Silent Sports of Nordic Skiing &Snowshoeing Enjoy Loud Presence in Colorado’s

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley in southwest Colorado is emerging as a Nordic skiing and snowshoeing hotspot. Groomed Nordic trails now number more than 85K, backcountry routes are plentiful, and a full calendar of tours and races offer opportunities to have fun and stay in shape.
CB Nordic Trail Report
Gunnison Nordic Trail Report
Crested Butte Mountain Resort Trail Report


CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Dec. 15 Citizens’ Race, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Dec. 23 Moonlight Atlas Snowshoe Tours, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Dec. 24 Full Moon Ski & Snowshoe Tour, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 3 Learn to Skate Ski for Free! Clinic, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 5 Citizens’ Race, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 12 Citizens’ Race, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 19 Citizens’ Race, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 22 Full Moon Ski & Snowshoe Tour, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Jan. 22 Moonlight Atlas Snowshoe Tours, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Jan. 27 Kenny Mac Ski Fest, Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area, Gunnison

Feb. 2 22nd Annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon, Crested Butte

Feb. 7 Learn to Skate Ski for Free! Clinic, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Feb. 21 Full Moon Ski & Snowshoe Tour, Crested Butte Nordic Center

Feb. 21 Moonlight Atlas Snowshoe Tours, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 6 Learn to Skate Ski for Free! Clinic, Crested Butte Nordic Center

March 8 Super Tour (22.5K backcountry ski event), Crested Butte

March 21 Full Moon Ski & Snowshoe Tour, Crested Butte Nordic Center

March 22 Progressive Bonfire Dinner on skis or snowshoes, Crested Butte Town Ranch





Crested Butte Nordic Center

The Crested Butte Nordic Center is a full-service cross-country ski center providing lessons and complete rental packages for skate and classical skiing, as well as ice skating, snowshoeing and sledding. The Nordic Center maintains more than 45 kilometers of groomed trails that meander around the outskirts Crested Butte and offers tours, races, and Nordic events and ski programs (e.g., Master Skiers, Gray Hares and Junior Nordic Team).



Located in the heart of town at Second Street and Whiterock, the Nordic Center will open for the season from Nov. 17, 2007 – April 13, 2008, and is connected to Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski area and various stops in Crested Butte by a free shuttle bus. For more information, call (970) 349-1707 or visit www.cbnordic.org.



· Citizens’ Races are held for locals and visitors on Saturday mornings, Dec. 15 and Jan. 5, 12, 19. The race length and style (classic or skate ski) changes each week. Participants must register at the Nordic Center by 9:30 am on race day. The cost is $12 for adults, $5 for ages 8 – 17, and free for ages 7 and under.

· Full Moon Ski & Snowshoe Tours feature a moonlit guided tour to magic meadows and warm drinks and snacks in a yurt along the way on Dec. 24, Jan. 22, Feb. 21 and March 21. The tours begin at 7 p.m. and cost $15 per person. Reduced-priced ski and snowshoe rentals are available.

· Learn to Skate Ski for Free! clinics are offered by the Nordic Center at 1 p.m. on Jan. 3, Feb. 7 and March 6. Reduced-priced ski rentals are available.

· 22nd Annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon on Feb. 2 is not only is the highest-altitude Nordic marathon in the United States; it reflects the athletic and free-spirited nature of Crested Butte. This American Birkebeiner qualifying race starts and finishes on Elk Avenue and winds its way through alleyways, streets and the trail system located on the outskirts of town. Also a Colorado Cup Series Race, the Alley Loop features course lengths of 1.5K, 3K, 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K allowing all skill levels and ages to participate. The races begin at 10 a.m., with many people wearing costumes. Registration costs vary based on race length.

· Super Tour is a 22.5K backcountry ski event slated for March 8. It’s a race for those who like to go fast, or it can be skied as a loosely-guided tour for those looking for a more relaxing pace. The tour starts at 8 a.m. at the Gothic Road trailhead in Mt. Crested Butte, with registration and equipment check from 6:30 – 7:30 a.m. This is a beautiful route that circumnavigates Gothic Mountain, but is a challenging ski with a steep 2,000-foot climb and a sometimes fast downhill. Shovels, probes, beacons and full skins are required since this is a backcountry race. COSAR cards also are required and are sold at the Nordic Center. Registration cost for the tour is $35.

· Progressive Bonfire Dinner is a 4K journey on Nordic skis or snowshoes that takes participants along a luminary-lit path for a four-star, four-course, four-fire meal that benefits the Gunnison/Crested Butte Junior Nordic Ski Team. The camaraderie of sitting around crackling fires and dining on good food and warm drinks along the way makes this event on March 22 one for the memory books. Seatings begin at 5 p.m. and run until 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35 for adults and $15 for children under age 12.

· Gourmet Lunch Tours are guided excursions on skis or snowshoes to the Magic Meadows yurt for a scrumptious lunch and a beautiful day out on the trails. The tours are offered on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. The cost is $60 for adults, $50 for children.

· Backcountry Tours are for those who want to adventure off the groomed trails for a half or full day on snowshoes or Nordic skis. There is a two-person minimum, with all tours including transportation, rentals and a guide. Full-day tours start at 9 a.m. and include lunch, and half-day tours start at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $50 per person for a half day and $80 per person for a full day.



CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN RESORT

In addition to premiere alpine skiing and snowboarding, Crested Butte Mountain Resort offers daily snowshoe tours with a guide at 9:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Snowshoes, water and a light snack is included in the cost for the two-mile outing. During Moonlight Atlas Snowshoe Tours on Dec. 23, Jan. 22 or Feb. 21, enjoy the thrill of riding in a snowcat to the top of the Red Lady Express Lift and snowshoe the moonlit mountain trails back to the base area. For costs and more information, contact (800) 544-8448 or visit www.skicb.com. Reservations are required.



GUNNISON NORDIC TRAILS & EVENTS

There also are outstanding Nordic skiing and snowshoeing along backcountry routes and groomed trails at Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area west of Gunnison, which offers a desert-like setting that is very unique for Nordic skiing. This combined with Tomichi Creek Preserve Trail, the Western State College (WSC) practice field on campus, Dos Rios golf course and Jorgensen Park encompasses approximately 40K of trails groomed in large part by the growing Gunnison Nordic Club and the WSC Nordic team.



The Kenny Mac Ski Fest will be held Jan. 27 and will include a fun-filled day of ski racing, touring/skiing for all ages and a bonfire at Hartman Rocks. The event is being held in honor of local skier Ken MacLennan for all he has done for skiing in the Gunnison Valley.



For more information, visit www.gunnisonnordic.net.



GUIDES & BACKCOUNTRY HUTS

Oftentimes, it is helpful to hit the backcountry with guides who know the area like the back of their hands. In addition to the backcountry tours offered by the Crested Butte Nordic Center, Crested Butte Mountain Guides, www.crestedbutteguides.com take visitors on Nordic skiing and snowshoeing adventures.



Exploring the backcountry and staying in huts along the way is the ideal way to go on longer tours. The Nordic Center books reservations for Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Forest Queen Hut, located in the historic mining town of Gothic. Other backcountry hut options are the Elkton Cabins, call (970) 349-1815, and the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association’s Friends Hut, visit www.huts.org.



OUTFITTERS

Retailers who sell and rent Nordic skis and snowshoes include The Alpineer, (970) 349-5210, and Troutfitters Sports Co., (970) 349-1323 in Crested Butte. In Mt. Crested Butte, rent Nordic skis and snowshoes at Crested Butte Sports Ski & Bike, (970) 349-7516. In Gunnison, rentals are available at Gene Taylors Sporting Goods, (970) 641-1845, and TuneUp Bike & Ski, (970) 641-0285.