Nordic Ski Club slides through a slow winter

This winter’s snowfall has been less than ideal for skiers and snowboarders. However, that isn’t stopping campus organizations like the MSU Nordic Ski Club from trying to get out on the snow.

The club, which has around 20 active members, provides an opportunity for skiers of all skill levels to compete in races, ski for fun and meet new people, according to President Frank Calandrella.

“Our passion is always to just be sliding on snow somewhere,” he said.

“Most of our members have a history of cross-country ski racing, whether in high school or they took gap years and raced for clubs,” Calandrella said. “But we do always have people who are new to the sport or just recreational skiers.”

Calandrella said this season’s conditions have made hosting events difficult. “This year, we’ve had a little bit of an unusual winter with not a lot of snow, so we haven’t been able to get out and ski as much as we would like,” he said.

Because of this, one of the team’s season highlights — so far — was an event that took place before winter even began: the annual Crosscut Clearing Day in the fall.

“It’s an annual volunteer activity that we do at Crosscut to help clear trails so they’re ready to go when the snow falls,” Calandrella said, adding that the event allows team members to give back to the community and reinforce their connection to the trails.

The club typically competes in several events throughout the season and had races planned at Crosscut in January and February of this year. However, due to low snow, both races were canceled, Calandrella said.

“Crosscut decided that they didn't have enough snow to realistically hold a race weekend with upwards of 200 plus skiers,” he said. “Instead, they decided to groom about four kilometers of trail for a fundraiser race, the Ski for Soren. This is normally a race in memory of Soren Hartnett, but was just a fun-ski this year.”

Ski for Soren is an annual race that raises money for the Soren Joseph Hartnett Legacy Scholarship Fund, according to the Ski for Soren website. In 2020, Harnett suffered a fatal heart arrhythmia due to previously undiagnosed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome while training with his Bridger Ski Foundation Nordic ski teammates, according to the One Valley Community Foundation’s website.

Typically, races at Crosscut — such as Ski for Soren — draw about 15 Nordic Ski Club members, but due to this season’s conditions, only four participated in the fun-ski, according to Calandrella.

Because the races in January and February were canceled, the team has not competed this year.

“It looks like our only real race will be in West Yellowstone in March,” Calandrella said. “We will face stiff competition from MSU DI skiers, BSF Pro Team, Crosscut Biathlon team and many of the masters level skiers who show up for this race.”

Despite conditions in Bozeman, the Tetons show promising snow conditions for the annual club cross-country ski trip, according to Calandrella.

“The Tetons [and] Jackson Hole look to have some storm cycles coming in the next two weeks that will make for a great week of skiing to make up for the lack of winter in Bozeman,” he said.

The all-expenses-paid trip, set for the end of February, is supported through team fundraisers. It features two half-day ski outings as well as a full day outing at Moose Junction, according to Calandrella.

The event is typically a big draw for the club and 12 members are set to attend this year, according to him.

While this season may not feature the same volume of skiing as years past, the club's purpose extends beyond the slopes.

“I would say our culture is very inclusive and laid back. You know, we have low team dues, we provide a lot of opportunities for people to get out and ski with us, carpool to races, carpool to practices,” he said. “

For those looking to try Nordic skiing, Calandrella said the club offers a welcoming environment.

“What stands out is our community. We are accepting of people no matter their ability, and take pride in meeting people where they are at and helping them slide on snow,” he said.

To learn more about the Nordic Ski Club, visit its Instagram page @ski_club_msu or reach out to msuclubskiing@gmail.com.