Chicken Creek Nordic

Filet

2012-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Boneless and tender. John got on it early this morning and laid down some perfect corduroy all over the joint. Should be amazing conditions on everything that's been groomed:
Bauer Loops
Hamlin Loop (now including the road)
Rush Creek Loop
Unless we get more snow soon, this is as good as it's going to get. Reports coming in from skiers this morning indicate the Chicken is quite tasty. So help yourself.
Please don't neglect the donation box. Many thanks to those of you who have made generous contributions so far. Our capital expenses vary only a little bit no matter how much snow we get.
Enjoy!

All Wings Considered...

2012-01-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

It's really nice up at the area. Yesterday Joan and I skated everything that got groomed and conditions were ranging from good to sublime. Most of Hamlin was simply superb.
Of course the warm days are messing with the snow and at this rate it'll go quickly.
Today - Thursday - Andy and Alan are making the Bauer loop shine and even setting some classic track. Get it now before it all thaws!

...Executed!

2012-01-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

It wasn't pretty, or easy, but with the help of Joan and Cap we got the upper loops groomed. Middle of the day temperatures were problematic and will probably remain so for the next few days - if you believe the weather forecast.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Mancos&state=CO&site=GJT&lat=37.3465&lon=-108.293
The best plan is to get up there early in the day while it's still nice and crispy. Tomorrow morning (Wed) the skiing ought to be pretty amazing.

The Plan...

2012-01-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

OK, here it is...

Two, maybe three groomers will be out tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, making some noise and flattening out the snow. Making sweet corduroy. Come on. Enjoy. Every girl, every boy.

Grooming Report Revisited: Skaters Read This!

2012-01-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

OK kids. I need to revisit last night's overly optimistic assessment of conditions at the area; especially for those of you hoping for a good skate.

As of right now, my suggestion for skaters would be to stick to the Bauer Loops, as they received the most attention from the groomers. Joan and I skated everything that got rolled, but honestly it was pretty tough going above the Bauer Loops. And, not everything got rolled. Most notably the FS road from the bottom of Hamlin to the top of Hamlin, and the road above Hamlin as well. Sorry for any confusion. I will get my facts straight before publishing posts. Mea maxima culpa.

If you are kicking and gliding, conditions are good, but be advised no classic track has been set as of today. If we get adequate snowfall tonight, then maybe, just maybe we'll have enough depth to lay some parallels down for y'all.

As I peer out my window at 3:16 pm I see a few flakes floating freely by. Yippee!

Gettin' Deeper

2012-01-22T22:14:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Mark and Hank for getting on the fresh snow today. Mark is claiming 14 inches of new snow up at the higher reaches. The guys groomed everything except for Dolph Kuss and Turkey Creek loops, so there should be a ton of great skiing up there (and a lot fewer rocks to ruin your day).

A slight to moderate chance of more snow through Tuesday means hopefully we'll hang on to what we've just gotten, and perhaps add to it. Wouldn't that be nice?

Master of the Obvious

2012-01-22T07:45:00.000-08:00

Fresh Snow! We got some, and that is exciting news. As soon as we get any information on how much fell up at the ski area and plans for grooming it, I'll publish it in the blog.
It's about time the skies opened up. And it appears there may be more on the way. Chick chick, Hooray!

Just Enough

2012-01-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late posting, but we needed to let you all know that the skiing is pretty decent up at the area. Hank started to groom on Tuesday but ran into equipment trouble. Mark bailed him out yesterday and got everything groomed. Coverage is thin, but it looks like more is on the way (perhaps).

So, in the immortal words of Hank, "the skiing is pretty good since it snowed." Better coverage up higher, as usual. Leave your good skis at home.

All trails groomed. Go get some.

Holiday Poultry Party

2011-12-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

Good news for all you anxious skiers. Brad groomed the lower loops and the road up to the Hamlin Loop, as well as the Hamlin Loop itself. He says the conditions are "not bad." Which is at least one step up from bad. Possibly more than one.
Anyway, he states the road should be good for skating where it is not too badly rutted above the bottom of the Dolph Kuss loop. So if you got new skis for Christmas...
Happy Holidays to you all out there in Chicken Land. Enjoy the snow.

Let It Roll

2011-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

I just got a call from Hank and he informed me that the entire trail system was "track packed" today. Translated into what passes for English these days, that means the snowmobiles were run over the length of the trails to pack the snow down, in an attempt to hang on to what we got.

What we Got: Not too much at the trail head; about three inches of snow, more or less. Toward the top end of the Hamlin Loop, Hank estimates we got about 10-11 inches. Hey, it's a start. Cross your wing tips and hope to cluck we get some more snow soon.

Friends of Chicken Creek Meeting - November 3rd

2011-10-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

Notice of Friends of Chicken Creek Board Meeting

Thursday, November 3rd at 4:30pm at the Mancos Public Library (Community Meeting Room)

We will discuss plans for 2011-12 season, brush cutting, new trail, $, updates from Forest Service, election of officers....
and any other agenda items that are suggested

Hope to see you!

Tonight's the night!

2011-04-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Alright fans, this is it! Don't forget the Millwood Follies are tonight. Here are some of the fabulous prizes on offer:
DOOR PRIZES:

$50 gift cert P&D grocery
$37 gift basket Singing River farm
$40 massage from Janice Hall
$50 Cellar cuts hair salon gift cert
$30 gift cert Dolores River Brewery
$40 dinner Millwood Junction
$50 gift basket Ska Brewery

This is but a SMALL SAMPLING!

There will be a LIVE auction for three packages including these items:

Overnight stays at the General Palmer Hotel in Durango
Free passes for the Narrow Guage Railroad from Durango to Silverton
Dinner at Ken & Sue's, Durango
Tickets to the Bruce Cockburn concert in May
Overnight stays at the Doubletree in Durango
Dinner at East by Southwest in Durango

And much much more!

Also tons of Silent Auction items, including dinner at the Kennebec Cafe, beautiful local jewelery, sports equipment, musical instruments, coffee gift basket, a pizza party catered for 10, AND MUCH MORE!

Don't you dare miss it...

Have big fun, win cool prizes! Really!

2011-03-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in an earlier entry, The Chicken Creek Cross-Country Ski Area will be the organization benefitting from this year's Millwood Follies.
Saturday, April 2
Doors open at 4:00 PM
Fun starts at 5:00 PM

This year Joan Brind'Amour (with some help) is doing an outrageous job of gathering up all kinds of great door prizes and silent auction items. Here is a sampling:

$220 pair of new Fischer skate skis from Pine Needle Mounteering
2 new packs from Osprey Packs, Cortez
$1000 septic engineering job from Cap Allen
$230 value lunch for 2 and soak at Dunton Hot Springs
New Goggles from Kokopelli
New set Pyrex bake ware from Slavens
$115 new Camelback from Gardenswartz
Gift certificates from "The Farm" restaurant in Cortez
Gift basket of coffee from Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters
2 Stained Glass window stars from Lalu Stained Glass
Gift certificate for full hour massage from Chyrise Bay
Enameled Beaded Pin by Marilyn Kroeker
Gift Basket from Singing River Farm, soaps, lotions
Black on Black signed Santa Clara Pueblo pottery from Picaya Cortez
Gift basket from the Beehive in Mancos
Gift Certificate from the Absolute Bakery in Mancos
Gift Certificate from the Dolores Food Market
Handmade necklace by Christie Smith
Two day passes for Trimble Hot Springs
Handmade Necklace and Earrings by Patty Russell
Four Rib Eye steaks, grass fed beef by Burk Beef, Mancos

Crazy, isn't it?
The thing is, there's a lot more! I'll be updating with another post in a few days as we get more items in hand. I hope you've saved the date, and please tell your friends.

Hurray for Hank

2011-03-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

OK, just disregard yesterday's entry. Hank got out there this morning and groomed all of the Bauer loops, the Rush Connector, one pass around Rush Creek, and a single pass down the road. He reports the snow is in excellent condition. Go forth, ski.

Chicken Creek Update

2011-03-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

Some folks are wondering why the new snow wasn't groomed, so let me do my best to explain. As fabulous as the fresh snow we got was (is), we need always to look beyond the day in which it falls to determine if it will still be there in two days before we get too fired up about grooming it. Time, equipment resources, and gasoline are all required to make this work. Almost all of our volunteers have full-time (or more) jobs. Our equipment is old and cantankerous. And gasoline is expensive! So it becomes difficult to justify spending all that time and energy when we know the snow will be gone - or seriously compromised - in a couple days. The high temperature forecast for tomorrow is nearly 60 degrees. Already a great deal of the fresh snow is already gone, or in really crummy shape.

So we ask your forbearance in this situation. No one stepped forward to groom, despite a request to the volunteers. I would suggest that there are always opportunities for more groomers to join our ranks. It is a marvel what we accomplish with a small group of dedicated volunteers. And we are always receptive to newcomers with the time, energy and ambition to offer their services. Feel free to reply to this entry if you think you qualify. I'll be happy to contact you and we can include you in our pre-season groomers meeting next year.

One Tough Bird

2011-02-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to groomers Andy and Tom Y. for spending lots of time and energy freshening up the track at Chicken Creek today.

The following trails received grooming attention today:

All of Lower Bauer
The East side of Upper Bauer
All of Rush Creek
The road, up to the top

From the groomer's reports, it sounds like there is classic track set on Bauer, the road, and most of Rush Creek. The west side of Upper Bauer and spots on Lower Bauer sound like they have some issues with the usual suspects; pine needles, rocks, dog poo, mud, and ice. So please exercise caution while exercising your booty.

Also, an early "heads-up" for the die-hard Chicken Creek fans out there. This year's Millwood Follies will benefit the ski area, so please set aside the date of April 2nd. It's a Saturday night. We'll follow up with more information. But please let your skiing buddies know, this is a chance to have a bunch of fun AND help out your favorite cross-country skiing area.

Nest Freshened

2011-02-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Good news, skiers. That skiff of snow we got translated into as much as 6 inches of fresh white stuff at the ski area. Our volunteer groomers have been working hard to "refeather the nest" with the new snow, and I think you'll be delighted with the results.

All trails have been groomed, with the exception of Turkey Creek which still needs some work. There is classic track set up to the top of the road and on the Hamlin Loop as well. Tracksetting is a bit spotty, as we had some technical problems with the equipment yesterday.

Skiers are warned to excercise extreme caution on the west leg of the Upper Bauer Loops, as exposed rocks are making skiing there dangerous. A map showing the area of concern begins the blog. PLEASE BE CAREFUL, OR AVOID THE AREA ENTIRELY. Click on the image above for a clearer view of the hazard.

Enjoy the skiing!

In Fine Feather

2011-02-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

Groomers Alan and Tom deserve a big round of applause for their efforts on the stinky machines yesterday. Everything got the brush-up treatment and is reportedly in very good condition. A friendly reminder that leashed or harnessed dogs are not allowed on the trails. Take this as permission to gently share this fact with anyone you come across who is tethered to their pooch.

There is a slight chance of some snow over the weekend, and that would be a big help if it came. Do a little snow dance over your omelette tomorrow morning.

Happy skiing

New Snow Provides Nice New Layer

2011-02-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

A bit more snow is what we got. 1 1/2 inches at the trailhead and about 3 more up top. A big thank you to Andy H. who groomed out Upper and Lower Bauer Loops Tuesday afternoon. Brrrrr! The thermometer is dropping and looks like some more snow and cold in the forecast. A far cry from last weeks spring like conditions. Feels more like February 1st now. Stay tuned for the next grooming report which hopefully will be in the next day or two. We'd love to keep this bit of snow as part of our base and have it all bond together.
Respectfully submitted by the Chicken Creek Bloggers

The Chicken Gets a Preening

2011-01-31T09:38:00.000-08:00

The trails are holding up fabulously. To those of you who missed this past weekend due to previous engagements or due to just thinking the trail is trashed, would have been pleasantly surprised as to the great conditions the trail is currently in right now. Andy and John both did a very professional leveling of Little Bauer, the road to Hamlin Reservoir, Hamlin Loop, Rush Creek, and the Rush Creek Spur. Hank and his trusty shovel went up to the west side of Upper Bauer on Sunday afternoon and covered the very large bare spot that was inhibiting traffic down that hill side. He also spruced up the bridge on Lower Bauer so we don't have to ski on the wood anymore. Thank you for all of the volunteer effort.
We also ask that our skier patrons maintain proper etiquette in trail usage while we endure through this dry spell. We ask that if the trail is too soft and you are post holing that you may decide to not mess up what little trail is left. It takes a whole bunch of effort and resources to level what damage gets done to the trail. We need to maintain the trail for every one's safety.
Also, a gentle reminder that the Forest Service has implemented a ban on ski jouring with dogs, and dog sledding. Please help us ensure this is not violated for every one's safety.
Hopefully, this storm will grace us with some snow to freshen up the area. Think snow everyone.
Respectfully submitted by Chicken Creek Bloggers

More Saturday grooming

2011-01-29T19:52:00.000-08:00

Once again our fearless groomer John G. freshened up the upper trails for your Chicken Creek skiing experience. Little Bauer is in great shape from Andy's groom on Thursday and now John groomed all upper trails except the road above Hamlin and Turkey. Should be for some really good fast skiing tomorrow (Sunday) especially in the a.m.
Please remember we have really gained alot of mileage out of that last storm and things are looking pretty good for the most part. Some marginal spots to avoid would be on Upper Bauer on the hills going up to the left. We are hoping to get something substantial out of this next storm. Keep your chicken feathers crossed.
Respectfully submitted by Chicken Creek Bloggers

Chicken Creek grooming report

2011-01-29T09:46:00.001-08:00

Yes, Andy H. once again braved the Thursday heat and sun to groom our trails for this up-coming weekend. He made numerous passes over Little Bauer to try and smooth out the existing ruts and post holes, so getting to the upper loops will be of a bit smoother transition for all. We've had an amazing run and have gotten an insurmountable amount of mileage out of our last storm. (Time for another?) We do ask however that we all be considerate of the trail when skiing or walking on very soft snow. Your impact at this point will be crucial to the longevity of our season. There is alot of bare ground out there right now for walking and we are fortunate to live in a place with such and abundance of public lands available for our use.
Respectfully,
Chicken Creek Bloggers

The Chicken Still Lives

2011-01-27T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yes as the title of this entry states . . . The Chicken does still have some very valid life left in her. Suggested use of the trail would be to use Little Bauer (first right at y or go up the back side left at y, ski 3/4 mile take right) for the time being and avoid the Upper Bauer loop as to a very wide, rocky bare spot on that great hill we all know, love and have taken a spill or two on while careening out of control to the bottom.
The upper trails are still quite skateable and have maintained a fair amount of good coverage. Do be prepared that the trail is icy and fast, the cold evening temps as well as the cooler temps during the day have put a nice glazed patina covering over the whole area.
There is a possibility that Andy may groom this afternoon (Thursday) and the trail will be freshened up for the weekend.
Think snow or moisture or think something good!!!
Friends of Chicken Creek Bloggers

More Grooming for the weekend

2011-01-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Fellow Flock members of Chicken Creek. You'll be happy to know that Barry Rhea groomed two passes on Upper Bauer Loop, the road top to bottom, Rush and Rush Connector, and made one pass on Hamlin. Way to go Barry! Cap Allen braved the coyotes and cows to set a perfect Classic Track from the picnic table, up the road to Hamlin and back to Rush spur. Thank you Cap Allen! Thanks for braving the dark too. It does get quite dark before that moon rises. We are still keeping our feathers crossed in hopes for more snow.
See you skiing.

Chicken Scratchin' at It's Finest

2011-01-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hello all in snowy ice land. Andy, our hero of the day, pulled the ginzu around the Bauer Loops just to smooth out the crusty, moonscaped surface incurred by the multiple days of warm temperatures. However, when he talked with skiers that ventured to the higher trails their report was that the trails were holding up quite nicely. But there has been some chicken squawking about getting a nice groom in, for the upper trails on Friday. This will make weekend skiing much more safe for all who choose to partake in Chicken Creeks Nordic experience.
Think SNOW everyone.

How Sweet it is

2011-01-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Your faithful blogger has been called to distant lands on a family mission of mercy, and so I apologize for the dearth of data regarding the ski area.

I do have this tidbit to offer up for your consideration:

I stole a couple hours to ski the Frisco (Colorado) Nordic Center today, and the daily adult trails pass cost me $17.00 dollars. That was for one adult, not a family of 4. Gulp. The gal taking my money (no gun involved) casually claimed this is the going rate for suffering on skinny sticks in the great state of Colorado.

Honestly, I prefer the landscape at Chicken Creek, despite the grandeur of the surrounding mountains in Summit County. Most of the trees have died up there, and the remaining ones are babys. It's like skiing through the back lot at Cliffrose, but with bigger mountains in the distance. Give me Chicken, any day...

Cattle trail news

2011-01-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

No, we haven't hired James Herriot to write the blog this year, though it might seem that way, given all the critter references lately. But actually he's dead, and no longer writing.

OK, now that we've gotten that clear, here's the news:
John Gilbert, who volunteers lots of time for the ski area, was up skiing this evening when he heard the distressed bellowing of cows (several of which are stranded in the forest up there in an attempt to win a Darwin Award). He reported the location of the cows to the human guardian of the animals, and now, said caretaker wants to get some food and water to the sad sacks of beef.

What this means to you: Tomorrow (Saturday) there may be snowmobiles and horses up in the ski area working to get refreshment to the animals. Please do not hassle these folks, who are only trying to provide aid to their charges and minimize their distress and suffering. Their movements are known to the Forest Service.

We will work this weekend to undo any damage to the groomed trails resulting from the rescue effort. Please be patient and courteous with the wranglers.

Enjoy the snow...

Chuckling at the Chicken

2011-01-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

This morning it was ear to ear grins, and even a few chortles and guffaws. The snow is firm but forgiving, and all the terrain now open is in good to excellent condition.

As a general rule, the high-flying cluckers will enjoy the best conditions. Rush Creek Loop, Hamlin, and the road up to the top are simply in superb condition. That's not to say there aren't a few tough spots here and there; there are. But given the fact that everything up there fell at once, conditions are phenomenal. The surface will level out as more passes are made with the groomers. And of course some more snow wouldn't hurt anything at all either.

So light a candle on your chicken alter and pray for moderate amounts of snow. Y'all most have overdone it a bit this last time around.

Upper and Lower Bauer Loops are just fine, despite some traffic. The dogs punch through when it warms up midday, but the track is still really nice.

A friendly reminder: Please don't neglect the donation box at the trail head. We've burned some gasoline smoothing things out and we had some big - capital "B" - Big expenses at the end of last season. Everything you give helps.

Enjoy the skiing this weekend!!

Welcome to Chicken World!

2011-01-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

A couple of quick notes on the ski area today:

Capp groomed the Bauer Loops yesterday, leaving perfect "hero" snow in his wake, not to mention a new, shiny classic track in perfect position.
Apparently people are trying to find the ski area and coming away frustrated. The problem stems from the fact that the access to the ski area is from the Millwood Road - CR 40. There is NO ACCESS FROM CHICKEN CREEK Road - CR 41. There used to be access from CR 41, but the county stopped maintaining the last mile of that road a couple years ago.
Point of etiquette: Friendly dogs under voice control are allowed on the Bauer loops only. Leashed dogs and ski-joring are not allowed for reasons of user safety; the trails are too narrow and often too busy to allow for safety with leashes and harnesses.
And please, PLEASE, clean up yer pooch poo!
And finally, please remember the ski area is maintained by volunteers with no external funding source. Our funding source is you. Please donate generously to help defray expenses incurred in the operation and maintenance of the grooming equipment.

Enjoy yourself up there!!

New Terrain Open Now!

2011-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

With special thanks to our friends in the Forest Service, we now have quite a bit of additional terrain open for your cruising/skating pleasure.

Now open:
Rush connectors
Rush Creek loop
FS Road to the top
Hamlin loop

Dolph Kuss and Turkey Creek are avilable for classic, but will remain ungroomed.

Over the next several days we will be refining the surface on the new terrain and setting classic track.

Anyone see those cows?

Cows in the Chicken

2011-01-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

A few things to report:
1) There are about 7 cows snowbound in the vicinity of the ski area belonging to Gerald Kopenhafer. These cows have been sighted from the air but not located on the ground yet. They need food and water soon or they will die. If you spot them, please contact Kopenhafer or the Forest Service as soon as possible.

2) Tomorrow we hope to make a start on opening new terrain with the assistance of the Forest Service. So if all goes well we will have good news to report in the very near future.

3) Meanwhile, Hank and Capp did some fine buffing yesterday, creating superb conditions on the Bauer Loops. So enjoy; and keep an eye out for those cows, please. Next Christmas's standing rib roast may depend on it...

News from Nordic Center at Purgatory

2010-12-31T16:44:00.000-08:00

The Nordic Center at Purgatory will be holding a women's skate clinic Saturday, January 1st at 1pm. There will be classes for all levels of skiers. Equipment rentals are available on site. The cost of the clinic is $15 for Nordic season pass holders or $25 for other skiers. For more information please call 385 2114.

Frozen Chicken Report

2010-12-31T15:52:00.000-08:00

This morning we had 2 brave volunteers willing to freeze their tail feathers off for your skiing pleasure. Alan and Peter fired up the sleds to pack down the additional 5-6 fresh inches of snow on the Bauer loops.

CONDITIONS: Only the Little Bauer Loops are groomed, but they are Finger-lickin', stick clickin', pole-diggin' good. Really quite nice; a tad soft, and it will take a little while to level the trail out, but the snow feels Great! Cold and forgiving, but firming up fast as the temperatures head for the south side of zero.

We are anticipating some assistance from the Forest Service early next week so we can open up more terrain. Please check back often to see where we're at with that.

Get out the COLD snow wax

2010-12-30T18:10:00.000-08:00

The entire Bauer loop is groomed and ready to ski, and at least part of it has a classic track set as well. With so much snow falling all at once it may be a little while before we can fully groom more terrain, but we are working on it. Anyone out there have a snow cat they're not using at the moment?

Our groomers (all volunteers) report that there are about 24 new inches of snow at the Bauer Loop. There is probably substantially more at the upper reaches of the area.

Many thanks to our groomers today for a stellar job; John, Tom R., Brad and Andy - a job well done!

Ketchup on your Chicken?

2010-12-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

My dad always used to repeat this little ditty when the ketchup (catsup?) bottle made an appearance on the kitchen table

Curses on the
Ketchup bottle

None will come
and then a lot'll

This ketchup bottle, posing as a winter storm, has unleashed its load on the ski area. This is only a preliminary report, more details to follow. But I wanted to let all you anxious skiers know that yes indeed, the groomers have been busy grooming the ski area. My understanding is that the Little Bauer loop is track packed and groomed, and I believe that is all for the moment.

I will provide more information as updates become available. Please check back for further updates. And please, no catsup on MY chicken, please; I like chicken.

Monday Grooming Report Nov. 29

2010-11-29T16:15:00.000-08:00

Snow. Cold. I think it's winter. Chicken Creek Ski Area received about one foot of snow from these last two storms, and there's substantially more than that up higher.

Hank, John and Peter got on it today and started track packing with the snowmobiles and even laid down a little corduroy.

Lower Little Bauer Loop is groomed, and should be good for skiing, though perhaps a bit choppy in spots. The Upper section of Little Bauer is "roughed in," meaning it was tracked packed and rolled; but the deeper snow and quick job means it is noot as finished as the lower loop.

Rush Creek Loop, including the road, got track packed and rolled. The road is in pretty gnarly shape though, as someone put foot-deep ruts in the mud this fall. It will take some time - and lots of snow - to iron that mess out. The rest of Rush Creek Loop should be pretty decent though.

This week will be a kind of calculated gamble, as far as deciding how much grooming to do. There are warm, sunny days lurking in the tail end of the week which could easily melt quite a bit of this snow. We will watch closely and groom prudently. But the limited resources we have must be utilized to maximum benefit for the duration of the season.

We will keep you posted...

Trail Work Day Highlights + news and a question...

2010-10-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you John Gilbert, Gary & Jackie Smith, Cap Allen, Michael Nusser and Hank Taylor for clearing trails on Saturday, October 16th. This energetic crew cleared trails on the upper and lower Bauer Loops and the connecter trail to Rush Creek. Yeah!

Chicken Creek has bought a much needed 20” wide snowmobile which will enable groomers to do a better job. Exciting!

Question: Does anyone have a barbell weight larger than 25 lbs??? Please leave a comment if you do. Thank you.

Trail Work Day on October 16th

2010-10-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

A message from Hank Taylor, President of Friends of Chicken Creek

Help! The oak brush is taking over parts of the ski trails.

We need to trim many places that have mostly small oak that can be cut with pruning shears or loppers.

We could like to have a work day on

Saturday, October 16th.

Please meet at the main gate at 9am.

Bring any cutting tools that you have.

We have one brush cutter.

If you cannot be at the Work Day, it would be helpful if you can carry shears or loppers with you when you hike the CC trails.

You can take out clumps of oak as you hike!

Thank you and please help out.

Hank Taylor

Chicken On Ice

2010-03-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

As you folks have undoubtedly noticed, the weather has warmed considerably (Yeah!) which has put the ski area grooming on ice. Most likely, there will be no further grooming this season. But what a season we had, I mean - come on folks, let's give Ullr a great big hand. (Pause for applause).

Thank you, thank you. Many thanks are due to all the folks who make the Chicken "cluck," and a future blog will address that issue. For now, I just wanted to advise folks that:

The ski area is not "closed." Go, and if you can find enough snow, ice and slush to move around on, have at it.
Unless we have an extended cold front with lots of precipitation, we're done grooming. Even then, there are no guarantees.

The Chicken has left the building. Get out your running shoes, roller blades, bikes, climbing gear, backpacks, hiking boots, volleyball nets, whatever. Enjoy the summer.

Weekend Grooming Report

2010-03-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

In an apparent attempt to debunk the global warming position, we have been having quite a string of winter weather. The plot is about to unravel, however, as the trend looks to be for quite a bit of warmth and sun, once we get past this little weekend "thing."

Today: Both Bauer loops were groomed, as was Road 41 from the picnic table up to the Rush Spur. New classic track was also set on all but one short leg of Bauer, as things were getting a bit mushed up.

Tomorrow: The plan is to have more terrain groomed early in the morning. Not sure exactly where Tom is planning on going, but it will be obvious when it's done.

IF the weather forecast is accurate (a mighty big if) then it seems reasonable to assume the end is near. The chicken has grown fat and happy, but the butcher is approaching.
Don't forget that you need to mess around with your clocks Sunday night and kiss an hour's sleep goodbye.

Grooming Report, or the chicken that wouldn't stop laying white eggs

2010-03-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Well skiers, what is there to say. We've been asking Ullr for snow for so many years that it seems this year we could not be denied. Tom Groomed Sunday, and then John groomed yesterday.

Here's my understanding of what got groomed yesterday:
Both of the Little Bauer Loops
Road 41 from the picnic table to Rush spur
Rush connector
Classic track set around the perimeter

We keep saying this, but this may (or may not!) be the last hurrah, with temps in the 50's predicted after the snow stops. So if you can, get up there this week since there's plenty of good, fresh snow.

Friday Grooming Update

2010-03-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

It's not the end of the week, it's the beginning of the weekend. And the area got about 2-3 inches of fresh snow last night to help freshen things up. Ace groomer Andy was up there today grooming the Bauer loops as well as the Rush connector. The plan is to have another groomer up there tomorrow morning to groom more of the terrain. Stay tuned for more updates...

Sunday Good News

2010-02-28T09:34:00.000-08:00

The Little Bauer loops were groomed in their entirety this morning and are now in very good shape for skate and classic skiing. There are a few spots too hard for the groomer to penetrate, but it's mostly very nice.

Steps were also carved in the mound of ice by which skiers gain access to the trail, so climbing in is no longer a maneuver requiring the balance of a balarina and the dexterity of a gymnast.

Upper loops were very nice yesterday, and will probably be kind of scary fast today, unless we get a bit of fresh snow on top or things warm up enough to soften the snow. So be careful up there.

Weekend Olympics @ Chicken Creek

2010-02-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hey all you Nordic Notables, don't forget to take a few victory laps at Chicken Creek this weekend. The Little Bauer loop got groomed to perfection by our number one nitpicker groomer, Andy. Truly, it doesn't get any better.

All the upper terrain got a quick brush-up and should be very nice skiing. I actually skied most of the upper terrain today before it got groomed and it was all decent, but with the fresh courderoy it ought to be mighty fine, though perhaps a tad on the fast side.

Excutive Summary: It's all really good. Go ski!

Updated Grooming Report

2010-02-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

Alright skiers, Barry got after it this afternoon and packed/groomed both the Dolph Kuss and Hamlin Loops. So the skiing tomorrow ought to be simply superb all over the area. When we can muster the manpower, we'll get classic track set on the upper stuff - right now only the Bauer Loops have classic track.

Groomage and zoomage

2010-02-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

As of early afternoon today, more grooming has taken place. Now in addition to Little Bauer Loop, the Rush Connector, Rush Creek Loop, and the road to the top are groomed and open, though no classic track has been set as of yet.

We have another groomer going up now, so there will be another report later.

PS. The trail map posted yesterday showed Turkey Creek and the road to the Gate at the very top as closed. They are not technically "Closed" (as in 'don't go there'). They are simply not groomed.

Trail Map redux

2010-02-22T21:20:00.000-08:00

Please note the uppermost loop is - and has been for weeks - closed. Probably for the duration of the ski season.

Grooming Report: Darth Vader Has Returned

2010-02-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

Good news for all you Chicken Creek skiers. We have retreived the black machine from up by Hamlin Reservoir. That thing has always reminded me a bit of Darth Vader (though I'm guessing Mr. Vader doesn't smell quite as bad).

Anyway, before the condition report, some thanks are due. Here they are. Thanks Hank for going up early and making an exit ramp for the machine (and we also very much appreciate that you did not keel over in a snowbank last night as you were hiking out 4 miles). Thank you to Bob and Nancy for breaking trail most of the way up for us; that was major. John went up and did heavy excavation on the snow machine which was instrumental in its extrication. Joan and Peter did a great job of standing around looking puzzled. And Barry was excellent moral support, not to mention the fabulous job of carring out the ski poles. Truly it was a group effort.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for:
More thanks go to Lance for GROOMING and setting classic track on the Little Bauer Trail. And since it stayed pretty cold today the snow is still in very nice condition. Mid-winter conditions, no crowds, never any waiting for a chair lift. What are you waiting for?

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!

2010-02-21T20:33:00.000-08:00

Not so fast there, blogger. Seems we have a glitch, skiers. One of our groomers got sucked into some deep snow up near the top of the course today and had to hike several miles out. He's fine. The snow machine is still up there and will require a concerted effort to recover. So sorry, kids. No grooming 'til then.

Saty posted for further updates.

Grooming Report

2010-02-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

The Olympic Marathon Ski-Doo groom is underway at the ski area today. Beginning at around 7:30 AM today, the grooming has been nearly non-stop in an effort to keep up with this snow storm. The baton was passed twice, and the grooming will resume early in the morning.

We'll keep you updated and give a more detailed report when the dust settles. Meanwhile, go enjoy the soft, fluffy snow!

Report for 2/19

2010-02-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

Barry rolled all the trails this A. M.. The classic is still very usable throughout and with the few inches of new should have some nice bite to it. We are in a wait and see with this storm and will try to maxamize our efforts. A request to the folks who like to walk and snowshoe at CC:Please consider doing so on the far side of the skate lane (opposite side of the classic track). This seems to be the best compromise for the most users, and would be appreciated. As you know, a tremendous amount of time is spent by our volunteer groomers preparing the trails for the variety of modes of transportation. This also, would help to maximize our efforts.
Enjoy the trails. It looks like we are going to keep grooming as long as the moisture stays white.
An update on our #1 grooming snowmobile is: 3500-4000 for all the repairs, so we have to off-set that cost somehow.
CC nordic
p.o. box 111
Mancos, 81328

Condition report, or "My, what a handsome chicken you have there"

2010-02-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to groomers Lance and John, the conditions at the area are quite nice as of this afternoon.

Newly reconditioned are:

Lower Little Bauer
Rush Connector
Dolph Kuss Loop
Hamlin Loop
the road from the picnic table to the top of Hamlin Loop

Things got soft enough today for the groomer's teeth to reall bite in to the snow, ergo lovely flow.

So, go ski. Don't blow it by lying low.

Bonus round: More of the white stuff on the way to freshen things up, with tomorrow and Friday shaping up as the likely days for precipitation. The skier in me is excited, my inner shoveler is underwhelemed at the prospect. But hey, it's winter.

Grooming Report for Tuesday

2010-02-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

John put in some hours today on the sled (in addition to all the volunteer hours he puts in as President of the Chicken Creek Nordic Association), so thank you John.

Here's what he did:

He dragged the groomer over the Bauer Loops
The Rush Connector and Spur
The road from the picnic table to the top of Hamlin Loop
Hamlin Loop
Dolph Kuss Loop

He did not groom Rush Creek, but that was groomed the day before.

We're experimenting with ways to derive maximum benefit from the gear we have available, but the big guns are out of commission for the time being. We're looking at a multiple-thousand dollar fix on the work-horse sled. Ouch! Your generous donations make this possible. We know this is a difficult time for many, and we appreciate the contributions of you skiers.

If it is within your means, we would greatly appreciate additional contributions, as our yellow machine had no health insurance:

Please send contributions to:

Friends of Chicken Creek Nordic

PO Box 111

Mancos, CO 81328

Have you ever groomed a chicken?

2010-02-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Good day, skiers! Looks like a lot of you got out this weekend and danced on the trails, and that's superb. Conditions today were getting pretty crusty, and so the Bauer Loops, as well as the Rush Connector, Rush Creek trail, and the lower part of the road - from the picnic table to the Rush Spur - all got a combing.

The results are not uniformly excellent. But, in most places the groomer was able to scratch the snow up at least a little bit. We're using older equipment which simply doesn't have the ability to work up the snow like our ginzu does. The softer snow took the groomer in its fluffy embrace and transformed into sweet corduroy. The really hard stuff had it skittering along like a child's toy.

Please exercise extra caution on the trails as the snow more closely resembles ice in certain southerly exposed places.

Looks like a possibility of more precipitation late in the week, possibly in the form of rain. Chester the Chicken says - better ski while the skiing's good!

Weekend Update

2010-02-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

It's "ballroom dancing" on our trials, w/ our classic and skate lanes re-groomed yesterday and today. The snowgods have delivered, and We've received. All of our fantastic loops are open (w/ the exception of upper Turkey Creek road, (past Rush Loop), and will most likely get some attention over Sat. and Sun. If you like beautiful loops through the pines, sustained sections for getting your skate/classic groove-on and no-crowds, that sort of thing, come ski!

Light a candle for our grooming machine "Old Yeller", now in the shop for transmission repairs.
Donations always appreciated. The season is still young. Happy Trails!

Grooming Report; More, more, more!

2010-02-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

More snow, more grooming, more skiing.

I went up this morning to find 2-4" inches of fresh, light snow on the trails. Two at the bottom and about 4" up high. Nice fat fluffy flakes of fun and frolic.

John groomed the Bauer loops today, and there is more grooming scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

I suggest all of you who still have jobs quit them and devote the rest of the winter to skiing at Chicken Creek. This is only a suggestion, but I think it's reasonable. Hey, skiing is more than a job - it's a way of life!

Grooming Report - Getting Better

2010-02-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

The snow remains in great condition today, with enough clouds to keep them from melting into a solid block of ice. Lets hope the clouds stick around and the days don't get too warm, and - oh yeah - don't pray real hard for snow, since we are experiencing an equipment deficit (see earlier blogs). Is that asking too much?

Tuesday morning the Bauer loops were re-rolled, widened and had classic track installed (at least on the perimeter).

Rush connector to the road, and the road to the picnic table got the same treatment.

The road up the hill from Rush connector got widened and repacked.

Dolph Kuss and Hamlin are still only half rolled.

Rush Creek loop has not been rolled yet.

Condition and Grooming report - Lots of New Snow!

2010-02-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to groomers John, Allen, and Peter we have lots of groomed terrain up at the ski area. The Bauer loops are in great shape, as is the Rush Connector, the road (from the picnic table to the top of Hamlin) which accesses the loops, and even Dolph Kuss and Hamlin loops are groomed.

The caveat is that the trails are only groomed on one side. As soon as possible we will groom the right hand side and set classic track. Meanwhile, the classic skiing is phenomenal, and the skating on these trails ought to be very good.

Rush Creek loop has been track packed but not yet groomed. The road from the top of Hamlin up to the gate has not been touched yet.

Good News/ Bad News

2010-02-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

First the good: Nice fresh soft snow up at the Creek; go take a peek. And more on the way. John and Alan were up grooming this morning and into the afternoon. Even better, due to the high holy holiday (Super Bowl) there is just about nobody up there.

The snow is soft, so classic is probably best until things set up a bit more.

Now the bad news. The yellow snow machine, our reliable work horse, has taken a dive and may be out of commission for some time. We plan to trailer it for repairs on Tuesday. It sounds like the transmission is fried. Not good. Almost as if the machine read the previous blog predicting imminent immobility.

We'll keep you posted as to it's recovery, and we'll do our best to keep the snow packed down with the remaining machine. Our only options are packing and rolling until the big yellow machine is revived. So the classic track will become history, at least for now. Thanks for all your support this season. And if anyone has a super-duty utility type snow machine we could utilize in the meantime, please respond with a "comment" to this blog entry.

Grooming plans/Donations

2010-02-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Chicken Creek Lovers: It looks like another series of storms. The conditions should be great for saturday, and we plan to groom some new snow sunday morning. We are also asking that you consider making another contribution to the Chicken Creek cause. We are entirely a volunteer organization and rely on donations from CC users. We presently groom with two snowmobiles. The black machine is a 2000 model that is not designed for the torture we put it through. It also responds by belching fuel/oil smoke into the very considerate groomers lungs. We spent over 2K last year to keep it going through this year, but a new machine(approx. 10K) would be more efficient and appropriate for grooming. It would also be an investment in the future of CC. The yellow machine is an 05 and is surely due for an overhaul soon. There is no question that CC is a great value. A for profit Nordic area charges, 12-15$ for a day pass,125$ for an individual annual membership. We explore various avenues to fund CC (grants,etc.) however all of us who enjoy CC should be the people who support it. Donations can always be made in the green donation box at the trailhead or: Chicken Creek Nordic, box 111 Mancos, 81328 Thanks very much!

Snow Farmers Almanac 02/05/10

2010-02-05T10:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings, fellow Chicken Creek Folks. Our "latest storm installment" delivered approx. 1-2" on to our trials, (Wed, eve. 02/03/10). All trails were "re-conditioned" (skate lane) w/ our "Ginzu" sled and track leveler, mixing the new snow in w/ the old. Skiing remains fabulous, fast in the a.m. on firm/frozen, or "packed-powder" to borrow a phrase from the ski areas.
Our Classic track remains intact, and we encourage folks of all levels to slide through the Ponderosa Forest. Pets welcome on our Dog loops!

Let's keep up the snow dancin"!

Grooming report, or "Kiss my Kuss, Dolph"

2010-02-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

Late on Monday the majority of the trails got groomed, levelled and packed. So the trails are in Very Good condition as of this writing. Things got pretty crusty over the weekend and were a bit scary this morning - slip sliding away.

So, the Bauer loops are now re-done and should be quite nice for a morning ski.
The road is refreshed from top to bottom.
Dolph Kuss loop got the treatment.
So did Hamlin.

The odd one out here is the Rush Creek loop and the Rush Connector. Until that is groomed, the nicest access to D-K and Hamlin would be the road, starting by the picnic table. Rush Connector and the Rush Creek loop are certainly open and skiable, just kind of hard to get an edge in.

Condition Report for Saturday

2010-01-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

Once again, duty called to me this morning and I made the big sacrifice and put on my skis. Oh the tribulations of the condition checker. All of the Bauer Loops are in excellent condition. Conditions are a little more variable as one gets higher on the hill.

The Rush Creek loop is mostly quite nice. Great for classic skiers and will need additional levelling before we can say it's great for skating. Nonetheless, we skated it this AM and had no real problem. It will simply be easier once it gets more flat.

Hamlin and Dolph Kuss loops are a bit better than Rush. While there are still some funky spots, overall they were very enjoyable to skate.

The road from the top of Rush Creek to the top gate is the most challenging of all (for skaters) and will require substantially more levelling work before it is in prime condition. Still, it is "do-able." It's in perfect condition for classic skiing and there is set track to the top.

Comments are welcome, especially regarding the condition of the road, since we only skied a small piece of it. We did from the bottom of Dolph Kuss to the picnic table, and it was great.

Rapidly Approaching the Elusive State of Perfection

2010-01-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

This writer skied the recently packed Rush Creek, Hamlin, and Dolph Kuss loops today - Friday morning - to discover they were in very good condition; better than expected! Also, some kind soul got up early and groomed all of the Bauer loops as well as the piece of road that connects from the picnic table to the end of the Rush connector. This made for some superb skating down low, since the area got about enough snow (1-2 inches) to refresh the surface of these heavily-used lower loops. New classic track was also installed there.

The plan for this afternoon is to continue to roll and pack the upper reaches of the trail system in a bid to open as much terrain as possible. The skiing should be incredible this weekend. Is this the best season in recent memory, or what?

Please remember to register when skiing. Many thanks...

Progress, Not Perfection

2010-01-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Skiers. Yesterday (Wednesday) we made progress towards getting more terrain open to skiers. Both the Dolph Kuss and Hamlin loops are now packed and groomed, as is Rush Creek loop. The condition of these newly opened loops is apt to be a bit on the soft side and will need more work to fully level them out. The road connecting all the loops is packed but not groomed. There is a lot of snow up there and the process is labor intensive, so please be patient as we work our way through it. Many thanks to Chris and Tom from the Forest Service for leading the charge through the deep snow. I don't think our machines would have made it without their trail-breaking. As of this writing I'm not sure if the precipitation we just received fell as rain or snow up at the area. Regardless, the skiing ought to be just fine. So keep on skiing...

Fantastic Skiing Now! More to come...

2010-01-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

I just skied most of what's open on my classic skis, as well as Rush Creek Loop. The snow is firming up nicely so conditions are superb. It would be irresponsible not to go up there and ski with a toothy smile on your face. If you have no teeth, then just show some gum. Enough people have classic skied up Rush Creek thet it's pretty smooth going. The only problem is that one's poles tend to get no purchase in the deep powder. Coming down is not a problem.

If all goes well, we should be able to get the remaining terrain open in time for the weekend. Please stay tuned to the blog for updates. Better yet, go check it out!

Grooming Update as of Sunday, Jan. 24

2010-01-24T15:56:00.000-08:00

All of the Bauer Loops and the Rush Connector - to the road - and the road back to the picnic table have been freshly packed, rolled and groomed. Everything has classic track (everything that's open, anyway). We've had lots of fresh snow and the trees are loaded. The Cathedral of the Woods is open folks, so please go ski it!

Click on the photo to see the dynamic, flawless skate technique of Chicken Creek's human dynamo, John G.

In the spirit of reciprocity, we've included a link to the website for the Southwest Nordic Ski Club out of Los Alamos, NM. One of our groomers ran into one of their board members on the trail today (NOT literally) and he promised to link to our blog on their website. Viva Mexico Nuevo!

http://swnordicski.org/

Grooming report as of Friday Jan 22

2010-01-22T19:21:00.001-08:00

On Friday afternoon (1/22) Alan and Tom R. rolled and track packed the lower loops as well as the main road to Hamlin Reservoir.

It was dumping buckets of snow while we were out.

Annie has just made a huge contribution at the donation box located at the trailhead. She feels good about that. Can you tell?

Grooming Status as of Thursday PM

2010-01-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

How do you like the new signs? Just a friendly reminder to the two legged friends of the four legged ones. Skis and dog poop are a bad combo. Thanks for understanding!

Fearless groomers Tom and John packed and rolled like a couple Rastafarians today. Only the Rush Creek Trail and the road to the top remain ungroomed as of this writing. Drifting snow and more snow on the way will mean conditions may be less than ideal for skating.

Apparently we don't need to worry about running out of snow any time soon. Let's hear it for the groomers, and the Forest Service for coming through with the necessary fuel.

Snow, Groom, Ski, Snow, Groom, Ski, repeat!

2010-01-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

There's about a foot of fresh snow at the top of the Chicken Creek Cross-Country Ski area as of mid-day today. More snow on the way. We will be doing everything an all-volunteer organization can do to keep the snow packed down. Classic track may be a way off in time, as the bulk of our energies will be geared toward keeping the snow packed down and the trails open.

Peter B. and John G. rode the mighty beasts today like rodeo champs. The trees are beautiful, loaded with giant dollops of the fresh stuff. We'll keep you posted as the storm progresses.

Grooming report as of Sunday Jan 17

2010-01-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

My those groomers have been busy. Dolph Kuss got rolled again and the entire Bauer loop got freshened up for the long weekend. We tried the D-K loop Staurday and it was a tad on the soft side. Hopefully the re-roll did it proud. Only one way to find out... See you up there!

Many thanks to the responsible dog owners for removing the mutt manure from the trails. Also, if you know someone who needs info on grooming updates, please tell them about the blog. We had to give up on mass emails as they were being treated as spam.

Jan. 18 Trail Update

2010-01-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Tom Y and Hank worked on the newly opened Dolph Kuss loop on Sunday, and smoothed the lower loops for MLK day skiing. The next week looks to be a doozy for snow. We will try to keep up by packing as much as possible, as the storms hit. Your classic skis may be the best bet for a while. Keep checking the blog for condition up-dates.
We are making headway on saving enough $ for a new machine, but make a generous donation as you can

Dolph Kuss Loop is ready for skiing action

2010-01-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

Grooming update for Friday, Jan. 15. John and Andy groomed out Dolph Kuss loop and the connector from the picnic table today for the first time this season. They reported that it may be soft this afternoon, but it may set up quite nicely for Saturday morning. They also set a classic track which may be some really good skiing for the holiday weekend. Just as in the past the Dolph Kuss loop is closed to dogs. We also stress to clean up after your dogs on the trail. Carry a litter scooper along to toss it off the track or a bag to pack it out. "Dog Poo" does not mix very well with kick wax, so please be considerate to the rest of the area's users.
It has been reported that the rest of the trails are in quite nice condition so enjoy the weekend.

Trail condition/Grooming report as of Monday night

2010-01-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

John made a run around most of the trails Monday night and reports them to be holding up quite well, despite the lack of snow. The trails got a minor facelift and it sounds like they'll probably get another just prior to the weekend.

Many thanks to the contributors whose generous support helps to keep the equipment running. We could not do it without you.

Trail Condition Report

2010-01-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

This report is "as of" 4pm Friday, Jan 8th. Bauer still has good coverage and is overall pretty good. A bit crusty in spots where the sun bakes it. Classic track still there, though a bit like a louge run in some places.

The road past Rush Connector is good to very good; nicely groomed and little used.

Rush and Hamlin Loops are very good to sublime (in spots). When we skied it this afternoon, there were only 3 previous sets of skate tracks, so lots of fresh corduroy up top.

The Road past the top of Rush is still excellent all the way to the top.

Pray for snow.

Groomering Report as of Thursday Afternoon, January 7

2010-01-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

Andy and Tom Groomed all open trails and report good "fast" skiing all around. The classic track is holding up but getting a bit crusty on the bauer loop. The grooming crew may attempt to reset the classic track this weekend, conditions permitting.

Thank you for all your donations to date. Contributions may be made at the trail head or mailed to our PO Box as follows:

Chicken Creek Nordic
PO Box 111
Mancos, CO 81328
Happy New Year and enjoy the skiing!

Tuesday January 5 Grooming Report

2010-01-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hello Chicken Lovers. All trails were groomed this morning (apologies to those of you I nearly ran over) and there is classic track set on the entire system. Conditions are Good to Excellent, with nearly everything up there being Very Very Good! There are a couple slick spots to watch for but 99.9% of the trails are just fine. Hamlin Loop got an overdue face lift and the road that loops Hamlin got the same treatment.

The good folks at Durango Nordic will be linking to this blog, and so welcome to all you folks at Durango Nordic. You can visit their website at http://durangonordic.org
Thanks to all the donations at the trailhead and the PO box (listed below). Your contributions keep the Creek at its peak. We would especially like to acknowlwdge the generous contribution of the Winn family of Mancos / Albuquerque.

New Year Grooming Update

2010-01-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

As of 5:30 pm Friday night, all open trails are freshly groomed and almost all trails have classic track set. The new snow has really freshened things up and conditions are excellent. All hail Ullr, Norse god of snow. Enjoy the fresh corduroy and the lovely snow.

Grooming Report as of New Year's Eve

2010-01-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Volunteer groomers Brad and Barry gulped down snowmobile fumes for several hours in order to deliver freshly groomed terrain for all you nordic skiers. There is classic track set on the majority of the trails. According to reports, the snow is "superb." Get out there and tear it up. Well, not literally.

Happy New Year to all. And don't overlook the donation box at the trailhead please.

Grooming Report

2009-12-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

Tom Y and Peter B groomed everything and set track all the way around this morning. It's still snowing hard, so there will be some fluff on top. Perfect for classic skiers. Skaters will be working hard. Close to 5 inches of new snow, and counting...!

Grooming Report for Sunday, Dec 27th

2009-12-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to John, Tom,(also for stocking fuel) Barry,Peter,Hank and Alan for their efforts of the week since the last up-date.

Lance Webster (with an upset coyote on most of Hamlin) and John groomed on Saturday. They concentrated on setting classic throughout.

All the hard work in the last few weeks is working great to make for a flat, well packed surface.

Come enjoy the trails and Happy Holidays!

Donations may be left in the lockbox at the trailhead or mailed to:

Chicken Creek Nordic

P.O. Box 111
Mancos, CO 81328

Thank you!

Grooming Report for Friday, Dec 18

2009-12-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

Notes from Groomer Andy:

"Just a few notes on the current status of "groomage" up at Chickenland. Tom and Andy were able to roll-out Rush, Hamlin, and Chicken Ck. Road on Thursday. A classic track will be set when Hank is able to get the new battery installed in "Old Yeller". Dolph Kuss Loop and Turkey remain un-groomed. Lower/Upper Bauer are fairly "buffed". It was quite warm up there, and some subsequent, hot spots, but the skiing is quite nice."

Happy Trails

Grooming Report for Wednesday, 12/09

2009-12-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

Little Bauer: packed and groomed
CC Road: Packed and rolled
Rush Creek Spur: Packed and rolled
Hamlin Loop: Packed and rolled

Groomers Spotlight: Chris Bouton, Todd Gardner, Brad Finch, John Gilbert, and Andy

News from Nordic Center at Purgatory

2009-12-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

The Nordic Center At Purgatory will open to the public this coming Saturday, December 12th. We are pleased to announce the opening of our new trail, the Lynx Loop on Forest Service property close to Boyce Lake.
We will be hosting the first race in our Coke race series this Saturday, December 12th. It will be a classic race of 10km for adults with shorter distances for juniors. The race starts at 10am, registration is from 9am. For more information please call 385 2114.

Groomers are ready!!

2009-12-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

The Groomers are ready to go -
Please note that it will take a few days to pack the snow before they actually groom.

Directions to Chicken Creek Nordic

Chicken Creek Nordic is located northwest of Mancos. From the junction of US Hwy 160 and Colorado Hwy 184 in Mancos, travel north on Colorado Hwy184 for 2.5 miles to the junction of Montezuma County Road 40. Turn right (north) on County Road 40 and continue 2.5 miles to the trailhead parking lot.
Note: Use of the Chicken Creek Road is not advised. Millwood Rd (CR 40) is the place. :)

Map of Chicken Creek Nordic

2009-11-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

Nordic Gear for Sale

2009-10-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hassle Free Sports (Larry Myers) will be at Chicken Chicken Creek Ski Area parking lot with sale items!!!

WHERE: Chicken Creek Parking Lot (CR 40 - Millwood Rd)
WHEN: Thursday, Oct 22nd
TIME: 4-6pm
WHAT's for SALE: A variety of Cross country ski gear including classic, skate, touring and back country gear!!
PRICES: Ski Swap Prices
HOW TO PAY: Check or cash

What a deal! - Hope to see you there!

Grooming Report as of 2/19/09 1:39 pm

2009-02-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

Please be advised that as of 2/19/09 1:39 pm.
All trails were covered, groomed and in good shape.
Enjoy !

grooming update and news from Feb. 10 via John

2009-02-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

The news is that we have15-18 inches at the p-lot and about 2 feet on the upper trails. We have continued to roll the new snow (groomers: Peter, Barry, Hank, Jim, and John) with the rest of the crew to come as the storms keep coming.
As we feared the Black machine appears to have died out on the trails, so we are down to one machine. The good news is that the Kubota dealer in gem village is trying to help us out with their modified tractor system for grooming ski trails that we may be able to demo for a while. It should be stressed to the e-mail group and blog that the cost of reviving the machine we have could be very high and contribitions to off-set that as well as the letters of support we have been asking for are very important. We have spoken to the kubota dealer ( southwest ag (SWAG)) about working with them on a potential grant to use this very nice equipment in the future.
That is why the letters stressing the overall positive influence CC has on the community as well as the county is very important in the grant process

Grooming Report for Sunday, February 1st

2009-02-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

The forecast is not very encouraging for more snow for the next week.
SO... until we get more snow, the Bauer loop will be groomed every day. The
upper loops will be groomed about 3X a week. Think Snow!!

We have SUPER Groomers. Thank you Jim, Chris, Aaron, Brad, John, Andy,
Barry, Hank, Tom and any other groomer I might have omitted.

Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday on Chicken Creek's Super Tracks!

Grooming Report for Wednesday, Jan 28th

2009-01-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

All the trails were groomed yesterday (Jan 27) and the upper trails are in good shape. The Bauer loop has a lot of divits in it from folks walking on it when the rain softened up the snow and we didn't get enough snow to get these filled in - yet! Think snow!

Grooming Report for Tuesday, January 27th

2009-01-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

Groomers: Barry Rhea and John Gilbert
Barry & John groomed Monday evening and were really pleased to find CC is O.K.. The overnite cold set up all the slush to a firm base of ice with 4-8(on top), They packed with the roller and dragged the ginzu to flatten out all trails, except Turkey Loop . The holes left on Bauer Loop by walkers & dogs in the soft slush are still there but hopefully will fill up with the new snow.

Grooming Report for Wednesday, Jan 21st

2009-01-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

Groomers have been grooming every day.

The track is in great condition.

Think snow!

ChickenCreek Trail Map with Mileage

2009-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

Grooming Report for Sunday, January 4

2009-01-04T07:47:00.000-08:00

John Gilbert groomed all trails this morning.
Thank you, John!
Enjoy the wonderful powder.

Grooming Report for Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2009-01-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

Groomers:  John Gilbert & Jim Mahlberg

John and Jim went over the trails on New Year's Eve
to re-condition them and they should be good for
skating on Jan 1st.  Note:  Due to the warm temps,
Bauer Loop gets icy fairly quickly.

Happy New Year!

Grooming Report for Tuesday, Dec 30

2008-12-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

Groomer: John Gilbert

John groomed on Monday (Dec 29th) evening. He smoothed everything out to the top of Hamlin and Rush. Groomers hope to also recondition the classic track for New Years.

Happy New Year

Map of Chicken Creek X-Country Ski Area

2008-12-28T14:12:00.000-08:00

Grooming Report for Saturday, Dec 27

2008-12-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

Special Thanks to Groomer Barry Rhea!!
All trails are groomed and a classic track has been set.

Bundle up & enjoy the great conditions!