If you're a cross-country skier, you've no doubt seen them -- usually a blur of lycra, poles and skis passing on your left as you slowly make your way through the trails.

In case they were going too fast for you to flag them down and ask, what they're doing is called skate skiing. And since about the mid-1990s -- when the Last Chance Nordic Ski Club first began widening and grooming its trails on MacDonald Pass for skate -- the sport has been growing in Helena almost as fast as its participants glide up and down the trails.

"Every year since then skate skiing has increased dramatically," said Randy Beckner, president of the Helena club. "The last couple of years it seems to double every year."

Beckner said that on any given Saturday there are easily 150 skiers who use the MacDonald Pass trails. Of those, he said, about one-third are now skate skiers.

It's no surprise to Beckner -- who recently became a member of Atomic's Nordic national ski team -- that the sport has proven so popular here.

For one thing, he says, it's a fairly easy sport to learn, using the same basic leg motion used in ice skating or roller blading.

Secondly, the sport is a natural wintertime activity for members of Helena's large and active mountain biking scene.

It would be hard to find another wintertime sport that has the same mix of a great aerobic workout and the speed that mountain bikers crave.

"Cross-country skiing is one of those sports that everyone does," Beckner said. "(Skate skiing) opens up something a little more on the edge."

Not surprisingly a lot of the same people he sees mountain biking in the summer are on the skate trails in winter.

"It's just so much fun," he said. "It's relatively easy to learn. It has a natural ice skating motion."

"It's just a blast. It's just pure glide."

Tim Lynch, manager of The Base Camp, said he's seen an increase in sales of skate-skiing equipment, something he attributes to a variety of factors.

"Folks are getting interested in a new sport looking to try out a new technique," Lynch said. "There are more locations that are grooming Nordic areas for not only classic but also skate skiing. By having more facilities that are catering to skate skiing you're seeing more people involved in the sport."

Lynch named MacDonald Pass, West Yellowstone, Mount Haggin near Anaconda, Seeley Lake, Chief Joseph Pass, Lone Mountain Ranch and ski clubs in Missoula, Bozeman and Whitefish as places that groom trails for both classic and skate skiing.

Plus, Lynch said, cross-country skiing in general has been growing in recent years.

"We certainly have seen growth in the sport as a whole," Lynch said. "We live in such an active outdoor community. It's a wonderful way to tour around our area, and other areas as well."

Beckner said that with the relatively dry, warm winters we've been having in recent years, Helena has an advantage over most of the other Nordic ski areas in the state.

MacDonald Pass is one of the few areas in the state where groomed Nordic trails are offered at high altitude. While above-freezing temperatures and a brown landscape has been the norm in town, Beckner said "it's been a winter wonderland" on the pass all season.

"I encourage everyone to try it," Beckner adds. "Skiing in general is an opportunity everyone in Montana should take advantage of."

Base Camp offering cross country lessons

If you're just getting into skate skiing and you want to avoid a crash, Last Chance Nordic Ski Club president Randy Beckner suggests you consider a crash course in the sport before you hit the trails.

Beckner said a little help with technique -- taking a lesson or or getting some tips from an experienced friend -- can go a long way to flattening the learning curve.

"It's a relatively easy sport to learn with a little instruction," Beckner said.

The Base Camp periodically offers cross country ski classes, and the store will be giving lessons for classic kick-and-glide skiing ($25) and skate skiing ($35) this Saturday and Sunday.

Beckner said the MacDonald Pass groomed trails -- because they have a little steeper grade than other trail systems around the state -- are a little more challenging for beginners. He said he often sees beginners with improper technique wearing themselves out by mostly using their arms to push themselves up the hills.

Contact The Base Camp at 443-5360 for more information on classes.

Skating away

If you're planning on giving skate skiing a try, you won't get very far on the kick-and-glide ski setup you already own.

Skate skis are typically shorter than their classic ski counterparts and have an edge that is necessary for pushing off. The entire length of the ski is waxed, with no scaled surface common on classic skis. Beginners often start on shorter, or micro-skis, until their technique and balance improve.

Skate boots are higher on the ankle and stiffer than classic boots to provide extra support. Bindings are typically smaller and lighter than on touring skis.

Poles are longer and lighter than any other ski pole.

It's probably best to borrow or rent skis your first time out, because the learning curve is so fast, you'll outgrow micro-skis in no time.