaped stance, widest at the tips, and then pushing off alternating skis in a skating motion. Classic skiing is more relaxing and slower; skating requires more energy and speeds are faster.

A popular alternative, said Adams, is White Pines' special Uinta tours. Small groups of skiers are taken by vehicle into the Uinta Mountains for a more remote, more intimate nordic adventure. The guided tours involve lunch and skiing for the day.