YOUR AD HERE »

Nordic season ending

Aspen Times Staff Report
Aspen, CO Colorado

ASPEN ” The season is running short for Aspen’s cross country skiers.

Though the snow remains thick on the Aspen golf course, the Aspen Cross County Center’s final day of operation is Saturday, March 29.

The Snowmass Cross Country Center at the Snowmass Club golf course closed for the season last Sunday.



Nordic grooming at both golf courses will continue through this weekend. The trail loops at Aspen High School are slated to see continued grooming through Sunday, April 6, and the Owl Creek Trail probably will see periodic grooming until that date, as well, said city trails coordinator Austin Weiss.

Whether North Star, and the Moore and Marolt loops see further grooming will depend upon snow conditions.




Ashcroft Ski Touring, located south of Aspen in the upper Castle Creek Valley, will operate though Sunday, April 6. There is a fee to use the Ashcroft trails, while the Aspen-Snowmass system is free.

The nordic trails at Spring Gulch outside of Carbondale still held good snow as of last Sunday.

A year ago, the nordic trails at the Aspen Golf Club had melted out before the end of March, but this year’s voluminous snowpack has extended the season for the kick-and-glide set.

The Aspen center’s annual lease is up April 1, however, and the city’s golf operation is poised to supplant the cross country center in the clubhouse building at the golf course.

The date of opening day at the Aspen Golf Club is anybody’s guess, but golf pass purchasers are invited to give it their best shot, so to speak. The club has promised a free golf pass for the 2009 season, should someone correctly peg the correct date and time of this season’s first tee time.

Local golfers have through March 31 to purchase a golf pass this year at preseason, discounted rates.

A season pass currently is priced at $1,000, or $200 off the regular season price; a 20-punch pass currently is selling for $475, or $50 off the regular season price.

The passes are available at the Red Brick Arts and Recreation Center, Monday through Friday, and at the Aspen Recreation Center (ARC) seven days a week.

Golfers will get a chance to enter the pick-the-tee-time contest when they buy their 2008 pass. Only 2008 pass holders are eligible to enter, and all entries must be received at the ARC or the Red Brick.

The Aspen Skiing Co. reported no new snow over the past 24 hours on local slopes in its Wednesday morning snow report.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center report for the Aspen zone on Wednesday, March 26:

The avalanche danger is moderate on all aspects near and above treeline. Steep, wind-loaded slopes facing NE-E-SE are the most suspect ones for human-triggered avalanches today. Below treeline the danger is low this morning but will rise to moderate on all aspects as the sun and warm temperatures weaken the snowpack.

Go to http://avalanche.state.co.us/ for the full report and information on conditions statewide.

News


See more