The Sisu Nordic Ski Foundation hosted a successful inaugural Thanksgiving ski trip to the Rendezvous ski trails in West Yellowstone, MT.  The five-day trip was packed with skiing, relaxing, chocolate, licorice, and camaraderie.

To kick off the all inclusive trip, we boarded a direct Delta flight to Bozeman on the Wednesday a.m. before Thanksgiving.  After a short 2hr flight, we were picked up at the airport by a private driver and shuttled directly to our hotel, 1.5hrs up the valley to West Yellowstone, home of the Thanksgiving Ski Festival.  The Rendezvous ski trailhead was a block and a half from the hotel’s front door, so by 3:30 after a quick change of clothes we were on the trails for our first ski of the trip…30 degrees and immaculately groomed ski trails…heaven!

Each morning after a hearty buffet breakfast, we skied either classic or skate for 2-3 hours, ate lunch, took a nap, and skied the opposite technique from the morning session for another 1.5-2 hours in the afternoon.  Coaches Ben Popp and Mike Nightingale corrected the group’s most egregious technique errors during the morning ski and videotaped and led technique drills in the afternoon.

To unwind after a long day of skiing, some in the group preferred to share the hotel’s hot tub with Canadian women’s ski team members, others took in what ESPN was showing, and a few ventured outside of the hotel to explore the town of West Yellowstone.  The nights typically ended after  a buffet dinner, videotape viewing and technique critique accompanied by a few pints of beer.

A highlight of the trip was being able to ski amongst some of the country’s best cross-country skiers and watch them compete in the West Yellowstone USSA SuperTour races.  At the same time, skiers of all abilities and ages were able to enjoy soft, fast snow conditions and comfortable daily temperatures in a courteous, and supportive environment.

The Wednesday-Sunday trip was simple and organized.  From plane flight to ski trail passes, Mike Nightingale planned the entire trip so all we had to do was show up with our suitcases and equipment and be ready to ski.  After a day of skiing at 6000 + feet of elevation, getting up from the dinner table was difficult, but getting out of bed in the morning for another beautiful day on the trails was a privilege.

.                                                                                          -Mary Vancura

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