The Nordic News

Welp. Now we enter that anxious time of year when we all check the forecasts every day, hoping to see even a hint of clouds and cold. CB Nordic is ready and waiting to groom for you! Unfortunately, even Lily Lake is looking pretty grim right now, so for the first time in over 30 years, we’ve cancelled our Thanksgiving Camp. We’ll be closing our doors on Thanksgiving Day so our staff can celebrate with friends and family. Otherwise, the Nordic Center continues to be open from 9 to 5 every day.

What can you do to be ready for skiing when the snow flies?

• Pick up your Season Pass – or bring in the old one! The Nordic Center is open and there are no lines, so we can have you in and out in a jiffy, ready to ski the second we have trails. New this year, if you bring in your old pass, we can just update it with a 2021-2022 sticker. Save the plastic; save the planet!
• Clean out your old wax kit. Throw away those random bits of wax and ski parts, and refresh your kit with kick wax and glide wax that suits the skiing you do these days. Make the switch to fluoro-free wax so that you’re helping ensure clean water in our ecosystems.
• Run with poles. We know, we know: it’s pretty much the coolest thing ever, but running with poles is great for engaging your upper body and core. Find yourself a mountain and “ski walk” up it, using your poles to help propel you forward.
• Do balance exercises. Waiting in line at the post office? Stand on one foot. Picking up after your kids? Do it on one foot! Balance is essential to nordic skiing, so find any way you can to stand and jump on one foot. The more you can balance in motion the better! (Jumping onto a cushion, jumping right to left, squatting up and down, etc.)
• Plan your winter. Book your yurt dinners, lessons, tours, & race registrations now so things don’t fill up! Most of our programs and events (that have not yet filled) are currently accepting reservations.

Read on for more suggestions for how to start getting more out of winter, even if right now we’re just crossing our fingers for more snow!

You can wax your skis yourself or bring them by the Nordic Center for a wax or hot box service ($15 off until Dec. 13). Our staff can help you pick out waxing tools and wax if this is something you want to learn to do yourself. Or, just keep it easy and let us do it for you, by dropping your skis off at the Nordic Center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

• Colorado Gives Day is Colorado’s day of giving that enables your gift to do more for the nonprofits you love. The $1.6 million Incentive Fund boosts your gift, adding to the total each nonprofit receives. You can schedule your gift now and it still counts towards our share of the fund. If you’re planning a year-end gift to CB Nordic or you’re ready to contribute to The Outpost (our new building!), schedule your gift via Colorado Gives Day. You’re doing good, and that good gets magnified!

We’re working with Core to offer Masters Strength Training classes, but any of their other classes are also really helpful! We’re also partnering with Thrive to offer Yoga for Nordic Skiers, if that’s more your pace. These amazing folks will help get you strong, limber, and agile for the season ahead.

Set your alarms for 12/01 at 12:01 a.m. to ensure you get a spot in the Grand Traverse Ski race this year. Plus, if you’re one of the first 100 teams to register, you’ll be entered in our Dyanfit Set for Success Giveaway. All the more reason to step into this iconic race and start your preparations now.

The incredible Alley Loop is back to its original one-day format for 2022, but new is the chance for our 42K and 21K skiers to also jump into an afternoon 5K for fun with friends and family. Check out the schedule online and be sure to register soon for 20% off!

The Crested Butte Nordic Team is looking for volunteers for our afterschool programs. The commitment is one to two days/week, generally from 3:30 – 5:30 pm, starting early December through the second week of March and observing all school breaks. Volunteer two days/week and receive a season pass for your efforts. If you already have a season pass we can refund you! Volunteering with our junior programs is a great way to get outside in the middle of winter. Our coaches and athletes are dedicated and looking to have fun and learn lots! Contact [email protected] if you are interested.

As with Thanksgiving Camp, we can’t really ski yet, so the start of Masters and the Pinnacle Orthopedics Community Race Series is postponed. Stay tuned! When we get snow, we’ll let you know when and where we’re starting up.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Crested Butte Nordic depends on your support to keep our trails world-class and our programs top-notch. Thank you for all the time, energy, and money you donate to make us a true community nordic center.