Today marks the last day of nordic ski touring center operations, and much of the valley is bare ground. For those who did not get enough kick and glide, there is still skiing to be had on the miles of trails and roads that remain unplowed in Grand County. Look away from the valley, up into the forests, whether the experimental forest or water board roads, and the season can be extended a little longer, before giving way to biking and hiking. The snow takes on a myriad of textures as the struggle between a fading winter and new-born spring volleys back and forth like a seemingly unending tennis rally. The snowpack is reported to be over 100% of normal, which is difficult to imagine, given the dryness and warmth of most of the Winter months. Creeks are opening wider and gurgling louder, birds are arriving, twittering and tweeting the way tweets were meant to be tweeted, giving the spring touring season a whole new flavor of skiing to savor. For most, the 2016-2017 nordic season is put to rest, but for the truly obsessed, it’s not over until its over.
Happy Trails!
