In late September, cross-country ski enthusiasts gathered at the Old Thompson Barn in River Valley Ranch. The occasion? Celebrating 40 years of nordic skiing outside of Carbondale. The event sold out, with skinny skiers from around the Roaring Fork Valley turning out for the four-decade milestone. “It was incredibly special to hear from many of the founders about the vision and ethos that laid the foundation for Spring Gulch,” said Rachel Bachman Perkins, executive director of the Mount Sopris Nordic Council (MSNC).
“There were plenty of emotional moments, and it was so moving to hear each of the speakers reflect on their experiences and the broad, lasting impact Spring Gulch has had and continues to have on our community,” Bachman Perkins added. “Some of the themes that resonated most with me were the importance of creating an inclusive, welcoming trail system: free public access, beginner- and intermediate-friendly trails, and grooming that exceeds expectations for a small, grassroots Nordic area.”
Bachman Perkins said she feels that Spring Gulch still has the same grassroots spirit from when it was founded. “The trails exist because people have been willing to volunteer their time, contribute financially, lend their expertise, and work together toward a shared vision. Just as essential is the generosity of the landowners who’ve allowed us to build and grow the trail system over the past four decades, all to support our community. Without their continued partnership and belief in our mission, Spring Gulch as we know it simply wouldn’t exist.”
She and the MSNC board look to carry the same stewardship forward by organizing and fundraising to protect cross-country ski access. “We want Spring Gulch to be here for the next generation of skiers,” she said, “which means continuing to invest in our trails and equipment, adapting to changing winter conditions, and preserving the welcoming, community-driven spirit that has defined the ski area from the beginning.”
Chris Landry, one of Spring Gulch’s founders, said, “Creating a community ski area at Spring Gulch seemed like a pretty good, but pretty risky, idea … Would anyone else really think it was worth building, or actually use it?” Landry supported the September celebration remotely, but thanked the community and encouraged them to thank one another.
Bachman Perkins reported that around 160 community members attended the event, which was held with support from Alpine Bank, Pitkin County Open Space & Trails, Destination Holdings, Dos Gringos, Aquila Cellars and Mountain Heart Brewing.
The Mount Sopris Nordic Council is looking forward to the upcoming 40th winter. “This wet fall certainly gives us reason to hope that our 40th winter will make up for the last one,” Bachman Perkins said. “We’re incredibly grateful for all the shoveling and snow farming our staff took on last season, but we’d much rather be buried in snow and have our snowcat working hard on the trails rather than parked in the barn!”
She added that the organization continued investing in climate resilience throughout the summer thanks to its recent capital campaign supporters. Community volunteers have helped complete work including widening and regrading trails and vegetation management projects to rejuvenate aspen and oak groves. “Using wood chips produced on site, we’ve also improved the base of Finlandia, Heja and Tipple, covering dark, coal-slaggy soils to reduce heat absorption and slow early snowmelt,” Bachman Perkins said. “These improvements should help the trails hold snow longer.”
The excitement for the coming winter includes new sport access and several already-scheduled events. This year, MSNC purchased three laser biathlon kits to supplement five owned by the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC) following successful trial use last winter. The investment will help support safe community biathlon events. “Biathlon is super dynamic and growing rapidly across the country, so we’re excited to introduce more of our community to the sport,” Bachman Perkins said.
Next month, MSNC is hosting a start-of-winter Nordic Social at El Dorado in Carbondale from 5 to 7pm on Dec. 17. The Spring Gulch Rat Race, part of the Aspen Nordic Cup citizen race series, is slated for Jan. 16. MSNC’s annual fundraising ski event, Ski for Sisu, is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 7.
You can learn more about the Spring Gulch ski trail system and Mount Sopris Nordic Council at springgulch.org