“If you feel like a cross-country Champion when you kick and glide through fields and forests at Pineland Farms, that’s not surprising. New England’s newest Nordic ski center conveys an Olympic/World Cup aura in several key places.

Pineland’s trails were patterned after Olympic models by famed race course designer John Morton....Although it’s been in business less than a month and it boasts a mere 15 kilometers of trails, Pineland Farms already looms large on the New England cross-country ski scene, rating raves from hard-core enthusiasts who are training for this winter’s big regional races and drawing equal praise from kick-and-glide buffs who fancy its splendid scenery and first-rate facilities....

It’s well-deserved praise. I’ve skied Pineland Farms three times already this season and covered every kilometer at least once-and savored every minute of the experience.

Mike Marino, a veteran cross-country competitor from Cape Elizabeth, comes nearly every day... ‘This is a real meeting place for hard-core skiers,’ said Marino. ‘Superlative on all counts.’

...Trails were designed by John Morton, a Vermonter and former Olympic competitor who has coached the U.S. Biathlon Team and written a couple of books on Nordic skiing. Morton’s layout involves three loops totaling 15 kilometers.

...Among the first to discover Pineland was Kate Damon, cross-country coach for the Lewiston High School ski team. Damon brings her 10 athletes to train in both classic and skating techniques.

‘The trails are fantastic!’ enthused Damon. ‘They were cut really well with cross-country skiing in mind....My team is thrilled to be skiing here.’

Another racer who voices high praise for Pineland is Danny Danforth of Lewiston, a veteran marathon competitor. ‘The turns and the hills are just right for keeping up speed,’ Danforth explained...

‘The high-caliber skiers are finding that they don’t have to travel several hours to the bigger centers,’ said Gorham Bike & Ski owner Jamie Wright.”