The Boulder Nordic Club is being granted a special use permit by the Boulder Ranger District for “trail grooming” on approved corridors in the West Magnolia area. See https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd516176.pdf for a map of approved corridors. The permit should take effect before the end of 2017 and closes on April 1, 2018.
“Trail grooming” is a Forest Service phrase intended to communicate that a party, in this case the Boulder Nordic Club, has been authorized to prepare snow surfaces for things like cross-country skiing. Trail grooming does not necessarily mean that there will be skiing all season at the location.
This project was initiated by the Nederland Area Trails Organization who proposed to the BNC that the BNC perform grooming on a limited basis in order to gain support for NATO’s desire to raise funds for and then purchase its own grooming equipment for use at West Magnolia in the future.
The board of the BNC agreed to NATO’s proposal and authorized ‘application for special use permit and subsequent one time, pilot demonstration groom’ at West Magnolia. The board’s intentions are to respond constructively to a reasonable request from a peer nonprofit and to serve the mission and membership of the BNC by actively exploring possible new skiing terrain in the area.
At the same time, the BNC’s grooming operations are volunteer based and obligated to groom North Boulder Park and CU South. Thus, the limited nature of the pilot groom is an attempt to balance the responsibilities of the BNC’s operations.
Skiing, snow shoeing, and fat biking will be allowed uses on the groomed corridors. For many, fat biking represents change. The BNC seeks to share trails with users in a civil manner.
Please consider directing support of this project to NATO’s eventual actions to sustain grooming.
The BNC will communicate information regarding grooming at West Mag via https://bouldernordic.org and associated social media platforms as well as email. Conditions and volunteer availability will determine when grooming may take place.
Thanks to the Boulder Ranger District for its patient and collaborative work on this project. Thanks to NATO for supporting the work and enthusiastically accompanying the BNC throughout the project. Thanks to Boulder County for lending a hand with some details. Thanks also to the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance for its interest in the project.
Thanks to you. Projects like this require institutional capacities such legal status, functional board oversight, a treasury, equipment, experienced operators, and a history of capability in order to successfully partner with the federal government and serve the nordic community. Join us at https://bouldernordic.org.
When or if grooming occurs, let’s all enjoy it. It could be pretty good skiing now and then.
