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An exhilarating behind-the-scenes journey into the history of America’s largest cross-country ski race 

Each February, cross-country skiers from across the nation and around the world descend upon the sleepy northern Wisconsin town of Hayward to compete in the American Birkebeiner—the largest cross-country ski race in North America. In American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon, author and skier Jerome P. Poling traces the remarkable history of the famed “Birkie,” from its modest origins in the early 1970s to its modern incarnation as an international Nordic-themed festival and multi-day racing event drawing more than 30,000 skiers and spectators.  

American Birkebeiner offers an up-close, behind-the-scenes tour of all things Birkie—from pre-race preparations and skier profiles to race-day highlights and history-making finishes. It also tells the story of visionary race founder Tony Wise and his efforts to popularize the sport of cross-country skiing in the Upper Midwest. The book delves into the origin and evolution of the world-class Birkebeiner Trail and the communities that support it, as well as the ways the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is adapting to climate change to help ensure the event thrives for years to come. 

American Birkebeiner sparks with lively, narrative-driven prose and is based on extensive archival research, reporting, and personal interviews. The lavishly illustrated book also features 150 photographs, including intimate portraits of athletes pushed to the limits of their endurance, sweeping aerial shots of skiers and cheering crowds, and awe-inspiring winter vistas. An exquisitely crafted ode to an extraordinary race, American Birkebeiner will inspire winter sports fans and outdoor enthusiasts alike.  

“Everything I know, I learned from skiing powder.”— Dolores LaChapelle, the godmother of powder skiing

An out-of-print classic returns… Deep Powder Snow, originally published in 1993, is an autobiographical account of how Dolores LaChapelle’s experiences powder skiing gave her a path to cultural resistance. More than a memoir of one woman’s love for the sport, this philosophical exploration of skiing and the relationship between humanity and nature became a cult classic for mountain recreationists around the world who connected deeply with her worldview.

LaChapelle’s words still give voice to why skiing and other outdoor recreation feel like so much more than a pastime to so many. In this reprint of the classic text, ski journalist and historian Clare George offers a new generation of readers the opportunity to engage with LaChappelle, adding a foreword with critical contextualization of the book’s significance and impact.

Deep Powder Snow is more relevant than ever. In the age of rapid climate change and the ever-more-jarring effects of the Anthropocene, this memoir advocates for a different way of thinking about our place in the world and of skiing as not merely a hobby but the foundation of a good life.

The first full-length study of skiing in the United States, this book traces the history of the sport from its utilitarian origins to its advent as a purely recreational and competitive activity.

During the mid-1800s, inhabitants of frontier mining communities in the Sierra and Rocky mountains used skis for many practical reasons, including mail and supply delivery, hunting, and railroad repair. In some towns skis were so common that, according to one California newspaper, “the ladies do nearly all their shopping and visiting on them.”

But it was Norwegian immigrants in the Midwest, clinging to their homeland traditions, who first organized the skisport. Through the founding of local clubs and the National Ski Association, this ethnic group dominated American skiing until the 1930s.

At this time, a wave of German immigrants infused America with the ethos of what we today call Alpine skiing. This type of skiing became increasingly popular, especially in the East among wealthy collegians committed to the romantic pursuit of the “strenuous life.” Ski clubs proliferated in towns and on college campuses and specialized resorts cropped up from New England to California. At the same time, skiing became mechanized with tows and lifts, and the blossoming equipment and fashion industries made a business of the sport.

On the eve of World War II, as the book concludes its story, all the elements were in place for the explosion in recreational and competitive skiing that erupted after 1945.

Utah has long claimed to have the greatest snow on Earth—the state itself has even trademarked the phrase. In Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth, Jim Steenburgh investigates Wasatch weather, exposing the myths, explaining the reality, and revealing how and why Utah’s powder lives up to its reputation. Steenburgh also examines ski and snowboard regions beyond Utah, providing a meteorological guide to mountain weather and snow climates around the world.

Chapters explore mountain weather, avalanches and snow safety, historical accounts of weather events and snow conditions, and the basics of climate and weather forecasting. In this second edition, Steenburgh explains what creates the best snow for skiing and snowboarding using accurate and accessible language and 150 color photographs and illustrations, making Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth a helpful tool for planning vacations and staying safe during mountain adventures.

This edition is updated with two new chapters covering microclimates and climate change in greater depth. Steenburgh addresses the declining snowpack and the future of snow across the western United States, as well as the declining snow and ice in several regions of the world—the European Alps in particular. Snowriders, weather enthusiasts, meteorologists, students of snow science, and anyone who dreams of deep powder and bluebird skies will want to get their gloves on this new edition of Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth.

Praise for the first edition:
“Everything you always wanted to know about how snow forms and how to follow forecasts so you see
how much an”d where is in the book. It’s a must-have for any fan of snow, sure to get you excited about
winter, and give you a bevy of conversation topics for the chairlift ride.”
—Utah Adventure Journal

“For backcountry enthusiasts that find themselves infatuated with weather patterns, snow-water
equivalents, microclimates, and Utah, this book is a dream come true.”
—The Backcountry Skiing Blog

“Steenburgh shares a career’s worth of knowledge in this book. His love of both snow science and skiing
is obvious, and he adds humor and personality to the scientific discussion.”
—First Tracks!! Online Skiing Magazine

“When it comes to snow, the details—both small- and large-scale—do matter. If we all observed our
surroundings with as much curiosity and enthusiasm as Steenburgh, the world could be a much better-
tended place.”
—American Scientist

For over a century New Englanders have taken to the slopes in search of ways to enjoy the coldest months, and skiing has deep roots in the region. In the late nineteenth century Scandinavian immigrants worked to educate snowbound locals on how to ski, make equipment, and prepare trails. Soon thereafter, colleges across the Northeast built world-class ski programs, massive jumps were constructed in Brattleboro and Berlin, and dozens of ski areas—big and small—cropped up from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Traveling the Old Ski Tracks of New England offers a fascinating history of downhill, cross-country, and backcountry skiing across the region and its leading personalities. Moving from popular destinations like Stowe, Cannon, Bromley, and Mount Washington to the less intimidating hills surrounding Boston, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, E. John B. Allen also recovers the forgotten stories of ski areas that have been abandoned in the face of changing tastes and a warming climate.