JHSC Club and Community Nordic Update

Happenings of the JHSC Nordic Program, Trail Creek Nordic Center, and Local Nordic Community

Welcome to the December Edition of “What’s Going On” for the 2025-2026 season!

Thanks for reading the December edition of the Nordic News.  This monthly post attempts to cover not only the happenings of the JHSC Nordic program, but also what’s going on at Trail Creek Nordic Center as well as items of interest to the larger Nordic skiing community as well.

If you are new to the area it can be a little confusing as to understanding all that is happening with the JHSC Nordic Program and Trail Creek.  First off the JHSC Nordic Programs:

• Lollipoppers Grades K-1 January 5 - March 18, 2026
• Teewinots Grades 2-3 January 5 - March 19, 2026
• Devos Grades 4-5 November 3, 2025 – March 18, 2026
• Juniors Grades 6-8 September 29, 2025-March 20, 2026
• Prep/Comp Grades 9-12 June 16, 2025 – March 20, 2026
• JHSC Masters December 11, 2025 – February 5, 2026

More information can be found about the teams at the jhskiclub.org.

The Coombs Foundation sponsors the Ositos youth Nordic program that skis at Trail Creek from January 6-March 19, 2026.

The Jackson Hole High School Nordic program also skis and races at Trail Creek throughout their season.

Finally, the public is also welcome to ski at Trail Creek as well.  This year day passes are $20, the JHHS Nordic Team season pass is $300, an individual season pass is $375, and a family season pass is $625.  Passes can be purchased at the Trail Creek web page. 

In general if you’re looking for a quiet ski and plenty of parking, mornings are a good bet.  If, however, you want to see lots of kids having a fantastic time on Nordic skis -  and don’t mind parking a ways away - weekday afternoons can’t be beat.

Welcome to the 2025-26 JHSC Nordic Winter!  After a warm, dry November we all are eagerly anticipating the changes in the wind and are looking forward to a cold, snowy December.  Our Junior, Prep, and Comp teams all were out on Togwotee Pass over Thanksgiving and we had stellar skiing conditions on Flagstaff Road that were provided by our coaching staff on a permit from the Bridger Teton National Forest. We were some of the only people in the Lower 48 on snow over Thanksgiving, and we definitely took advantage with many kilometers skied and countless quality hours of technique, hard sessions, and easy distance. 

We are busy working on all sorts of projects ahead of the winter season, and the next month is going to be a whirlwind of activity at Trail Creek. We are hosting races on December 12-13 in conjunction with the High School, followed quickly by the Betty Woolsey Classic on December 27th.  Sign up soon and get your holiday moving in style with a community celebration of classic skiing and Betty Woolsey, the patron of skiing at Trail Creek. We are still waiting on snow to get operations moving at Trail Creek, but with a large storm on the horizon for this weekend we are optimistic about getting to ski on snow in the near future. Our Development, Junior, Prep, and Comp teams should all start training at Trail Creek in the next week and it will be full gas from there.  As soon as the snow god permits, over 100 kids will be out skiing and having fun on the snow. 

Another great update is we are replacing the ancient Junior Cabin with a completely new building this year! The old cabin was removed last month and the new building is getting delivered on Thursday, just in time for the snow to fall.  The Junior Cabin, while historic, was the oldest building at Trail Creek Nordic Center and it was at least 50 years old!  While removing the building we found many cool artifacts from the history of Trail Creek including old trail maps, signed mementos from middle schoolers decades ago, and inscriptions of 4 digit phone numbers on the walls from a bygone era!  The new cabin will be much more mouse-proof, provide a nice warm cabin for juniors, and be a great meeting place for our middle schoolers who deserve a better facility. This upgrade was much needed and will be a great new feature heading into the winter season. 

Looking ahead to the winter, we are going to have a full schedule with tons of fun practices at Trail Creek, new faces, and racing from now until April!  We want to welcome all of the new arrivals to the program and we hope to see everybody out on the snow at Trail Creek soon!

Will Wicherski

Nordic Program Director & Head Coach

Devos

The Devo Team truly hit the ground running in November - building fitness and strength through games, circuits, scavenger hunts, and weekly hikes up High School Butte. Along the way, athletes have been strengthening not just their bodies but also their connections with one another through intentional team-building activities. 

This year’s squad is our biggest yet, with nearly 40 athletes who are not only committed to fall dryland training, but also participating in dance, soccer, robotics, swimming, and more. Their enthusiasm is matched by the coaches, all of whom are eagerly counting down the days until we can transition to on-snow training at Trail Creek. 

Coaches Libby, Charlotte, John, Leah, Matt, Ruby and Tova

Junior Team

Our Junior Nordic team has been busy and thriving these past few months! Athletes have been working hard with a great mix of rollerskiing, running, strength training, and plenty of fun games to build skills and stay sharp. Their energy and teamwork have been awesome to see.

We’re also excited to share that, after a solid three days of skiing up on Togwotee Pass, the team is feeling strong, confident, and more than ready for snow here in the valley. Spirits are high—we are all eager to transition from dryland to real skis as soon as conditions allow!

This year, our coaching staff includes: Ben Morley, Sevi Hagen, Johnny Springer, and George Cartwright.

We’re lucky to have such a dedicated crew, and combined with this year’s group of athletes, it’s shaping up to be a truly special season.

We’re grateful for our wonderful athletes and their families. Thanks for the support, the enthusiasm, and the positive energy every week. We can’t wait to get skiing soon!

See you out there,
Coach George & the Junior Nordic Staff

Prep/Comp Team

The Prep/Comp teams have been doing lots of dryland training all summer and fall, and are eagerly awaiting the start of winter here at home. We spent the fall roller skiing, running, weightlifting, and working on our ski specific strength and speed. 

During Thanksgiving break, the team headed north to Togwotee pass for a week of great skiing, where we were able to do our own grooming and have excellent conditions for skate and classic skiing. We re-adjusted to being on snow and worked on lots of technique with no pole skiing, video review, and 1-2 ski sessions each day. The team was hosted for the week by Turpin Meadow Ranch where we got excellent meals and easy access to Togwotee Pass. Thanks to all the families who joined us at Turpin for Thanksgiving dinner, we were treated to a variety of delicious homemade dishes and feasted on seconds and thirds of everything!

We are back home and awaiting snow at Trail Creek to prepare for the first races of the season that will be hosted at Trail Creek, a WY High School race Dec. 12-13.

Luna Wasson

Head Coach and Nordic Program Director

Nordic Masters

The Recreational Nordic Masters program is a series of Nordic clinics for adults taught by JHSC coaches and is open to all levels from beginners to racers. There will be 8 clinics offered this year, 4 Skate and 4 Classic, on Thursdays from December 11th to February 5th.  In a low-key atmosphere, with a focus on fun and socializing, clinics will include drills, games, and distance skiing at JHSC operated Trail Creek Nordic Training Facility (final 2 clinics) and Teton Pines Nordic Center (first 6 clinics). 

Participants may register for the Skate only series, the Classic only series, or both (recommended, and the best value!) Utilizing the USSA training system, this program offers not only ski instruction, but a fundamental way of understanding skiing. So, register soon and get ready to have some fun, improve your skiing, and meet other skiers from around the valley!

• Registration opens October 1 - you must be registered to participate
• Please note our platform is designed for adults registering their minor children, and it allows for adult participation. Follow the prompt when you make your account that asks if you need to register yourself. 
• When asked to enter your medical providers and insurance information, if you wish not to share these with us, you may enter your name and phone number instead.
• You may skip past the section that asks about your membership affiliations, these are not required for Masters at this time.
• If you have questions about the process, please email info@jhskiclub.org

Is this your Birkie year?

If you’ve been in Nordic skiing for any time at all, you’ve probably heard of the legendary American Birkebeiner. This series of events, spanning over a week, culminates in a grueling 53 K race which will be held Saturday February 21^st, 2026.  What might really make this your “Birkie” year is that in addition to the Birkebeiner, Junior Nationals are being held on some of the same trails March 9-14, 2026. 

The events will be near the town of Cable, Wisconsin which boasts ample snow most years and some amazing Nordic terrain.  Plenty of hills, woods, and meadows will all beckon skiers on, whether they are skiing the ultimate 53 K race, or competing on one of the other numerous events.  Spectators will definitely get their money’s worth experiencing the beautiful chilly scenery spiced with the warm Wisconsin hospitality.

The American Birkebeiner, or Birkie, is the largest cross-country skiing race in North America. It debuted in 1973 and is a founding member of the Worldloppet federation of cross-country ski marathons. The event was founded in 1973 by Tony Wise, a passionate Nordic skier who drew upon his Norwegian heritage, modelling the extravaganza after the Birkebeinerrennet race in Norway, which has been happening since 1932 and commemorates an important historical event in 1206. If you want to read further, Wikipedia has lots of information on both the American Birkebeiner and the Birkebeinerrennet.  Clicking on the following links will get you information about Birkie week and the original Norwegian version of the Berkie which will be held Saturday March 14, 2026.

Whether it’s skiing the Birkie, experiencing the thrill of Junior Nationals, or just some great Wisconsin Nordic skiing, this would a great year to pack your skis and head east.  Google calls it about a 19 ½ hour 1,266 mile drive.  Most people will probably catch a flight to Minneapolis from where you can rent a car for the 3 hour drive to Cable, Wisconsin.  It is possible to fly into Duluth, MN which would cut your drive time down to an hour and a half.  If you are really looking for an adventure and didn’t want to worry about excess baggage or airport security, you could also drive 7 hours to Shelby, MT where you could catch the Amtrak Empire Builder to St. Paul Minnesota where you could also rent a car for the three hours to Cable, Wisconsin.

Have you ever had a Birkie dream, 2026 could be your year!

Let it snow!

While the snow has been quite slow this year, the forecast has finally turned a Nordic direction with much snow forecast in the days ahead which will hopefully open the gates to a great winter of skiing.  Our Husky has taken its yearly journey to the snow cat spa in Utah and has returned with a great bill of health, ready for another year of fantastic corduroy.  Our reliable Skidoo snowmobile has also been serviced and is ready for the Ginzu, roller, pulling the sled, or whatever mission comes its way.

In the long term forecasts, the latest three month forecast from the National Weather Service shows that our part of Wyoming is forecast to be slightly cooler than normal with abundant amounts of precipitation, be sure to have those skis ready to go! 

There is once again a relatively busy race schedule at Trail Creek this winter.  The season kicks off with the 2 day Wyoming High School Race December 12-13.  In a perfect time slot for recovery from the holidays, the Betty Woolsey Classic Race takes place on December 27^th.  Next we host the Moose Chase February 14^th.  The Skinny Skis Wydaho Season Finale is on the docket for March 14^th, and the expanded FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) Spring Series Race is scheduled for April 3^rd-5^th.  Many days of racing to look forward to!

Finally on the wildlife front which is such a huge part of skiing at Trail Creek; the slow accumulation of snow has kept things pretty quiet in the fields and woods.  So far a few moose sightings have been reported and our resident winter elk herd has not moved in yet as of report time.  Coyote and fox tracks have been in abundance although they have been somewhat elusive so far and it appears as if we have an abundant squirrel population this year.

Don’t forget to get your passes purchased (at the Trail Creek Page) so you’re ready to jump on the snow as soon as it falls, it’s going to be a great Nordic year!

High School racing kicks into high gear in December with racers competing here at Trail Creek December 12-13 for the Wyoming High School season opener.  The weekend after that is the IMD opener in Sun Valley.  US Senior Nordic Nationals are just around the corner in January on the 4-9 in Lake Placid, NY.  Much more IMD and High School racing continues in January.  

Masters have plenty of opportunities as well in December with the JHSC Masters Clinics on Thursdays beginning December 11^th, and the Betty Woolsey Classic Race at Trail Creek on December 27^th.

In short, there is no lack of opportunity to ski or spectate in the busy month ahead, so get those skis waxed and be ready to keep on skiing!  Click here or on the image below to go to the full calendar, complete with clickable links.

Thanks so much to the skiers and sponsors who make this all possible, with an extra special thanks to our season pass holders! 

Thanks to our amazing staff!

Thank you to the multitude of youth athletes, for whom this program is designed and would be impossible without their dedication and support!

A special thanks to Jackson Hole Nordic for being a strong supporter of our programs.