Chronicle Outdoors

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 2

Katie Smith, right, and Dan Cantrell, both of Big Sky, skate ski at Lone Mountain Ranch last Thursday. The first-annual Big Sky Nordic Ski Festival begins on Monday in Big Sky. Photo by Ben Pierce.

BIG SKY – Herb Davis has helped facilitate the growth of the cross-country skiing in Southwest Montana for the better part of three decades. Davis moved to the Bozeman area in 1979, coached Bridger Ski Foundation and Montana State University ski teams in the late 80s and early 90s, and now serves as director of skiing at Lone Mountain Ranch.

This coming week Davis will be part of efforts to build enthusiasm for the sport during the inaugural Big Sky Nordic Ski Festival (BSNSF). The week-long event, which begins Sunday, will celebrate Nordic skiing with family relay races, a kids’ terrain park competition, a downhill race, skijoring, educational clinics and demos of the latest in cross-country ski gear.

“Nordic skiing is definitely growing in Big Sky, largely through year-round residents, but also, increasingly visitors,” Davis said last Thursday. “We are seeing a trend where people like a little more diverse vacation. The hardcores come and spend all day skiing alpine, but many people are looking for a different experience than just riding the chairlifts.”

Davis said the cross-country trail system in Big Sky has expanded significantly in recent years. Trails maintained by Lone Mountain Ranch now stretch for 100 kilometers throughout the community, including 25 kilometers of dog-friendly trails.

The ease of access and relative affordability compared to downhill skiing is drawing more residents to cross-country skiing, Davis said.

“It is not just people disappearing into the woods in wool knickers,” Davis said. “There is a lot more to it than that. For a lot of locals, to just step out the door and go skiing, it is a family-friendly activity. And with the trails so close, it is more accessible.”

To help bolster Nordic skiing in Big Sky, proceeds from the BSNSF will be donated to the Big Sky Ski Foundation. There are currently more than 30 kids participating in Nordic programs through the foundation.

“Nordic has always tried to get kids involved,” said Dan Cantrell of Lone Mountain Ranch, “because when they start young they love it for life.”

The BSNSF begins on Sunday at noon with the third annual Glide & Gorge ski and snowshoe along Lone Mountain Ranch trails. The Hungry Moose Market, Lone Peak Brewery and Lone Mountain Ranch will have stations along the trails where skiers can stop and sample fine foods and beverages.

Lone Mountain Ranch held a similar end-of-season event back in the 1980s and the Glide & Gorge aims to revive that spirit.

On Monday, cross-country gear demos and clinics will be held from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Skiers can try out the latest skis, poles and boots from the industry’s leading manufactures. Clinics will be held on skate-skiing technique and controlling speed while skiing downhill.

From Tuesday through Sunday, the BSNSF will hold a variety of competitions.

The King and Queen of the Mountain Race will be held Tuesday with skiers racing from the height of the Lone Mountain Ranch trail system. Family sprint races will be held from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesday.

On Thursday, a terrain park challenge will be held at the Lone Mountain Ranch cross-country ski terrain park at the Big Sky Town Center. The terrain park was built in January and features a quarter pipe and numerous other jumps. Cantrell said it has been a hit with kids in Big Sky and has drawn more youngsters to the sport.

“Terrain parks are something that have been emerging in the industry for a while, and in Nordic skiing for much longer,” Davis said. “Kids have always built jumps and features, and skiing that terrain helps develop athleticism that you don’t get just cruising around on skis.”

The BSNSF will continue on Friday with skijoring races, Saturday with the ninth-annual Gallatin Glissade 20K cross-country ski race and Sunday with the resurrection of the Mad Wolf Classic.

Bring your costume. It’s going to be fun.

“The Classic was originally held in 1979 as a combined downhill and cross-country race,” Davis said. “Before ski-area litigation got to be what it is today, you could take anything down the hill, so we’d have boats and bikes. It was something I thought would be cool to bring back given the history of the ranch to showcase some of the crazy stuff from the world of Nordic skiing.”

For more information on the Big Sky Nordic Ski Festival, including a complete schedule of events and entrance fees, visit www.lmranch.com/theranch/bigskynordicskifest.

Related posts:

1. 18th Annual Loon and Fish Festival set for Memorial Day weekend at Seeley Lake
2. Montana Outdoor Science School, USFWS to host annual Watershed Festival on May 15
3. The little mountain that could: Maverick Mountain has great skiing at a great price
4. Bohart Bonus Days begin Sunday at Bohart Ranch Cross Country Ski Center
5. Get ‘em while they’re hot: Big Sky Resort announces big savings on 2010-2011 passes

Tags: Bridger Ski Foundation, Dan Cantrell, Herb Davis, Lone Mountain Ranch, Mad Wolf Classic

This entry was posted by Ben Pierce on Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 at 12:01 am and is filed under Big Sky, Skiing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.