Cross-country skiing at Craftsbury Outdoor Center Meanwhile, my friend couldn t get her boots into her newly purchased skis. We fumbled around for a few minutes like two toddlers trying to tie a pair of shoes. When she was finally snapped in, we set off. Our pace was more akin to a shuffle than a glide, but that was fine. Cross-country skiing, at its least elegant, is walking, and I m great at walking. It was a gorgeous day, and Craftsbury Outdoor Center was the perfect place to enjoy it. Trails loop through trees and around multiple ponds and lakes. One trail took us past a red barn, set like a pastoral dream on a snowy hill overlooking the valley. On another, we passed over a small bridge. Even on the easiest green runs, which we skied exclusively, there were hills that felt perilous. I could only imagine the challenge expert skiers were facing on black diamond runs.