Snow Mountain Ranch sits on 5200 acres just off Hwy 40 between Tabernash and Granby. It is a year- round playground offering over 120 km of groomed trails for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, tubing, sleigh rides and other winter outdoor activities as well as mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, Frisbee golf, zip line, climbing wall, and tubing in the summer.
One of the best groomed Nordic Centers in the country, you can cross country ski from mid-November until mid-April. The terrain can accommodate everyone from the first time skier to the elite racer. And be sure to ski with your dog on the dog-friendly loops next to the Nordic Center – but remember, leashes are required.
The Nordic Center’s full-service ski shop is where you will find great deals on lessons and rental packages. They also have the latest Nordic and snowshoe gear and apparel for sale. To re-energize, visit the Skinny Ski Café, open just before Thanksgiving, and enjoy a light snack or warm up with a bowl of soup and a sandwich. A one year membership family or individual membership is $250.00 and includes cross country skiing, sledding, winter tubing, and ice skating. A membership also gives access to the swimming pool, basketball, roller skating and so much more. You can rent cross country ski equipment, fat bikes and snowshoes at the Nordic Center. With a membership, you also get discounts on lodging at the YMCA of the Rockies. Regular trail fees for adults are $20.00 per day but Grand Nordic members receive a discounted rate of $15. Children 12 and under can ski for $10.00, and children 5 and under ski for free. A five-time punch card is available again for $85.00. For details on these and the Learn to Ski package including trail pass, equipment rental and group lesson, visit the website www.snowmountainranch.org/nordic or call 970-887-2152 X 4173.
Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center opens Nov 17 with great deals on equipment and some skiing on northfacing slopes. Storms on the horizon could change that at any time. Visit the Conditions and Grooming information page on the website for updates. Experience the Paralympic ski world Jan 10 or, new this year, learn about backcountry skiing covering modern Alpine/Touring equipment, basic avalanche safety, terrain management-travel-preparedness and touching on use of avalanche beacon, shovel and probe. Six dates are offered making this a perfect fit for those wanting to ski on their own outside the resort. The last of the series of free ski lessons offered by Grand Nordic including free equipment and trail pass for all Nordic Club members is offered Sunday Jan 7 following the Annual Snow Mountain Ranch Classic Race scheduled for Jan 6. Colorado Mountain Mushers Dog Sled Races are scheduled for Jan 6-7. The Grand Nordic RANCH2RANCH TREK FEST on Saturday Feb 10 will start at Snow Mountain Ranch, go over the Fraser to Granby Trail and end at the Granby Ranch benefiting Kids Nordic skiing in Grand County. The season winds down with the famed Snow Mountain Stampede featuring both Classic and Skate events on Mar 10 and 11 – the only place in the country to do back-to-back marathons or half-marathons! Check out the YMCA website at www.snowmountainranch.org/nordic for details.
Snow Mountain Ranch will be hosting a Thanksgiving Fall Ski Camp Nov 24-26 to hone in your basic classic and skate techniques and a Spring Festival (there’s more than just skiing but details to come) March 23-25. Free snowshoe or Nordic ski guided tours are offered many weekends for most of the winter. See the website events page under Nordic for details.
The Junior Nordic Race Program at Snow Mountain Ranch has details posted under the Junior Nordic Program page. Commit, sign up, and come participate in the training processes that will change how you approach sport and life! Says Bill Pierce, head coach. Register online at active.com. The program has already started.
Colorado Biathlon hails Snow Mountain Ranch as their home venue. Rifle certification clinics are held every fall and winter. Several events are held each month starting Dec 2 at Snow Mountain Ranch. Check www.colorado.biathlon.org/schedule or call Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center 970-887-2152×4173 for more information. Come out to see the action and learn about biathlon.
The free kids program starts after the Christmas holiday Jan 12 with Friday afternoons at 1pm for kids 5-10 and runs every weekend in January and February ending with a Nordic Festival Feb 23.
Visit the Grand Nordic Website for more information or to register for the Ranch2Ranch Trek Fest www.grandnordic.org or call Diana Lynn Rau at 970-887-0547.
