The Nordic News

We’re through the holidays and into 2023! That means it’s time to take a deep breath and reassess intentions for the rest of your winter season. Thankfully, CB Nordic has dozens of programs and services to help you get the most out of winter, starting right now.

Want to learn to ski or explore the area surrounding CB? Book a lesson/tour or join a Masters clinic.

Looking to brush up on your nordic race strategy? Sign up for one of our Pinnacle Orthopedics Community Races. Next race is coming up on Jan. 14.

Thinking of skiing in the Gothic Mountain Tour? Sign up soon before it sells out, less than 30 spots available!

Planning your costume for the Alley Loop? Don’t forget about the Alley Loop Club Clash. Get 6 of your friends together this year to compete as a team for cash prizes.

For us, starting the year on the right foot means that we’re hunkering down a bit to recover from the holidays, the epic snowstorm, and an unexpected spike of illness amongst our staff that forced us to dust off and temporarily reactivate our COVID operations protocols. We are now back open to regular operating capacity and happy to welcome our community back into the warming house. A heartfelt thank you to all in our community for your understanding while we did what we needed to do to protect our staff and keep our services available. Moving forward, it’s always a good idea to reserve skis and buy passes online just to make sure your gear sizes will be available when you are ready to ski. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to stay open and stay healthy!

Sunday Bistros are returning for the spring of 2023 at the Magic Meadows Yurt. Starting this Sunday, January 8, swing by the Magic Meadows Yurt between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to buy a la carte brunch items, including soup, pastries, and hot beverages. A trail pass and nordic skis/snowshoes are required to get to the yurt. Please remember, no dogs at the yurt.
Also coming up this Sunday, CB Nordic is hosting the Crested Butte Museum for an hour of local history. Perhaps you’ve heard some tales about how our town came to be during the 1800s, don’t know much more about it, but are curious to hear more? Drop by the Yurt between 11 a.m. – noon, grab a coffee and maybe some soup, and listen to some lore about the human history that set the roots for our beloved little community. A trail pass is required to attend either of these events.
Later in the month, we have our first ever Yurt Trivia night on Jan. 18 from 6 – 10 p.m. $40 cost covers admission, a trail pass, pizza and appetizers, non-alcoholic beverages, and one entry to the ticketed giveaway. This event is the first in a series of three, attend the full series for your chance to be 1st overall!  See you at the Yurt!

Local studio Thrive Yoga is teaming up with CB Nordic to bring you a five class series focused on yoga geared towards stretching and strengthening the nordic ski body to help keep you supple and strong all season long. Classes will be held on Mondays starting Jan. 9 from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at the Thrive studio at 326 Elk Ave. $80 covers the full series, but drop ins are welcome at the regular $22 class price if you can only make it to a few. Either way, get strong, get supple, get balanced with the joy of yoga. Sign up on Mindbody or call the Thrive Studio at 970.596.6667.

Community Races are a fun way to break up your skiing routine. These races are as competitive as you want them to be, and a great way to meet new folks, try new things, and build your fitness. We have two more opportunities for you to explore racing before the Alley Loop, followed by a fun 10k relay to round out your season. Join us on Saturday, Jan. 14, for a 10K freestyle. Register online in advance, bib pick-up starts at 9 a.m. at the Gronk. Kids’ 1K/3K races start at 9:30 a.m. followed by the adult 10K race starting at 10.  Our fourth race will be held on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Town Ranch. This race will be similar to the third, but with a longer 15K freestyle for adults. Sign up here to volunteer.

The Gray Hares (recreational skiers ages 50 and beyond) are meeting for their weekly Wednesday skis from 10 a.m. – noon. Gray Hares are not super athletes, but social folks who love to go out as a group, get some fresh air, and enjoy the views and camaraderie as they ski. There is no fee for signing up to be a Gray Hare, but Nordic Ski Passes are required to participate. If you’d like to be kept in the loop about where they’re meeting, email Jane Banks at [email protected].

Seems that many of us have Classic or Skate Poles that just don’t measure up. Crested Butte Nordic is coming to the rescue with our first annual Great Pole Swap. Skiers, ask your instructors to check out your pole length at your first Masters session. Skate poles should be up to the “mustache” zone of your face. Classic poles should be between your armpit and top-of-shoulder. Tall levers, right?! If your pole fit is off, you are in luck. We will be hosting a Pole Swap at Crested Butte Nordic on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 5 – 6 p.m. Please bring poles you would like to swap and any question you might have. It is up to you to strike a deal with your fellow skiers. No charge for admission or pre-registration required. We just want you to have the correct size of poles to propel you forward.

Pinnacle Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is honored to support the Nordic community and all that CB Nordic does for skiers’ health and wellness! We’re really looking forward to some fun competition at this winter’s Pinnacle Orthopedics Community Race Series. We hope to see you out there, but if for some unfortunate reason you have an injury, ache, or pain, you can contact Dr. Elfenbein anytime at 970-672-1980 or through our website https://pinnacleorthocolorado.com.

The 2023 Alley Loop will take place on February 5. We’re returning to the traditional one-day format, but we’ve moved the 5K to the afternoon so some of our marathoners and half-marathoners may be able to jump in for fun! We’ve also added a TEAM prize purse, the Alley Loop Club Clash, with $3,600 for first place and money going 5 teams deep! How does it work? Get yourself a team of 6–one person for each event (5K freestyle, 10K freestyle, 21K skate & classic, 42K skate & classic); your team must include two women. Register for the Alley Loop with a Team Name. Then, race! Your team will be scored “cross-country style”, and the lowest score wins. Email [email protected] if you’re interested in helping out, or register on our website.

Starting Wednesday, Jan. 11, and running through Wednesday, Jan. 18, warm wear donations for besieged Ukrainians will be accepted in the lobby of the Chamber of Commerce at the 4-way stop. Clean, new or used items are welcome. If you can, please also tuck a note of encouragement and support in the pockets of donated items. The lobby at the Chamber is open 24/7 for drop offs. Thank you for showing your support for families overseas during wartime!

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.