The Nordic News

The Alley Loop has a tendency to consume most of our resources this week, so whether or not you’re Alley Looping, we wanted to give you a heads up so you could enjoy your weekend.

Racing the Alley Loop? Please register online in advance. Walk-up registration will be possible, but knowing how many people we’ll have helps!

Not racing the Alley Loop? Your best bet is to ski on the East Side or on the Bench on Saturday. While it’s fun to cheer for racers and check out the costumes on the West Side, if you want to get much skiing in, it can be pretty chaotic. If you do go to the West Side trails, please be conscious to keep your dog on a leash so that everyone gets along.

There will be no Bistro on Sunday so that our team can keep cleaning up from the Alley Loop. Read on for more updates on what’s happening this weekend and beyond!

Our COVID metrics have improved substantially, so we’re excited to welcome masked public back into the Nordic Center/Big Mine Warming House. Remember to continue to reserve rentals in advance, as that will greatly expedite your check-out process. Additionally, if you’re with a large group, please just send one person inside. Thank you for your help in keeping everyone healthy and the Nordic Center functioning.

Most of CB Nordic’s trails are on private land, so it’s essential you stay ON the trail to keep these trails open. The recent high pressure cycle means we haven’t had a refresh of snow in quite awhile. It also means that when you put in a track off-trail, it stays for a looooong time. These additional tracks attract other skiers, snowshoers, dogs, and walkers, which then reinforces that new track. These new tracks violate our easements and put us at risk of losing access to our trails. Please stay on the groomed trail and follow all posted signage. This includes where you can bring bikes and where you cannot. Thank you for protecting our trails now and into the future!

Check out the parking restrictions for this weekend so you don’t end up with a towed car or stuck. Some parking restrictions start on Thursday (tomorrow!) night. Help us get the word out by sharing this information with your friends and neighbors.

Walk up registration and bib pick-up will be from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4 at Queen of All Saints Parish Hall. Late Registration & Bib Pick-Up will be Saturday from 7:00 – 10:00 a.m. at Queen of All Saints, Parish Hall. Extra-Late Bib Pick-Up will be available on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. – Noon at the Crested Butte Nordic Center.

Get your pre-race game-face on at the Elk Avenue Ski Scramble from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. followed by the Illuminated Disco Street Party at 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. The Ski Scramble is a new event that features a four circuit time trial on nordic skis including a pit stop at a costume chest and awkward load tow before the final sprint to the finish. Both events will be happening at the 200 Block of Elk Avenue. Participation is FREE and available to all. For more information, visit the Alley Loop event page on our website.

We’ll be doing awards this year in a few different ways and locations.

1:00 p.m. – 42k Flower Ceremony & 1k/3k Podium Awards – Elk Avenue @ 2nd. Street

3:00 p.m – Awards Banquet & Raffle – BONEZ , 103 Elk Ave. – Virtual Presentation will also be made available on CB Nordic Facebook Live.

Ready to dip your toe in the nordic ski waters, but not sure if you want to go all in? Try one of our Learn to Ski Free clinics! Join us on Fridays at 10:30 for classic or noon for skate. Each class is limited in size so you get good attention from the instructor. Please limit yourself to one class per skier per season, though, so others can have a chance to join! Registration is required at least 24 hours in advance.

Are you ready to get off the beaten path? Explore the terrain around CB? Book a cross-country ski or snowshoe tour with our trusted guides. They’ll listen to your goals and experience to plan a tour that’s customized for you and your group. We’re offering 30% off any tours booked in February! Discount is automatically applied; not valid with any other discounts.

Menstrual health is a vastly overlooked component in women’s athletics and can affect many female athletes, especially within endurance sports. This study through Western Colorado University’s High-Altitude Exercise Physiology Department aims to examine the effect of the menstrual cycle on performance in well-trained endurance athletes. Performance measures will consist of a VO₂max test and a 5k running time trial and will be accompanied by analysis of associated blood markers. We are currently looking for well-trained endurance athletes who experience secondary amenorrhea (have lost their menstrual cycle) and are not on any form of birth control. If you are interested in participating in this study to gain a more thorough understanding of how your menstrual health affects your training and performance while contributing to the growing field of research on athletic women’s health, please contact Alexia Thiros at [email protected], or (619) 980-4579.

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.