Whether they're looking for a fantastic aerobic workout, a chance to exercise some new muscles and some new equipment, or are just looking for a new way to enjoy a favorite winter pasttime, lots of skiers will at some point try skate-skiing, a style that brings elements of gliding across the ice to groomed trails through the woods.

Unlike the classic style, which uses a predominantly front-and-back motion and is most often done in a pair of parallel tracks in the snow, skate skiing involves strong diagonal lunges across a groomed surface similar to ice skating, with the skier alternately pushing off with the edge of one ski and gliding forward on the flat surface of the other.

Tim Lynch, manager of The Base Camp on Broadway, said skate-skiing has gained more practitioners in the Helena area over the past several years, for a number of reasons.

"It's growing in popularity as a function of the quality of equipment that's become available at a value-oriented price, and because of the active nature of the community of skate-skiers" who often talk up the sport, he said.

Having a club dedicated to grooming trails for skate-skiing and having those trails available to the public at no cost - as is the case with the trail system at MacDonald Pass, groomed and maintained by the Last Chance Nordic Ski Club - doesn't hurt either.

In addition to a wide groomed surface at MacDonald Pass, the club also grooms some trails at Bill Roberts Golf Course at times when there's enough snow in town.

The equipment for skate-skiing is slightly different than what's used for classic cross country skiing. Skate-skis are typically shorter and narrower than classic - someone who uses 205-centimeter classic skis might use skate-skis that measure 190 centimeters.

"They're very light skis overall, and they're constructed a little differently because you're using the edge for propulsion," Lynch said.

On the other hand, skate-ski poles are longer than their classic counterparts. Whereas a classic ski pole typically reaches the crook of the skier's armpit, a skate-ski pole might stand as tall as the upper lip, maybe 6 inches longer.

The longer pole is necessary because the skier is pushing farther and propelling forward faster - although "forward" isn't a hundred percent accurate, as the skier is always traveling at a diagonal to the forward direction.

Lynch said anyone who likes to ski, whether cross country, downhill or Telemark, might be drawn to the challenge of the "fantastic aerobic workout" of skate-skiing.

"Just like with any sport, folks who are interested in skiing are finding many different ways to enjoy the discipline," he said. "If you're a skier and you're looking at a Nordic discipline, you already have an understanding of the fundamentals, and it's much easier to involve yourself in skate-skiing if you're already a snow sport individual."

For more information on conditions and other aspects of cross country skiing around Helena, the Last Chance Nordic Ski Club is online at www.lcnsc.blogspot.com.