From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
YMCA of the Rockies is hiring a Nordic Center Supervisor at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, a seasonal role leading the day-to-day operations of the ranch’s Nordic Center through the winter.
Snow Mountain Ranch sits on 5,100 acres of meadow, aspen and spruce forest in Grand County, about an hour and a half from Denver and near the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Its Nordic Center grooms more than 80 kilometers of trail and runs rentals, retail, lessons and Nordic programming for guests and groups, along with larger events across the season.
The supervisor works under the Nordic Director and takes charge of the center when the director is away.
Position Overview
The Nordic Center Supervisor runs daily operations of the Nordic retail and rental center and trains, schedules and supervises the center’s staff and instructors. The role coordinates ski lessons, Nordic programming and guest group activities, works with Bryan Mountain Ski Patrol on safety and emergency response, keeps inventory in order, and helps prepare for the bigger Nordic events on the calendar.
The Details
Seasonal position based at Snow Mountain Ranch, Granby, Colorado
$19 to $21 per hour
Reports to the Nordic Director
Weekend and holiday availability required during the winter season
PSIA Level 1 training, waxing knowledge and First Aid, CPR and AED certification can be provided if needed
Skiers head out across the meadows at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
What You’ll Do
Lead daily operations of the Nordic retail and rental center
Train, schedule, supervise and support Nordic Center staff and instructors
Coordinate ski lessons, Nordic programming and guest group activities
Teach beginner Nordic ski lessons based on PSIA Level 1 training
Help guests choose the right equipment and offer skiing and waxing advice
Perform and teach practical waxing for classic and skate skis
Maintain inventory and keep the Nordic Center organized and ready for guests
Coordinate with Bryan Mountain Ski Patrol on safety and emergency response
Support larger Nordic events and special programming throughout the season
Step into the leadership role for the Nordic Center when the Nordic Director is away
Groomed trail through the pines at Snow Mountain Ranch. (Photo: Brady Robinson)
Why Work Here
The trails start outside the door. The job puts you on skis, in front of guests and in charge of a team every day. At YMCA of the Rockies, staff create meaningful experiences for guests while living out the organization’s values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and faith.
Open meadow skiing below the forested hills at Snow Mountain Ranch. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
You’ll Thrive Here If You
Love Nordic skiing and sharing it with others
Enjoy working outdoors in snow, cold and changing mountain weather
Have strong leadership, communication and customer service skills
Enjoy training and developing a team
Can ski confidently on groomed and ungroomed terrain
Like a job where no two days are exactly alike
Are comfortable working weekends and holidays during the winter season
Bring a positive, professional, problem-solving attitude to a busy environment
Skiers outside the Nordic Center at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch and SNØ Racing are joining forces, with Snow Mountain Ranch serving as the Presenting Sponsor of SNØ Racing.
The partnership connects a professional cross-country ski team committed to advancing the sport with one of Colorado’s favorite Nordic destinations. Together, SNØ Racing and Snow Mountain Ranch aim to welcome more people into Nordic skiing, support athletes and the broader ski community, and celebrate a sport built around snowy trails, hard work and the outdoors.
The Stampede mass start at Snow Mountain Ranch in early March. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
What the Partnership Covers
“Snow Mountain Ranch has long been a place where people can experience Nordic skiing at their own pace, whether that means learning to ski for the first time, training for a race, or putting in serious Ks,” said Jeff Paulson, Nordic Director at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch. “Partnering with SNØ Racing gives us an opportunity to support athletes competing at the highest levels while helping more people see that there is a place for them in this sport, too.”
As Presenting Sponsor, Snow Mountain Ranch will be featured across SNØ Racing’s public-facing team materials and marketing throughout the season. The partnership will also help introduce SNØ Racing’s community of athletes, coaches, clubs, juniors, masters, and recreational skiers to Snow Mountain Ranch as a destination for Nordic training, camps, events, lodging, meals, trail access and meeting space.
Based in Minneapolis, SNØ Racing is a professional cross-country ski team with athletes competing at the FIS World Cup, U.S. SuperTour, and regional levels. The team is focused on advancing skiing in the Central Region while promoting athlete development, partnership, and community engagement.
“Snow Mountain Ranch understands that Nordic skiing is bigger than race day. It’s about the people you ski with, the places that challenge you, the experiences that create lifelong memories, and the community that keeps you coming back. We’re proud to have them alongside our team this season,” said Yuriy Gusev, Chair of the Board of Trustees of SNØ Racing.
The Nordic Center grooms more than 80 kilometers of trail across 5,100 acres at Snow Mountain Ranch. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
Eighty Kilometers at Snow Mountain Ranch
At Snow Mountain Ranch, that community has plenty of room to ski. The Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center offers over 80 kilometers of groomed trails across 5,100 acres of terrain, with routes winding through pine and aspen forests, open meadows and challenging climbs with expansive views of the Rocky Mountains. The trail system welcomes skiers across ages and ability levels, from first timers learning classic or skate techniques to experienced athletes looking for big training days.
The partnership also creates an opportunity to connect the Nordic community with the broader mission of YMCA of the Rockies. Snow Mountain Ranch is built around belonging, time together, outdoor experiences, and making the mountains accessible to more people. For both organizations, that shared sense of community is what makes the partnership a natural fit.
“Nordic skiing has a wonderful way of bringing people together,” said Paulson. “You can be chasing a podium or simply chasing a good glide on a bluebird morning. Either way, you belong on the trail. We’re excited to support SNØ Racing and grow that community together. And, stay tuned for the announcement of an exciting new event at Snow Mountain Ranch!”
To learn more about SNØ Racing and follow the team this season, visit snoracing.org. To explore Nordic skiing, lodging, lessons and winter experiences at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch, visit ymcarockies.org.
Alongside the Nordic Center, Snow Mountain Ranch offers lodging, dining and meeting space. (Photo: YMCA of the Rockies)
Publishing press releases is a service we offer to the ski community, so please note these articles are not written by FasterSkier and therefore do not necessarily represent our thoughts and standards.
For true skiing connoisseurs, cross-country skiing is where it is at. Downhill skiing might be a little more glamorous, more flashy, and make for the best GoPro videos, but nothing can beat the glorious joy and aerobic challenge of cross-country skiing.
A far cry from the gravity-assisted ease of downhill skiing, your first attempt at strapping on cross-country skis might leave you baffled at the physics-defying skills required. But with a little perseverance (and a lot of perspiration) you’ll soon get into your stride, and suddenly a whole world of undiscovered trails and glorious, snow-covered treks (not to mention some of the best panoramic views in the world) will open up before you.
If the idea of trying a different form of skiing this winter appeals, or you are looking for a new challenge, check out the top 10 cross country ski resorts in North America and discover this awesome sport for yourself.
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa
Colorado boasts a significant number of the best cross-country skiing resorts in the US, and Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa sits right on top of the pile.
The resort boasts over forty miles of glorious routes right through the Rocky Mountains, while the ranch and spa ensure that after a tough day of trekking you can rest and relax to your heart’s content, with hot tubs and fantastic dining options to seal the deal.
As the sun set, it was so cold that the battery in my camera froze into a non-working lump during this late afternoon masters’ training session at Craftsbury Outdoor Center last January. But the masters kept skating in the cold, squeaky snow and I was able to get this image before the battery went dead. (Photo John Lazenby)
Craftsbury Outdoor Center
With over 50 miles of magnificent trails through field and forest by the shores of Big Hosmer Pond in Vermont, Craftsbury Outdoor Center is a pretty special place for cross-country skiers. Home to the largest ski marathon on the East Coast, Craftsbury is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cross-country skiing, and has a wonderful focus on sustainability and environmentalism which adds to the lovely atmosphere. Lodging here is a great option, with luxury options and lakeside cottages available, as well as saunas and a fitness room available.
Mont-Sainte-Anne
Just a short drive from Quebec, Mont-Sainte-Anne Cross Country Ski Center is one of the best spots in Canada to get off-piste (literally) and try your hand at cross-country skiing. With over 110 miles of trails (and a 100 mile network for skating stride) it is one of the biggest cross-country ski resorts on the continent. Set amongst the gorgeous landscape of the Laurentia Forest, every trail is a picturesque ride from shelter to shelter, cabin to cabin, and gorgeous viewpoint to gorgeous viewpoint.
A trailside photo from 2015 SuperCamp at Sovereign Lake/Silver Star (Courtesy photo)
Silver Star Mountain Resort
Just across the US/Canada border, Silver Star Mountain Resort is a genuine cross-country skiing treat. Over 35 miles of trails (and access to the extra 30 miles at Sovereign Lake Nordic Center), there’s always a new stretch of snow to discover, and it’s a great place to dip your toe into the exciting world of cross country skiing.
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Sun Mountain Lodge
Washington State boasts some of the most outstanding scenery in North America, which makes it the perfect setting for a cross-country skiing resort. As a result, Sun Mountain Lodge is one of the best places around to try Nordic skiing, and offers an outstanding network of trails with diverse terrain, as well as great facilities to match.
Lone Mountain Ranch
Over 50 miles of Big Sky trails make up Lone Mountain Ranch, which is almost always in the conversation when it comes to discussing the best cross-country skiing resorts in the United States. A fantastic all-rounder, the resort offers trails for every level, from newbies just starting out to grizzled veterans. With a backdrop of deep pine forest and rugged mountain peaks, it is the perfect spot to get to grips with Nordic skiing.
November skiing at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. For the first time this year, a five-day camp was held for masters. (Courtesy photo)
Snow Mountain Ranch
Another awesome spot in Colorado about 85 miles west of Boulder, Snow Mountain Ranch boasts 75 miles of excellent cross-country trails through picturesque woods and along pretty mountain riverbanks. One of the best parts of Snow Mountain is the abundance of wildlife here – there’s a decent chance you’ll be sharing the trails with moose or elk!
Bretton Woods with the Presidentials as a backdrop. (Photo: Bretton Woods Nordic)
With around 62 miles of trails that wind their way through the White Mountain National Forest, this is one of the most beautiful Nordic skiing destinations around.
Mont Tremblant
Set in the heart of the Laurentians, Mont Tremblant is another fantastic cross-country skiing option in Quebec, just northeast of Montreal. The resort is year-round, although the ski routes are usually only available in the winter season. One of the best features of Mont Tremblant is that the cross-country ski trails all connect up with other trails in neighboring towns, making multi-day treks a real possibility.
New England’s Fabian Stocek (1) follows Rocky Mountain’s Jack Hill (6) in the U20 men’s 15 k freestyle mass start at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt. Stocek went on to win the Junior Nationals race by 7.5 seconds.
Trapp Family Lodge
Claiming to be the first cross-country ski resort in the US, the Trapp Family Lodge is one of the most elegant and sophisticated Nordic skiing destinations you are likely to find. The trails are beautiful, of course, but the icing on the cake is the delightfully Austrian-inspired setting of the lodge itself, which makes a wonderful place to wind down after a tough day skiing!
An aerial view of Snow Mountain Ranch. (Photo: courtesy Snow Mountain Ranch)
The decade of the aughts witnessed the decimation of wide swaths of forest in Colorado due to a pine beetle infestation. This was no slow drip affair. What was a tree-to-tree process eventually swallowed whole green mountainsides morphing them into a desiccated dead-tree blight. Those dead trees, unable to hold moisture, were hundred-foot matchsticks during wildfire season.
Over the past few decades, an ominous cycle prevailed. Warming temperatures due to climate change made life easier on pine beetles. Drought made for more combustible forests and extreme wildfire danger. Across the West, cross-country ski areas rely on trees for shade to prevent premature snowmelt on trails. They also serve as wind blocks in mountain-scapes prone to winds. Trees are a skier’s friend when considering trail design, maintenance, and longer ski seasons. Some die-hard skiers might know the climate data suggests winters are becoming noticeably shorter.
Skiers in Colorado’s Winter Park-Fraser Valley were witness to the pine beetle kill and its inexorable apocalyptic roll. If you skied at Snow Mountain Ranch or Devil’s Thumb during this era, in a few winters, much of the forests constituting those ski areas died off.
According to Devil’s Thumb Ranch, the kill became apparent in 2005. A larger outbreak in 2007 impacted much of their lodgepole pine. The same was true for Snow Mountain Ranch. The two areas are separated by eight miles or so, as the bird flies.
2005 Google image of Snow Mountain Ranch’s incipient beetle kill.By 2007, much of the forest in and around Snow Mountain Ranch had browned due to the pine beetle infestation. The removal of some of the impacted forests began as early as 2006 at Snow Mountain Ranch.
Forest conditions across much of Colorado, and certainly in the Fraser Valley, were ripe for wholesale die-offs due to the beetle – it was a perfect storm. Leading up to 2005, Colorado had suffered several drier than normal years. Warmer winters also allowed the beetle to persist: beetles are often killed off by long-duration cold spells of below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Beetles survived the winter, as they continued their life cycle. Trees were stressed, making them more susceptible to contagion.
Compounding these variables were fire mitigation practices that promoted unnaturally dense forest. The forests, like much of the timbered land in the West, were managed in a way that suppressed any fire that might potentially rip through and naturally thin it. Dense forest made it easier for beetles to do their thing, and with the now browned forest, the threat of wildfire intensified.
What ensued was wholesale landscape change. Rust-orange trees, not green lush forest, became the backdrop for skiers. Both Devil’s Thumb and Snow Mountain Ranch had to act. Their assets, trails, buildings, and a back-to-nature experience were threatened by the possibility of tree blowdown and fires.
By 2014 the widespread removal of beetle-infested trees is evident at Snow Mountain Ranch.In this 2019 image, taken in mid-September compared to the 2014 image taken in late October, green vegetation appears to be making a comeback.
Both areas logged heavily to remove potential fuel sources. Devil’s Thumb used some of their beetle-kill timber as they built new outbuildings and housing.
“We did have industrial level logging that we had to do around 2006 to around 2010,” said Mary Ann Degginger, the Program Director at Snow Mountain Ranch. “We started first with the front of our property just to take out the dead trees and leave the younger healthy ones because there was some research out at the time that said, pine beetles were driven towards trees that were four inches or diameter or bigger – so we left the little trees. They didn’t bother them. And what we found is that because of the nature of pine trees and how they grow, they have very shallow root systems, that they just blew over naturally when we logged around them. The trees we tried to leave ended up dying anyway or falling over.”
Massive piles of logs built up around the outbuildings at both ski areas. It resembled a full-scale timber operation. Saving trails and ski terrain remained paramount, but bigger issues remained – creating a resort environment where physical assets were not threatened by fire.
“We had to prioritize from a fire mitigation standpoint — our whole property and operation,” said Degginger. “We determined where we needed to log first. For us, that meant protecting buildings and common areas. Once we felt that we had done that, we moved on to mitigation and cutting trees along our trails.”
Degginger explained that Snow Mountain Ranch created a buffer along their ski trails as the next step in their risk mitigation plan.
A decade later, forests in the region have renewed. Areas of new tree growth have allowed the return of a natural windbreak. And in some places, Snow Mountain Ranch has begun grooming trail sections once lost at the onset of the infestation.
“We’ve learned a lot since 2005, starting with the process of thinning, removing, and harvesting dead beetle kill,” emailed a representative from Devil’s Thumb. “We also cut some of the green timber to allow sunlight for the growth of healthy trees and to prevent greater damage/falls during windstorms.”
The past few summers in the intermountain West have witnessed a conflagration. In June 2007, hundreds were evacuated from Snow Mountain Ranch due to an encroaching wildfire. In 2020, the area witnessed two historic fires. Snow Mountain Ranch ultimately served as a camp for firefighters battling those blazes. The point remains, fires remain a risk as they burn hotter and bigger than in the past.
All this leaves ski area managers broadening their scope of expertise. There’s still the marketing and soft goods to order pre-season. But there’s also the responsibility of understanding fire risk, holistic forest health, and planning long-term for cyclic variability that might impact a ski area’s bottom line.
Resources have been allocated across the West for forest thinning projects. Here in Bend, Oregon a multi-year thinning project has transformed the overly dense Ponderosa pine forest. To new eyes, the change was stark. Yet after only a few months, with ground fuels reduced through controlled burns and selective tree thinning, more appropriate spacing between trees was re-established and native grasses returned. Locally, there was no wholesale beetle kill or wildfire that decimated the city’s nearby forests — but that was only a matter of time. Stakeholders got ahead of the inevitable firestorm. The recreation economy in places like Bend and Grand County, Colorado where Snow Mountain Ranch and Devil’s Thumb reside, rely on healthy and intact forests. The overriding philosophy now is to be proactive with forest management.
That’s the case at Snow Mountain Ranch and Devil’s Thumb. These two iconic Rocky Mountain cross-country ski areas are better positioned to weather environmental changes with buildings and ski trails intact. Snow Mountain Ranch’s Degginger understands that as the new forests surrounding the Snow Mountain Ranch complex matures, new, but smaller-scale thinning will take place. The eyes are on the future in the Fraser Valley.
“We need to manage this forest better and not be in the same position,” said Degginger. “So that’s certainly something we are taking expert advice on. We’re not quite to the point where we’re thinning yet, but that’s on our radar, that’s something that’s going to need to happen for the forest that receded naturally and came back super thick and super. We don’t want to be in the same boat 100 years from now.”
BOULDER, CO—Boulder Nordic Sport, is excited to announce the first-annual Season Kickoff Party at Snow Mountain Ranch on December 2, 2017. In partnership with YMCA of the Rockies, Rossignol, Fischer, Madshus, Salomon, Boulder Nordic Club and Grand Nordic, this is an opportunity to spend the day trying out the latest gear, connecting with skiing friends, and enjoying après ski fun!
Featuring free equipment demos throughout the day, the Season Kickoff party will include a complementary biergarten with burgers, beers, and brats; afternoon social ski groups, and more.
Want to make a weekend out of it? Snow Mountain Ranch offers lodge rooms and cabins, many of which are a comfortable walking distance from the ski trails. Off-season lodging prices are available the weekend of December 2-3 at snowmountainranch.org/lodging.
Tell your friends, bring your family, and join BNS to welcome the 2017-2018 ski season!
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About BNS: Boulder Nordic Sport brings World Cup Service to everyone with full-service ski shops in Boulder, CO; Bloomington, MN, Portland, ME and online at bouldernordic.com. BNS specializes in professional ski service using Tazzari stone-grinding equipment as well as sales and advanced fit of cross-country skis, equipment, and technical apparel. BNS imports Holmenkol and SkiGo wax lines and carries a full line of wax and professional tuning equipment from over ten wax brands.
Information about Boulder Nordic Sport and the new BNS Magazine are available at www.bouldernordic.com.
The view from just outside the nordic center at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. (Photo: Alex Kochon/FasterSkier)
(Press release)
Snow Mountain Ranch is hiring Nordic Center Employees and Volunteers to work as instructors and rental staff, along with Snowmobile Grooming Operators. While at SMR enjoy skiing on 100+km of trails, daily ski breaks, and discounts on ski gear. Snow Mountain Ranch also provides housing and meals to employees and volunteers for free. Opportunities range from 3 weeks to 8 months; work in the Nordic Center will begin November 15 and run through April 15, 2017. For more information about working at the Nordic Center or any of our other seasonal employment or volunteer opportunities, visit: snowmountainranch.org/employment/
Sun stretches over the hills during a cross-country lesson at Crested Butte in Colorado. The nordic center there is hosting its annual Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp from Thursday to Sunday. (Photo: Xavier Fane)
We’ve been hearing about West Yellowstone since, well, the U.S. Ski Team officially started its annual Fall Camp there in 1978. But surely, Montana’s southern tip can’t be the only place to get on snow this time of year…
That’s why we provided a guide to Thanksgiving on-snow camp venues in the U.S. and Canada (we realize this week isn’t Thanksgiving in Canada, but we’re sticking to areas that offer skiing around this week in late November for all intents and purposes). If we’re missing an early season camp, we apologize — it’s a big continent — but let us know so we can feature that camp in next year’s guide.
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What:Yellowstone Ski Festival
Where: West Yellowstone, Montana
Each year, the Rendezvous Ski Trails see hundreds of skiers each day during the Yellowstone Ski Festival on Thanksgiving week in West Yellowstone, Mont.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 24, to Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015
How many years running? 20+
Target audience: Masters and beginners (clinics available for both), as well as elite racers
Endurance United team members get ready for a day of skiing during a morning run in West Yellowstone, Mont., at this year’s 2015 Yellowstone Ski Festival. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)
Anticipated participation: An estimated 4,000-5,000 skiers throughout the week. “It varies from year to year depending on the snow conditions and the snow level,” West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation Program Director Moira Dow explained. “Because we’ve gotten snow early this year and good snow, we have been able to get the word out. Like right now the trails are packed. We will probably have a lot of people coming for longer periods of time.”
Advance reservation required? Racers must preregister. Trails are open to public; trail pass required.
Grooming report: Essentially everything is open. “It’s full-coverage skiing on good skis with full tracks,” Dow said. More details | Webcam
Green Mountain Valley School nordic skiers meet up during a ski on the Rendezvous Ski Trails this week in West Yellowstone, Mont. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)
What makes this camp unique? “The number of trails and the quality of snow that we have. We’re one of the few places in the country that does have consistent, early, good snow. In addition to that, we have a lot of industry participation. And we have great evening programs for people. We have not just skiing, we have the full package for everybody and anyone, from the beginner skier who wants to get out on the snow for the first time, to the SuperTour elite athlete who can train at high altitude, and good snow in the early part of the season.”
Special events:
U.S. Ski Team Development Coach Bryan Fish and the former vice president of Fischer Skis U.S. nordic division, Peter Ashley, will be featured speakers
Freebies: “Everything at the indoor expo at night is free. Anybody who has a trail pass can get into the outdoor demo area for free. In addition, on Wednesday and Friday night we have ‘après-ski’… [with] complimentary adult beverages and junior beverages, sledding, some music, and fun stuff like that. Just a little bit more of a party atmosphere after the sun goes down and before the expo opens.”
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What:Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp
Where: Crested Butte, Colorado
The Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp, now in its 14th year, is a fundraiser for Crested Butte Nordic, a nonprofit dedicated to getting people on the local trails. (Photo: Xavier Fane)
Skiing at Crested Butte Nordic in Colorado. (Photo: Xavier Fane)
How many years running? 14 as an official organized camp: “Crested Butte has really good and reliable early season snow so the Nordic Center decided we should try to get folks to come here and get some instruction from our great instructors,” said Drew Holbrook, marketing director for Crested Butte Nordic and the Grand Traverse ski race. “We also have a wonderful venue for early season nordic skiing and we’ve been fortunate enough to have been on-snow every year.”
Target audience: All ages and abilities, “from never-evers to master blasters looking to improve their technique,” Holbrook said. “If parents are skiing along with children, kids ski free. All kids 17 and younger get free passes and rentals. And, actually, all season long we do that — people 17 and younger ski free. At the Thanksgiving Camp we also do free kids clinics. So if a parent is taking a clinic, then they can have their kids taken care of all day.
Anticipated participation: Several hundred skiers on the trails throughout the long weekend. For clinics, projecting 75-80 participants.
Advance reservation required? Pre-registration recommended for clinics.Nordic Center trail passes available any time. Skiing at Lily Lake, a 10 k early season trail system four miles up Kebler Pass Road, is free.
Trail pass rates: $18/day, skiers 17 & younger ski free. $130 for a 10-punch transferable pass.
Grooming report: With about a foot of snow at the venue in town, “it’s looking like in-town skiing for the camp,” Holbrook said. As of Tuesday, Ruthie’s Run (5-kilometer loop at the nordic center and up on the bench) and Lily Lake (six miles west of town up on the pass) were groomed. “We’ll have over 10 kilometers of high quality skiing available,” Holbrook added. More details
Here’s a deal: Kids 17 and under enjoy free rentals, passes and clinics at the Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp. (Photo: Xavier Fane)
What makes this camp unique? “As a non-profit, our mission is to get people out on the trails skiing. We are not making a ton of money off it,” Holbrook said.
“We just want people to come here and use our trails and make it affordable. A lot of people come back year after year and work with the same instructor. They get to know each other and get to know the other people that come into camp. So it’s definitely got this small feel to it, it’s kind of personalized.”
Special events:
For the first time, a race (on Sunday): 5/10 k freestyle + kids’ race with new homologated course on Ruthie’s Run. “It’s engineered, seeded, and mowed,” Holbrook said. “Due to the engineering, we are able to groom the race course with a lot less snow than we used to need. That enables us to count on having this race and count on have a good race venue close to town.”
Winter Kick-Off Party (Saturday night): Fundraiser for Crested Butte Nordic, tickets $30/adult,$10/children.
Wax clinic, nutritional talk and Nov. 25 is opening day at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, with free skiing all day.
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What: CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival
Where: Telemark Trails in Cable, Wisconsin
After three nights of blowing snow, CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival organizers were ready to groom the Telemark Trails in Cable, Wis., on Nov. 22. (Photo: Facebook)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 25, to Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015
How many years running? First year. “Our goal for the festival is to show the template to other communities, what it takes to make snow … to provide a business and operations template to other places around the Midwest so they can do these festivals in late November and then have a reliable loop for the winter,” CXC Executive and Athletic Director Yuriy Gusev explained.
A 1 k loop was made and groomed for the first-annual CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival in Cable, Wis. (Photo: Facebook)
Target audience: All skiers; open to the public
Anticipated participation: Based on the camp’s Facebook page, at least 75 plan on attending, and Gusev estimated that paired with a local turnout would amount to 200-300 skiers. “We don’t want to make it a big deal … just to show the community this is an opportunity to ski,” he said.
Advance reservation required? Yes, for clinics (instructed by Gusev on Friday, Saturday and Sunday).Trails open to public.
Trail pass rates: $50 season passes, good for the festival and the whole winter. Trail passes can be purchased at www.cxcskiing.org/skipass, Telemark condominium office and Cable Area Chamber of Commerce Office.
Grooming report: Skiing on a 1 k loop at Telemark started on Sunday: “Usually there’s no natural snow this time of year, so our plan was to make snow,” Gusev said. “It just didn’t get cold like it normally does.” Once temperatures finally cooled late last week, the snowmaking crew was able to work on blowing and laying out a 1-kilometer manmade loop, some of which will be used for the 2016 Junior Nationals sprint course. More details
What makes this camp unique? “Anytime you have early snow, you stand out. I think it can be a key component to have this … to provide a reliable base for the rest of the winter, especially for youth programs where the snow is critical and also for entry-level participants. We’ve seen already with the couple snowmaking areas in the Twin Cities how much impact these have on the ski industry and local ski shops. They’ve been able to actually do relatively well in snowless winters.”
Special events: Fischer Demo
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What: Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Ski Camp
Where: Granby, Colorado
A November day at Snow Mountain Ranch, which opened for skiing earlier this month and remains open with 50 k groomed with a set track. (Courtesy photo)
How many years running? First time in recent years
Target audience: Beginner skiers to seasoned racers
Advance reservation required? Yes.
November skiing at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. For the first time this year, a five-day camp was held for masters. It ended on Tuesday. (Courtesy photo)
Participation: Capped at 24. “Smaller is better from both a coaching and athlete viewpoint,” Snow Mountain Ranch’s Nordic Center Director Bill Pierce explained. In its first year with little marketing, the five-day camp attracted four athletes.
“It was really small, but it was great,” Pierce said. “It’s so early that people don’t expect there to be snow [when] it’s 60 degrees in Boulder. … We just want to put another option out there; a lot of skiers want to be on snow in early November and Denver is really easy to get to.”
Trail pass rates: $350 for the camp, includes all coaching sessions and day passes
Grooming report: 50 kilometers groomed and track-set. Snow Mountain Ranch started grooming Nov. 4 and opened for skiing on the 14th. According to Pierce, they have anywhere from a 4-5 inch base to 10 inches in some places. It was snowing there on Thanksgiving, with four inches of snow expected to fall today. More info | Webcam
What makes this camp unique? “This is the earliest masters camp in North America on-snow as a pre-Thanksgiving camp,” Pierce explained.
The idea was to run a masters camp similar to an elite or junior camp, with two-a-day sessions combining workouts and technique — all at 9,000 feet above sea level. The focus was on transitioning from dryland training to snow skiing, with an emphasis on technique and slow volume at high altitude.
With a small but mighty coaching staff (two of which are USSA certified), Pierce said the ability to work with athletes helps them set, understand and achieve skiing goals.
“We all speak the same language,” he said of the coaches. “You can go to a lot of places, and a lot of places you feel like you’re getting a lesson. There’s a difference between a lesson and coaching.”
“[This camp is] just another opportunity in the country to go skiing all day,” he added.
When: 2 1/2-day weekend and 5-day midweek camps (schedule):
A gaggle of skiers at a junior camp head out on the trails at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre on Nov. 14 in Vernon, British Columbia. Roughly 800 skiers took to the trails that day. Each winter, Sovereign Lake hosts a series of weekend and weekday camps, called SuperCamp. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)
Camp #1:Nov. 20-22
Camp #2: Nov. 23-27
Camp #3: Nov. 27-29 (with Pro-camp option)
Camp #4: Nov. 30-Dec. 4
Camp #5: Dec. 4-6
Camp #6: Jan. 15-17
Camp #7: Feb. 19-21
How many years running? 26 (The SuperCamp program started in 1989)
Target audience: All ages and skill levels from beginner to elite racer.
Advance reservation required? Yes.
Anticipated participation: Typically around 225 to 250 participants, hoping for 260 this year.
“In its heyday in the early ’90s [SuperCamp attracted] upwards of 400,” Sovereign Lake Nordic Center General Manager Troy Hudson explained. “We want to get back to those numbers by offering some great new initiatives like focussed Masters Pro camps for racers and more options such as the biathlon camps which are proving to be very popular.”
Trail pass rates: Dual area trail passes included in camp fee, ranges from $339 to $925 Canadian dollars per person (depending on length of camp, and half or full days). Pricing
VR40 blue-wax skiing on Nov. 16 at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre in Vernon, B.C. (Photo: Ryan Olson)
Grooming report: Sovereign Lake has 40 kilometers groomed and Silver Star has an additional 40 k open. More details (and webcam)
What makes this camp unique? “I’m often asked, what is Supercamp?” SuperCamp coordinator Shane Landreville wrote in an e-newsletter. “That’s a great question and because Supercamp offers so much more than a traditional ski lesson, it’s a difficult concept to explain and it’s difficult for people to wrap their heads around it. Quite simply, Supercamp is a Nordic experience.”
SuperCamp attracts top-level coaches, as many come from across Canada to get early snow before they start their season at home. Each camp includes lectures and lessons on waxing, how to build a training plan, and sports nutrition, as well as access to the national altitude training centre gym, and best of all, 105 kilometers of trails between Sovereign Lake and Silver Star — many of which are used for World Cup, NorAm, and World Master events.
With half- and full-day options, the camp is at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,250 feet). Many of the accommodation options are on the nordic trails. You can ski or walk to restaurants and bars in the evening.
Biathlon camps are either five days long or a single afternoon, and a new Pro camp is more racing focused.
The Silver Star alpine area opened earlier this week, as did the separate Fat Bike trail system.
Special events:
Keynote speakers, a sports nutrition lecture, and wax clinics
Stretching classes, body pre-activation sessions, and for 5-day campers, two 30-minute massages. “Skiing for a solid 2 days or 5 days is tough, it really is, so taking care of your bodies is important,” Landreville wrote. “For our 5 day camps, you can also take part in the excursion to the spa and pools at Sparkling Hill Resort.”
***
Also: Canada’s Early Season XC Venues
What: Frozen Thunder
Where: Canmore, Alberta
Fresh snow at the Canmore Nordic Centre: A n Olympic Legacy Venue now a regular host of Canadian based World Cups. (Photo: Pavlina Sudrich)
How much snow: Boreal Glide, a 2.5 k manmade loop, is open for both freestyle and classic. Course map | Weather
Good to know:
According to according to Julie Moffet, the regional operations coordinator at Forêt Montmorency, la Forêt is the only place in North America with cross-country skiing as early as Oct. 30 all the way to Easter in April.
No races or special events are scheduled, simply skiing and snowshoeing for all.
To reserve a room on the trails (with two single beds and a shared bathroom), with access to a cafeteria, two lounges with a fireplace, game room, auditorium, and wax room, visit http://www.foretmontmorency.ca/en/lodging/
CXC elite-team head coach Bill Pierce recently accepted a position as nordic director of Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies in Granby, Colo. (Photo: CXC/Facebook)
Almost a decade ago, Bill Pierce and Yuriy Gusev took a walk in the Cable/Hayward area of northern Wisconsin, where Gusev, the director of Central Cross Country (CXC) since 2005, decided to root the CXC Team and Junior Program (and later an adaptive program and CXC Academy).
Pierce, who built custom homes at the time through his own company, Pierce & Associates Design/Build, Inc, wanted to show Gusev a thousand-acre parcel — a potential site for a big idea.
A competitive cross-country skier and runner up until the mid-80s, when he studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Pierce moved to Hayward and found part-time work in 1997, grooming the Birkie trail on a need-basis with one broken-down snowcat.
“When I went to Hayward, my first job to get paid skiing was [as head coach] at Hayward High School,” Pierce said Thursday on the phone. “That was enough money for one month over five to make a living off of so I did other things.”
It wasn’t long before he was chairman of the American Birkebeiner Board of Directors and landed his first full-time coaching job in 2007. He built his home in Seeley and dreamt of more for Hayward: a charter school and training center for nordic skiers — and not just any nordic center: a multi-use events center.
“If you want to be mainstream and survive as a business, you can’t just be nordic,” Pierce reflected.
In his development near the Birkie’s “00” halfway point, ski trails touch every lot. Yet without Telemark Resort open, the area remains without a nordic center.
Thinking back to his idea, he imagined opening the events center to non-skiing attractions: music festivals, beer-and-wine tastings, bike shows, and more. Unless its developers were subsidized, they would have to — selling trail passes four or five months a year wasn’t going to pay the bills, he said. But with the offseason revenue, they could fund their dream of a true nordic-training center.
To this day, Gusev has kept that same goal in sight and taken steps, such as researching the potential of Telemark Lodge, to make it a reality. It’s been on Pierce’s mind for the last two decades, and he said the 1,000-acre parcel remains on the market.
“It’s a soft market and soft economy … [and] we’re looking at another piece of land south of here,” he said. “There’s opportunities.”
An estimated 60 athletes and coaches attended the 2014 CXC/Loppet Nordic Racing/F.A.S.T. dryland camp in Ironwood, Mich., earlier this summer. Here, athletes were caught in action during a bounding workout. (Photo: Bill Pierce/Facebook)
But Pierce, CXC’s elite head coach since May 2013, couldn’t wait on that. In the last few years, he applied for other jobs, including with the American Birkebeiner — which Gusev knew about as a board member — and as executive director at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.
One position near Winter Park in Granby, Colo., stuck. Pierce accepted the Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA’s offer to come on as its first full-time nordic director this fall, and he sat down with Gusev to tell him about it three weeks ago.
“I knew that sooner or later Bill will leave and we were somewhat planning on it,” Gusev wrote in an email. “We have discussions with other staff about possible options if that would happen. We also had plans to add additional staff this fall even before Bill notified us about his leaving.
“It is definitely a loss for CXC and the Midwest Nordic community but Bill is following his passion and I’m glad he found something that he is very excited to be involved in,” he added. “We all at CXC wish Bill the best in his new venture.”
“It was a hard choice,” Pierce explained. “I’d come back in a second to work for [CXC]. It was a lot of factors, some of them were personal…”
In post on CXC’s Facebook page on Thursday, Pierce announced his departure and move to Colorado on Oct. 1.
“… Life is extremely short and we really won’t ever know what the next day will bring,” he wrote. “In the past year, I have seen a lot of loss and it has been a difficult one. I lost my Mom, two very close friends and colleagues in John Hugus and Igor Badamshin, and I lost my marriage. It is time for a change.”
CXC’s former high-performance advisor and CXC Team coach, Badamshin died of an apparent heart attack while skiing on the Birkie trail in January. He was 47.
Hugus, who founded the Knicker Nordic Ski Club in Wausau, Wis. — of which Badamshin was also head coach — and served as secretary of the Central Wisconsin Skiing Association, died last October at 57 after batting multiple myeloma for 17 years.
“With Igor’s death and coaches leaving to do different things, I’m leaving because I feel like I can do something more for developing the sport, to help people enjoy it and enjoy winter,” Pierce said on the phone.
His first job with CXC came in 2007, when Gusev hired him as a full-time head coach of CXC’s Junior Development Team. He worked there until 2010 and went on to co-found F.A.S.T. Performance Training with his wife Kathy, spending the next three seasons working to establish a high-performance mecca in Hayward.
It wasn’t for naught. Athletes like Ben Saxton, now on the U.S. Ski Team’s D-team, came up through F.A.S.T., and Nichole Bathe, a University of Alaska-Fairbanks sophomore and CXC training partner, have already achieved top national results.
Gusev had brought International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cups to Cable, and in the last year, landed the 2015 IPC World Championships and 2016 U.S. Junior National Championships. But Pierce said the next step — creating a permanent nordic or training facility — required teamwork.
“Any project of that size takes a group of people and collaboration,” he said. “Everyone wants to be a part of that growth. I think people need to realize more that we need to work together to do that.
“No matter how small, you are just doing the right thing. If you’ve got four or five kids, just coach ’em. … You’ve just got to stick at it year after year and just be consistent what you do. It’s a long, long process.” — Bill Pierce, F.A.S.T. Performance Training founder and CXC elite-team head coach, who recently took a job as Snow Mountain YMCA’s nordic director
“You think of Hayward as a destination,” he added. “You get a few hundred people every weekend.”
Upon a recent visit to Winter Park, he estimated 1,000 people in the area on a weekday.
“That’s a destination,” he observed. “I call it an adventure park or activity park. They’ve done a good job of becoming a true destination.”
While he said Hayward’s not quite there yet, “they’re different animals,” he explained. Snow Mountain’s YMCA of the Rockies has been around for more than 100 years. “The Birkie trail has been groomed for twenty years,” he pointed out.
Birkie racers on the Birkie Trail (Photo: ABSF/Kelly Randolph)
Since then, the American Birkebeiner has grown its fleet to three PistenBullies and roughly four snowmobiles under Pierce. Formerly the Birkie’s head groomer, who oversaw 88 k of trails and 14 pieces of equipment, he retired from grooming last year to return to full-time coaching.
“I love sitting on the groomer at night; it’s a blast,” he said. “[But] I don’t have to sit on it every night for eight hours.”
As for that job: “I felt like I did what I wanted to do and it was time to leave and do something else,” he explained.
Leaving the Midwest, where he was born in southern Wisconsin, went to school in Milwaukee, and spent 14 years in Minneapolis, was about timing as well.
“I’ve always moved around — I haven’t been home in three years,” he explained. “That was actually one of the considerations: when you’re on the domestic circuit, you’re on the road from October to March. … To me, it wasn’t a sacrifice, it’s just hard.”
He began researching other opportunities to educate himself. When he discovered the opening at Snow Mountain, the idea of expanding an existing nordic area with 100 kilometers of trails, adding to mountain-bike terrain and cultivating the fat-bike craze there was too good to pass up.
“Of all the jobs I’ve looked at, this is an accumulation of all the duties in one,” Pierce said. “I kind of look at it as three phases: running the center, overseeing the coaching, and overseeing the trails. It’s a year-round job.”
And while it will be a transition — from elite coaching to building a nordic culture from the ground up — he said he’s ready.
“The relationships that have been formed with many people, colleagues, and athletes cannot be matched or replaced,” he wrote on Facebook. “I loved all aspects of the position but most of all I really enjoyed coaching the Master skiers. They truly are trying to find enjoyment and re-creation in this sport and it was so rewarding to see progression and enjoyment from these athletes and people!
“The hard part is leaving the relationships,” Pierce explained on the phone. “I won’t forget them, I just wont see them as much as I did now.”
At a CXC masters camp late last month, he had CXC Development Coach Andrew Keller run more than half of the sessions. Keller will fill in as elite coach during the transition this fall, Gusev confirmed.
“Of all the years that I’ve coached masters, this was the best,” Pierce said, adding that they have another masters camp next week. “Being a coach … is being able to look at someone and tell them how to change, and … the level of professional and social relationships that you build…
“You’ve just got to be consistent and keep doing it,” he said of his passion and advice to other coaches. “No matter how small, you are just doing the right thing. If you’ve got four or five kids, just coach ’em. … You’ve just got to stick at it year after year and just be consistent what you do. It’s a long, long process.”
In October, he’ll start all over again in Colorado, assessing what is needed there. Unsure of what the future holds, he’s excited by the challenges and possibilities.
![](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2017/11/Season-Kickoff_2.jpg")
![The view from just outside the nordic center at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. (Photo: Alex Kochon/FasterSkier)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/08/IMG_0161.jpg")
![Sun stretches over the hills during a cross-country lesson at Crested Butte in Colorado. The nordic center there is hosting its annual Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp from Thursday to Sunday. (Photo: Xavier Fane)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/CB-Nordic-4-e1447710079470.jpg")
![Hundreds of skiers took to the Rendezvous Ski Trails on Tuesday in West Yellowstone, Mont.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/11/IMG_0369.jpg")
![Athletes get ready for a day of skiing during a morning run in West Yellowstone, Mont., at this year's 2015 Yellowstone Ski Festival. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_0138.jpg")
![Green Mountain Valley School nordic skiers meet up during a ski on the Rendezvous Ski Trails this week in West Yellowstone, Mont. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_0165.jpg")
![The Thanksgiving Camp is a fundraiser for Crested Butte Nordic; a non-profit dedicated to getting people on the local trails. (Photo Xavier Fane)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/CB-Nordic-3.jpg")
![Skiing at Crested Butte Nordic in Colorado. (Photo: Xavier Fane)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/CB-Nordic1.jpg")
![Here's a deal: Kids 17 and under enjoy free rentals, passes, and clinics. (Photo Xavier Fane)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/CB-Nordic-5.jpg")
![After three nights of blowing snow, CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival organizers were ready to groom the Telemark trails in Cable, Wis., on Nov. 22. (Photo: Facebook)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/12278774_1031395940236479_7949141002265399855_n.jpg")
![A 1 k loop was made and groomed for the first-annual CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival in Cable, Wis. (Photo: Facebook)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/12274223_1032411313468275_2726795297016171275_n.jpg")
![A November day at Snow Mountain Ranch, which opened for skiing earlier this month and remains open with 50 k groomed with a set track. (Courtesy photo)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/Nordic-Center.jpg")
![November skiing at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. For the first time this year, a five-day camp was held for masters. (Courtesy photo)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/NordicSki.jpg")
![A Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre board member checks out the trails on Nov. 21. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_0463.jpg")
![A gaggle of skiers at a junior camp head out on the trails at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre on Nov. 14 in Vernon, British Columbia. Each winter, Sovereign Lake hosts a series of weekend and weekday camps, called SuperCamp. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_0448-e1448552216419.jpg")
![VR40 blue-wax skiing on Nov. 16 at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre in Vernon, B.C. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/20151116_101327.jpg")
![CXC elite-team head coach Bill Pierce recently accepted a position as nordic director of Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies in Granby, Colo. (Photo: CXC/Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/notes/cxc-skiing/thank-you/809964002358509?fref=nf](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/09/bill-pierce.jpg")
![An estimated 60 athletes and coaches attended the 2014 CXC/Loppet Nordic Racing/F.A.S.T. dryland camp in Ironwood, Mich., earlier this summer. Here, athletes were caught in action during a bounding workout. (Photo: Bill Pierce/Facebook)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/09/10547555_675680555853477_8006636712235266386_n.jpg")
![Jesse guides Shawn through the 50km Birkie Trail. Photo: Kelly Randolph](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/03/Jesse-guides-Shawn.jpg")