Colorado Cross Country Skiing

February 4 Alley Loop Set to Proceed as Planned!

The Alley Loop is on!  After a few weeks of worry, Mother Nature solved all of our problems with 31 inches of new snow last week! The Magic Meadows and West side trails used by the longer Alley Loop races have been open since mid-December. With a bit of hard-work weed-whacking and snow-shoveling they were actually skiing quite well, even before the new snow.  Now, with this week’s fresh trails are in world-class shape! The snow also means that the full in-town course for the Alley Loop Nordic Marathon, to be held on Saturday, February 4, is viable, including the Start/Finish on Elk Ave.

Some changes to this year’s Alley Loop schedule are that the awards will get separate billing. Kids’ awards will be handed out at the Brick Oven Pizzeria, right by the Start/Finish at 11:30 am. The adults’ awards will be at 4 p.m. at Montanya Rum Distillery, Crested Butte’s new rum distillery, located in the historic powerhouse building on Elk Ave.

Also new this year is the Sunday “morning after” Yurt Brunch.  The yurt is located in the heart of the Magic Meadows, so you can ski your recovery laps in between savoring fine foods prepared by private chef Tim Egelhoff. Only a mile from the trailhead, the yurt is a family friendly destination and a unique experience to round out your Alley Loop weekend. Cost is $25 adults, $10 for kids, and reservations are required by calling 970-349-1707, ext. 2.

Registration for the 26^th Annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon is online until 10 p.m. on February 2, and in person at the CB Chamber of Commerce from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 3. There is no day-of registration. The first race goes off at 9 on Saturday, followed by the other races at intervals.

With 35 kilometers of trail open today, and new trails opening all the time, the Nordic skiing in Crested Butte is terrific these days, especially when contrasted with the lack of snow and available terrain in other places. Plus, more snow is forecasted for the weekend, which always helps. At this point, we’re mostly just surprised there aren’t more people out there!

More information about the race can be found online, at www.cbnordic.org, or by emailing Events Director Janelle Smiley, at janelle@cbnordic.org. For more information about the trails, check out the website or call the CBNC at 970/349-1707.

Happy Skiing!