It was snowing! And then it wasn’t. I guess a couple inches is better than none. It was enough to make areas that had some snow already be good skiing but was not enough to fill in the almost bare ground around Devils Thumb or Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Centers. A few days of sunshine and high 30’s and it is gone. Then there was Thursday and Friday…
But Snow Mtn Ranch had snow on the north-facing hills, higher terrain, and among the trees where the sun don’t shine. So the first two races of the Grand County Race Series are a GO! The Grand Nordic 15k Skate Race at Snow Mtn Ranch (SMR) is Saturday Jan 10 starting at 11am and the SMR Annual 15k Classic is Sunday Jan 11 also starting at 11am. The higher north-facing terrain has better groomed snow than I’ve seen anywhere within a hundred miles. But you don’t get off easy getting to race start – the Skate race starts a 10-15 minute walk from the Campers Hub registration site and the Classic race start is a 20-30 minute walk so be prepared and allow enough time. Great food, prizes and awards are back at the Hub for both racers and volunteers.
And do we need volunteers! You even get a great lunch and a free race entry! Sign up and get in on the action either as a racer or a volunteer at skigrandnordic.org. Remember kids under 18 race for $10, that’s family friendly indeed.
Free Friday on January 9th is CANCELED -With little snow in the teaching or beginner areas surrounding the SMR Nordic Center, Grand Nordic has canceled the first Free Friday of the January-February season for 5-10 year olds. There isn’t enough snow in the immediate area of the Nordic Center to set tracks to “train” their skis to go forward and not slide all over. Otherwise, I can picture more than one face plant after a sudden stop on the grass that shows through the snow!
Tips for these weird winter conditions –Anywhere around the Nordic Centers or on south-facing hills, expect bare spots or grass showing thru that will stop your skis (and you!) quickly or worse, expose rocks and limbs that will damage your ski base. The snow usually hasn’t melted from the sun as much in the trees and those trees also protect you from the wind.
If you start slipping backwards when climbing a moderate hill, take shorter steps and stomp on your ski like a soldier marching. And keep your head up! It makes your wax or pattern on the bottom of your ski bite into the snow. Keep your speed under control going down hills by using a half snowplow – keep one ski pointed forward in the direction you want to go (or in the track!) and put weight on that ski. Push out with the other heel making half a “V”. The more pressure you put on the angled ski, the more you slow down. Or turn you ankle inward digging the edge of that ski into the snow for even more control.
And etiquette is important – Experienced skiers should allow room for beginners. After all they can handle it! Go have fun!
