Built with October in mind

Skiing on Bruce's Trail on Rabbit Ears Pass near Steamboat Springs, Colo.



by TOM ROSS



Bruce's Trail was built with October storms like this one in mind.



Located on Rabbit Ears Pass, near Steamboat Springs, Colo., the 4.3 kilometers of rolling terrain was deliberately designed on a north-facing slope in a deep evergreen forest, all the better to shield autumn snow from the sun.

When twin storms raced over the Park Range Oct. 20 and 21, the Steamboat Springs Nordic Council and the Steamboat Ski Touring Center were prepared. The result was well-groomed Colorado snow without a single rock or tree root showing through.



Volunteers with the Nordic Council had removed downed trees from the trails in September, and now share the grooming chores with the Steamboat Touring Center.

Alex Miller, one of the newest members of the U.S. Nordic combined Team, said he and several of his teammates hit Bruce's Trail hard on Friday and Saturday. By the weekend, the parking lot was full with 30 cars as families with toddlers shared the trails with a handful of former collegiate skiers.



In addition to area skiers, Rabbit Ears Pass is convenient to Nordic teams from Laramie, Wyo., Fort Collins and Boulder.



Coach Brian Tate and the members of his team at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club also make good use of the trails. At 9,300 feet elevation, the hillier sections of the trail offer ample challenge for the area's best J1 and JII junior skiers.



Bruce's Trail is a memorial to the late skier Bruce Ablin, who died in a bicycle/vehicle accident in 1992.

Skiers from surrounding cities, who want to plan a weekend trip to take advantage of the October snow on Rabbit Ears Pass can access frequent updates on the conditions. Log on to www.steamboatxcski.org and sign up for automated grooming reports by e-mail.



The next storm is anticipated Oct. 25.