West Yellowstone Ski Festival 2015

Of the 7 years I've spent Thanksgiving week in West Yellowstone this year was one of the best. There was more snow than there has been in years and cold temperatures to keep it. All week there was exceptionally great training with the Sun Valley Comp and Gold Teams. Then at the end of the week we got to race the first of the SuperTour series with a skate sprint and a skate 15km. 

First ski in West with Matt, Rogan, Colin and Ben

Early morning walks in the sub 0 temperatures

The rare polar wax recommendation from the wax thermometer 

View from just outside the gym, not b

The Comp team crew getting after it with some L4 intensity mid-week

Early sunsets and a full moon made for some amazing moonlit skis back to town

The night before the first races of the season making the standard skier-man

Race stadium, start lane on the left and finish on the left

Rogan and father Bruce checking the results post 15km

Gold Team ladies, Deedra and Mary, throwing down in the  skate 10km

WNSA teammate, Maddy, finishing a strong 10km race

Starting out in -20F for the last ski at West, stoked on some sun rays

It is always hard to leave West, especially when the trails are so amazing. Luckily Sun Valley has got some of its own great skiing, and another SuperTour weekend starting with a classic sprint on the 6th and a classic 15km on the 7th, oh yeah!

Frozen Thunder

Over 800 miles  from Sun Valley to Canmore, 14 hours in the back of a van. It is an odd way to spend Halloween, but it was all worth it when I got to strap into skis and get my first on-snow training of the year.

 Each year in the spring Canmore Nordic Centre stockpiles snow, protecting it so it keeps through the summer. Then late in October they push it out into a small loop for early on snow training, naming it Frozen Thunder. This year, with an exceptionally long and hot summer there was only enough snow to make a 1km loop, but it was the best 1km loop I've ever skied.

 We were there for a 10 day camp, focusing on adjusting to on snow skiing and one more big hour week before the season kicks off at West Yellowstone. The majority of training was on the Frozen Thunder loop, just 5 minutes from the hotel. We also used the nordic centres gym, running trails around Canmore, and drove into Banff for a big ski around Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. The quality of training was phenomenal, chasing the Gold Team guys surrounded by the Canadian Rockies was an amazing experience.

View from the hotel

Canmore Nordic Centre

The beautiful ribbon of white

Getting to put the kilometers in with Gold Team skier Miles and Ben

Ran the course that will be used in the World Cup this spring

The wax and gear room right off the loop

Skiing up Moraine Lake road

Mary and Matt at Lake Moraine in Banff National Park

Ben at the shore of Lake Louise

Back of the van, enjoying the ice crystal art on the window

Great views of Canmore from the Highline Trail on our way to the gym

Great strength facilities at the nordic centre

A mix of man-made and natural snow extended the loop to just under 2km by the end of the camp

Rogan loves it

Gold Team skier, Mary, working with coach Colin

Ben putting in the kilometers in some spectacular surroundings

Stretching and activation before some on snow speed work

Mid week we had the opportunity to throw down with some Canadian xc and biathlon skiers in a 10km time trail. It felt great putting a bib on and getting rid of any early season race nerves. Also the small laps guaranteed lots of time skiing with some of North America's best.

Mary flying into the finish

Paige pushing hard over the top, lap after lap.

Deedra digging deep on the last lap

Lost track of laps, thanks for helping my oxygen starved brain out Colin and Tom

Some pano and HDR photos of the stadium and towering Rockies all around

Definitely will be coming back to this, what an amazing experience 

It was 10 days of great views and even better training. Finishing up the camp I feel comfortable on snow and more excited and ready to race then I ever have. Can't wait for the race season to start in West, it's going to be a fun one.