It’s that time of year again and, right on schedule, the snow has started landing on the high peaks! Sadly it as been melting quickly but the hardcore might soon find enough of the white stuff in high country to do a little sliding on their older rock skis. Hopefully sooner this year than last year’s late start but most of us are still dreaming …
To really get your mouth watering for the snow season, Grand Nordic and Winter Park Competition Center are hosting the Annual Nordic Ski Swap amd Expo at the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center on SATURDAY. October 22. With the additional planned Expo of vendors and activities, we moved to the parking lot to accommodate everything! Pray for great weather or we will need to move indoors at the Nordic Center.
The Covid19 pandemic severely limited many supply chains and therefore manufacturing companies for items worldwide. Many items are still hard to find. Employees have been and still are hard to find to either make, ship, transport, assemble Nordic gear and then man the shops to get to you any gear that can be manufactured! Nordic ski equipment was hard to get last year and many normal outlets or shops still have not caught up. Only a few places have new gear to offer so the market for used or year-old gear is huge. If you see a good deal, grab it now!
The Swap encourages individuals to sell their used gear – skis, boots, poles, roller skis, clothing, backpacks and other appropriate Nordic gear. Bring your gear to the SMR Nordic Center parking lot 8:30am to 9:30am Saturday Oct 22 – download the equipment resale form on Grandnordic.org and fill it out before coming. If gear is marked correctly, your items can be placed on a table and will be processed through Grand Nordic. The shops offering club members discounts on full price merchandise have been encouraged to bring any gear they might have as well as the local retail shops represented on www.skigrandnordic.org. The Swap and Expo is 10a to 4p when gear must be picked up or is considered donated to Grand Nordic to benefit youth programs. Some of the best local seasoned skiers will be on hand to offer buying and fitting advise. Whether your interest is skiing in tracks at resorts and ranches, skate skiing on similar terrain or spring crust, high country with clouds of powder and wild slopes or tamer backcountry on the network of summer trails that crisscross the Fraser Valley and are packed for snowmobiles and foot travel, the Swap will have something for you.
Purchase your 2022-23 season Grand Nordic membership (for member discounts, specials and information blasts) and your YMCA Family membership (which includes Nordic Skiing!). Look for information on Grand Nordic Free Lesson Days and the Ranch2Ranch Trek. Check out the season programs offered by the Winter Park Comp Center. Come meet the new Snow Mtn Ranch Nordic Director Parker Anderson and learn more about upcoming SMR plans and events. Covid restrictions may apply if moved indoors.
This year Winter Park Comp Center has added an Expo with ski reps showing their latest and greatest and offering hourly door prizes for those trying the Ski Erg Challenge (how is your double poling?), turning in old environmentally-unfriendly Fluorine waxes, bringing your own skis for a cleaning and wax by Toko, and more. With food trucks on hand to help you though lunch, browse the retail shops, individual used gear or shop at the Snow Mtn Ranch Nordic Center.
For more information, check the www.grandnordic.org website, call Diana Lynn at Grand Nordic 970-887-0547, or Bruce WP Comp Center Nordic 651-304-0647. Visit the Grand Nordic Facebook page. Volunteers are always needed – call Bruce at WPCC or Chris Lee [email protected].
