Biathlon Range & Trail Use

by | Mar 3, 2026 | Biathlon

biathlon

Hi everyone,

Please be off the trails and range at SMR by 1:00 to preserve snow, if you are training this weekend yield to Stampede racers on Swenson and do not skate on classic tracks, and we will be making a call on whether to hold the women’s race by the end of next weekend.  

Drew’s ADHD version- 

I know some of you still have races coming up in Finland and Soldier Hollow.  As our low snow woes continue, I wanted to share some key points to get the best of what we have left.  

  1. The Y shared the following message this morning trying to keep skiers off the trail after 1PM to try to preserve the little base we have left.  Let’s apply this to the range as well: “With the hopes of preserving our trails for a while longer we ask that you consider not skiing after 1 pm for the foreseeable future.  We will also not be teaching lessons past 1 pm.  Conditions are more enjoyable in the mornings with firm tracks, fresh grooming and better glide.  The afternoons are slushy, sticky, heavy and poor gliding (aka more work for you and potentially damaging to our snow base.)  We’ll do our best to provide good grooming as much as our trails allow.  The Nordic Center will still be open from 8:30am-5pm daily.  Come on in to get your new gear for next year!  Thanks for your understanding and enjoy the rest of our spring skiing.”
  2. They have very limited options for courses for Stampede and are likely going to be using Swenson beneath the range.  Because we still have members training for races, they have graciously not asked us to close the range, so let’s be good guests and yield the right of way to racers.  They plan to ski counterclockwise so they will be going the same direction as our range loops, so this should be manageable.  If there are classic tracks set, please do not skate over them.  Double poling builds character (and abs!).  
  3. Things are looking EXTREMELY bleak for holding the women’s race on March 14.  We plan to make a call on that next weekend so people have time to cancel flights and/or lodging if needed.  We will send out an announcement as soon as a decision is made.  

Thanks everyone for a great season of racing (but a season of snow we look forward to having in the rear view mirror!).  
– Drew, Colorado Biathlon Club