The Nordic News

Six More Weeks of Winter!

Thank you all for another great Alley Loop. The 39th annual tour of the alleys is in the books. This event would not have been possible without your support. This year, 106 volunteers contributed over 465 hours, and a RECORD-BREAKING 1,232 racers toed the line from age 1 to 86.

We relied on the support of the Town of CB and our neighbors along the course and loved every minute of the costume parade of jellyfish, a cattle drive, Tangled Up in Blue, a one-legged lamp, and all the spandex in between. The Alley Loop really is a celebration of this town, this community, and a whole lot of love. So, thank you!

We’re looking forward to six more weeks of winter (thank goodness). Here’s a couple things to look forward to:

• We’re hosting a Ladies Wax and Wine night on Monday, February 10th! Learn more and RSVP here (admission is free).

• Alyssa Wendt is offering a skimo clinic on Saturday, February 15th. Join her for tips and tricks as you prepare for the GT and GMT.

• Yurt Trivia is popular this year. February trivia may be sold out, but you can still sign up for the March 12th round. Sign up today!

Now it’s time to do your snow dances.

See you on the trails.

Junior National Qualifier

Races on The Bench 2/15 and 2/16.

Junior National Qualifiers return to Crested Butte from Saturday, February 15th through Sunday, February 16th. We’re looking forward to hosting this amazing display of athleticism, grit, teamwork, and nordic spirit from the next generation of skiers.

All races will be held on The Bench. Ruthie’s Run will be closed to the public from 5 p.m. on Friday, February 14th through 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 16th.

If you’d like to spectate, the Stadium will be your best option - please remember, there are NO DOGS on The Bench. If you’re looking to ski over President’s Weekend, head to the East and West Side Trails.

The CB Nordic Team

The kids are crushing it.

The Comp Team is already over halfway through the regular season, and the team has had an excellent season so far. After two of the four regular-season race weekends, four Comp Athletes (Finn Veit, Sophia Bender, Tazzy Pozner, and Ben Larson) are in a good position to qualify for Junior Nationals. We have a fairly young team this year, and all of the athletes have come a long way since the beginning of the season - and, most importantly, have been having fun doing it! Up next, the team has their sights set on our home JNQ in Crested Butte in mid-February and then on Junior Nationals in Soldier Hollow, Utah in mid-March. 

Once again, the Devo Team is quite large. We’ve got 38 kids working on technique and learning the ins and outs of nordic racing. We sent 15 devo racers to the Soldier Hollow JNQ last month—the future of nordic looks bright.

The Rec Team is going strong. Between nordic skiing, backcountry, and biathlon, there’s a program for everyone. Plus, Ski 4 PE is well underway! We love getting all the elementary kids out on the trails.

This Thursday, the teams come together for the second after-school youth race. Swing by the Nordic Center at 4:30 p.m. to see the fun!

Kilometer Krush

One month. All the kilometers.

Brand New! The Kilometer Krush starts tomorrow!

For all of you secretly (or not so secretly) competitive nordic skiers, we’re putting on the Kilometer Krush.

Between February 6th and March 6th, get out there and ski as many kilometers on the CB Nordic Trails as you can. Skate or classic, you choose; a kilometer is a kilometer.

Use the GPS tracking system of your choice. Upload your stats each day. We’ll keep a leaderboard on the Kilometer Krush page on the website.

We’ll crown the Overall Kilometer, West Side, East Side, and Ruthie’s Run Champions.

Gray Hares

Celebrating 30 years of skiing!

The Gray Hares are celebrating 30 years of continuous Wednesday morning ski programming since their inception during the 1994-1995 winter season! That’s a lot of nordic skiing and even more great friendships.

Beyond skiing, the Gray Hares offer summer hiking excursions, overnight trips to Grand Mesa, a group softball team, CB Nordic support as volunteers, and, of course, improved fitness, skill, and camaraderie for anyone over the age of 50.

They’re celebrating on Wednesday, February 19th! Join us for a ski on the Bench at 10:30 a.m., followed by a potluck in the Community Warming House from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.!

You can learn more about them below. Email jane@murraybanks.com to get involved. The season is not over yet!

Snowshoeing

Trail Etiquette and Tour Special

Our trails are groomed for classic skiers, skate skiers, and snowshoers. Snowshoers are allowed on all 55km of groomed trails in the CB Nordic trail system. Use the diagram above to see where each user should be on the trail. These new trail etiquette signs are at each trailhead if you ever need a reminder!

Design by Chris Hanna | Crested Butte Publishing and Creative

Sweetheart Tour Special!

Snowshoe and Ski Tours are 20% off for the entire month of February. Our experienced and friendly guides will take you safely into the backcountry around Crested Butte for a half or full-day tour adventure. All tours are private, and rental equipment is included. Register online with the discount code sweetheart. Code must be applied at the time of reservation.

Gothic Mountain Tour

Sign up to Volunteer!

We are in the 19th year of hosting the Gothic Mountain Tour. This unique skimo race starts at the Community School, circumnavigates the majestic Gothic Mountain, and finishes (moose and avalanche willing) at the Magic Meadows Yurt.

We’re looking for volunteers to help! We have Friday bib pick-up shifts and Saturday shifts at the start line, along the course, and at the finish line.

You Make All the Difference

Be Part of Our Community

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Crested Butte Nordic depends on your support to keep our trails world-class and our programs top-notch. Please consider making a gift to help us get more people outside, having life-changing experiences in the outdoors, all year long.

Interested in making a legacy gift to CB Nordic? Contact Executive Director Hedda Peterson, hedda@cbnordic.org, to learn more about how to make a gift that sustains CB Nordic so that future generations can experience the beauty and wonder of winter.