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Mia Hunt skis down the mountain at the 2025 NCAA Skiing Championships (NCAA Photos).

Picture this: You’re walking the loop of Washington Park and suddenly someone whizzes past you on what look like skis. What they’re doing is called roller skiing, a form of Nordic skiing training that uses cross-country ��techniques on make-shift roller blades.��

The person doing it could very well be a member of the ����̽�� skiing team—completing one of their many offseason training activities.��

While the snow is long gone and ski resorts have turned to their summertime offerings, two members of the ski team say now is just the right time to train and prepare for the next winter season—less than four short months away.

The ����̽�� Newsroom spoke with alpine skier Mia Hunt and Nordic skier Maja Moland on what they do to build the skills they’ll need when winter returns and gathered a few tips for recreational skiers along the way.��

Strength and conditioning: the foundation for alpine skiing

The end of ski season means a focus on what Hunt calls general fitness—specifically, strength and agility.��

You can often find her lifting heavy weights in the gym or running outside as part of her primary offseason training.��

Hunt says she enjoys lifting weights that are “as heavy as possible” to push herself so she can feel more confident and prepared for the upcoming season.

“Having really solid leg strength—both front and back, hamstrings, quads—is really important because your knees can be at risk skiing a lot of the time,” she says.

Some of her teammates have gone to places like South America, New Zealand, or parts of Europe to chase snow, but Hunt says she has spent time training the last two summers in Mount Hood, Oregon, the only place to ski in the United States in the summer months.��

Endurance is everything in Nordic skiing

For Nordic skiers, stamina is key when training in the summer and fall.��

“We try to ski for as long as we can in the spring; most of the time we can do it until the end of the school year,” Moland says.

After that, you can find Moland biking, running, and roller skiing—sometimes around Washington Park.��

Recently, Moland and a few of her teammates tested their endurance by biking up Pike’s Peak, the famous 14er in Colorado Springs. Some of the team members started in Denver while others started closer to Colorado Springs.��

But ultimately for Moland, consistency is key.

“Especially in the early summer, it’s less about what you do and more about the time you put into it,” she says.

Training tips for all skiers

Whether you’re a beginner or backcountry expert, offseason training can set you up for a stronger, safer, and more enjoyable time on the slopes. Here are a few of Moland and Hunt's top tips:��

• Lift weights

• Do aerobic activities like biking, running, or hiking long distances

• Stay consistent��

• Have fun!