Cross-country skiing is different to alpine skiing, as participants utilise their own locomotion to generate movement over the terrain rather than using ski lifts and the gravitational pull of downhill skiing. In some areas, cross-country skiing is still used as a means of transportation. It is also practiced as a recreational activity and a competitive sporting discipline. Between the 13th and 18th century, there are records of ski-equipped troops engaging in war and military exercises. Cross-country skiing has also been used for exploration, such as when Roald Amundsen trekked to the South Pole. Visit this site for more information: https://www.ragnarhorn.com/williams-college-alpine-and-cross-country-skiing