Groomed 1-kilometer loop at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend offers nordic skiing without the drive | Explore Central Oregon | bendbulletin.com

2023-01-03 12:31:31 By : Ms. Yama Huang

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday. Electric Quad For Adults

Groomed 1-kilometer loop at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend offers nordic skiing without the drive | Explore Central Oregon | bendbulletin.com

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Brynn Fizer, 7, cross-country skis at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Brynn Fizer, 7, cross-country skis at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

Liz Fizer and her daughter Brynn, 7, cross-country ski at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend on Wednesday.

J.D. Downing moved to Bend in 1994, and since then, he has kept a log of winter snowfall in Bend.

On average, he said, Bend has about 2½ weeks each winter during which there is enough snow in town to sustain a groomed cross-country skiing loop.

Downing — the director of XC Oregon, a Bend-based development program for adult cross-country skiers — and other Central Oregon nordic ski enthusiasts have groomed a 1-kilometer cross-country skate ski loop at Skyline Sports Complex in southwest Bend.

The track was originally groomed on Dec. 13, and Downing said it might not last much past Friday due to warmer temperatures and possible rain.

But based on Downing’s research, that could mean another seven to 10 days later this winter for in-town nordic skiing.

“The project right now is to try to get dedicated (grooming) equipment here in town,” Downing said. “But there’s just no way that (Bend) parks and rec can justify buying stuff that might not get used for a year or more. It has to be a project of love by a skiing group. XC Oregon is a perfect group to ring lead it. MBSEF (Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation) has a vested interest in providing the insurance.”

Downing called the effort a “real, true collaboration” among XC Oregon, MBSEF, Bend Park & Recreation District, and Meissner Nordic. Park lights can remain on until 9 p.m., allowing for night skiing on in-town snow.

This season the grooming is in a “proof of concept” phase during which public support can be built to upgrade equipment and receive support to groom several in-town locations whenever 8 to 10 inches of snow is forecast to last a week or more in Bend.

“We’ve scrounged together and borrowed and begged different gear,” Downing said. “Hopefully in the next year or two we can upgrade that.”

Downing said the ideal grooming machine would be an electric ATV, which could handle thin snow better than an old snowmobile that is prone to overheating, which is being used for grooming this winter.

“We need a skier-led initiative to go out and get some equipment,” Downing said. “We’re not talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars, not a Sno-cat. We’d really like an electric ATV. It’s more nimble and gentle in low-snow conditions.”

Downing said that the advantage of skiing on snow-covered grass at Skyline — rather than on snow-covered dirt and gravel like at Meissner Sno-park and Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center — is the ability to ski on as little as 1-inch of packed snow without damaging skis.

According to Downing, grooming in Bend was a regular occurrence about 15 years ago, when Meissner Nordic stored its grooming equipment in town and Bend park district employees could easily groom short loops at Skyline and Shevlin Park. Once a barn was built for storage at Meissner Sno-park, about 14 miles west of Bend, that made in-town grooming more difficult.

“It’s a matter of re-establishing it, getting people excited about it, and then doing a fundraising campaign, and then hopefully we’re good to go,” Downing said. “So many people don’t have time to run up to Meissner (Sno-park) or Mt. Bachelor (Nordic Center). It provides the ability to get out and get in a quick little exercise session.”

Another benefit of providing in-town nordic skiing is a reduction in the number of cars on Century Drive during busy periods. Next week, after Christmas, vehicles headed up to Mt. Bachelor ski area, Meissner Sno-park and other winter sports areas will choke the highway with traffic.

“You’re talking about hundreds of people that are not being put on Century Drive,” Downing said. “It’s already at capacity during busy times, so every car we can take off that road … West Village (parking at Bachelor) will be packed, Meissner parking will be packed. If we can reduce that load just a little, that would help.”

For more information, email jd@xcoregon.org, or call 541-317-0217.

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'According to Downing, grooming in Bend was a regular occurrence about 15 years ago...'

Ho boy. Waiting for this to become the crisis du jour in greater rube-istan.

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Groomed 1-kilometer loop at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend offers nordic skiing without the drive | Explore Central Oregon | bendbulletin.com

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