Thank you one and all for your snow dances!!  The Gods have heard and we have been blessed!  and more may be coming this weekend…

We have been busy moving back dates for free lessons, Season Kickoff Party and free demos, and chomping at the bit to start grooming the snow that isn’t enough to ski on.  Try explaining to visitors day after day  – “ we normally have plenty of snow in December…”  New staff and volunteers kept wondering if we really were just imagining it all.  Then suddenly, the snow blows in and we spend hours on end getting the trails ready for skiing.  Thanks to dedicated staff the trails are ready and the hoards are pacified and gliding in paradise.  Devils Thumb reports about 50 km of groomed trails, Snow Mtn Ranch about 65 km of groomed trails, and Grand Lake Nordic Center is finally open!  Conditions are good to very good but keep paying attention for occasional thin spots.  And off track is fabulous!

And the volunteers… those special people who donate their time to keep our trails maintained in summer and even groomed in winter.  They coordinate special events and create fun-filled activities, all in the name of sharing their knowledge and giving back to the things they love.  You can never say enough to praise their efforts.  Headwaters Trails Alliance could never accomplish its lofty goals without their volunteers and Grand County could never afford to pay a fare wage for what those volunteers accomplish.  HTA,  Fraser, Winter Park and other entities share grooming costs in towns and now part of the Fraser to Granby Trail but still depend quite a bit on volunteers to pick up the slack and help out.

Grand Nordic depends on volunteers as well as it is a volunteer organization.  And our volunteers are wonderful, sharing their love of Nordic skiing by sharing their knowledge for free lessons for the community.  Grand Nordic members also receive free equipment and free trail passes.  It’s the bargain of the year!  The Devils Thumb Tommelfest gave training in dryland techniques which proved a lot of fun for those who came out.  Grand Lake free lessons have been rescheduled for Sunday February 4 so mark your calendar. To sign up for your membership in Grand Nordic, visit www.grandnordic.org or call 970-887-0547 for information.  Individual rate is 25.00 and families are only $40.00.  It’s the best deal in town…

The Snow Mtn Ranch free lessons on January 7 have expanded to include a Season Kickoff Party and Biergarten in partnership with Boulder Nordic Sport, Snow Mtn Ranch, Boulder Nordic Club and Grand Nordic as well as some possible equipment demos available.  Grand Nordic assisted in the afternoon by Univ of Wyoming Nordic team offers free lessons, Boulder Nordic Sport offers a biergarten with complimentary burgers, beers, and brats, while Boulder Nordic Club will lead afternoon social ski groups.  Come out and join the fun!  It’s the perfect time to learn with lessons for beginners, intermediate or advanced in both classic and skate.  Kids have their own classic, skate and never-ever lessons as well.   Call 970-887-2152 x 4173 to reserve your space in morning or afternoon classes.

Free Kids Nordic Lessons start January 12 at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA

Free lessons for kids ages 5-10 start Friday January 12 from 1-230pm at the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center.  The program offers ski instruction for beginners and more accomplished skiers with skiing games, winter nature activities, and lots of fun and runs every Friday through the end of February.  The last week February 23 is a Nordic Festival with games, races and prizes for all courtesy of our local merchants. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to lessons to get free equipment and trail pass for the duration of the lesson.  Parents are encouraged to help and can also get free equipment and trail pass to ski with the lesson only.  Call the Nordic Center at 970-887-2152 x 4173 for further information and to register.  Call Grand Nordic 970-887-0547 with other questions.