Yellowstone Ski Festival is a few weeks away
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 - By Sara Hoovler
The Yellowstone Ski Festival is a few weeks away and last minute plans are in full swing. There is still time to book a room, sign up for Nordic clinics, and register for the races. West Yellowstone is preparing to welcome thousands of skiers later this month. Entertainment is scheduled, wax rooms are readied, and skis are arriving daily. The timing is perfect. This weekend looks to be the last of the “nice” weather with snow in the near future.
On-snow training is the life blood of the Yellowstone Ski Festival. There is no better way to start off the cross-country ski season than a Thanksgiving week clinic. West Yellowstone’s three-day option is the most popular and available in women’s only or mixed groups. The Nordic clinics are open to all level skiers in both classic and skate techniques. Spend the holiday under the direction of an elite group of XC ski professionals including retired world class skiers, coaches, and qualified instructors.
Yellowstone Ski Festival Novice Biathlon Clinic and Race
West Yellowstone is the place to start a race season. Local volunteers, officials, and sponsors come together to pull off a total of seven different events over three days of racing. In 2010, the Rendezvous Ski Trails are the only spot in the U.S. to host a USSA sanctioned SuperTour event before the New Year. Over $8,000 in prize money and valuable points are up for grabs. Online registration is open; enter before November 18 to avoid late fees.
The 2010 Yellowstone Ski Festival is proud to partner with the Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone. The hotel and conference facility have been the Yellowstone Ski Festival headquarters for many years. For this upcoming season, the Holiday Inn and two sister hotels (Gray Wolf Inn and Yellowstone Park Hotel) are under new ownership and committed to being skier-friendly. Reserve a room now and stay where the action is. Best of all, all three properties are within walking distance to the Rendezvous Ski Trails.
Only 4 inches of snow is needed to transform the Rendezvous Ski Trails into your Nordic Playground. The Rendezvous Webcam offers a visual “fix” to many Nordic enthusiasts. Sadly, the Rendezvous Webcam could not handle the weather and is no longer functioning. The Chamber of Commerce is working feverishly to replace it as soon as possible. In the meantime, webcam viewers are redirected to the IMAX point of view.
What’s New at the Yellowstone Ski Festival
- 2 Day Skate, Classic, and Combo Clinics
- 1 Day “NeverEver” Beginner Clinic
- Free Adaptive XC Clinic
- USSA SuperTour Sprint Showdown
- Evening programs geared towards kids and families, i.e. Birds of Prey presentation
- A food and beer pairing with Samuel Adams at the Holiday Inn
- Kevin Michael Connolly
Don’t Forget the Favorites
- 5 day, 3 day, and 1 day Nordic Clinics
- On-Snow Demo to test drive the latest and greatest products
- USSA SuperTour Freestyle and Classic Races
- On-site Yoga and Pilates classes
- The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center Wild Winter Program
- The Backcountry Film Festival
- Wax Clinics
- Montana Outdoor Science School for kids K-6th grade
- Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
Enjoy your First Tracks in West Yellowstone. Whether First Tracks truly means the corduroy and you, or it is the first time on skis this season, or the first time on skis period; you are invited to take them at the Yellowstone Ski Festival. Think Snow and make plans now to attend the 2010 Yellowstone Ski Festival. For more information, visit www.yellowstoneskifestival.com and follow westyellxcski on Twitter or Facebook friend Yellowstone Ski Fest for up to minute news.