March Nordic Newsletter

JHSC Club and Community Nordic Update

Happenings of the JHSC Nordic Program, Trail Creek Nordic Center, and Local Nordic Community

Welcome to the March Edition of “What’s Going On” for the 2025-2026 season!

It has been an amazing month in the Nordic skiing world! Current and former JHSC skiers have done a fantastic job racing domestically and abroad, including in the Olympics, with a good crew qualifying for the upcoming national championships. Trail Creek Nordic Center has had a busy racing and practice schedule, and even the master skiers have had to be on their toes with lots of racing and training opportunities. Read on to find out all the details in this month’s newsletter …

February was another crazy month, action packed with lots of racing! Due to the surprising fact that our snow was better than most of the other locations in the region we ended up hosting two events not previously scheduled for Jackson—a Wyoming High School race and an Intermountain Junior National Qualifier. Thank you so much for all of the volunteer support from the parents and community for these races! The middle school and high school-aged teams have had an action packed race schedule, with many athletes racing 5 or 6 weekends in a row from the end of January through February! It is great for our athletes to get so many chances to race this close to home. We have also had some athletes compete in a biathlon race in West Yellowstone, which was a low-stress opportunity for kids to try a different sport and have fun!

With the final JNQ of the year in West Yellowstone we were fortunate to have four athletes qualify to represent Intermountain at Junior Nationals: Matthew Finkel, Charlie von Maur-Newcomb, Atten Aronowitz, and Walker Dunn. They will be traveling to Cable, Wisconsin later this week to compete against the best in the country. Best of luck to all those kids!

Closer to home, our younger teams have been having a blast at daily practices. We have had practices with guest appearances from the Yetis, Olympics-themed practices with many events and games to play, powder/jump days, and everything in between. The kids have definitely been having a blast and it is great to see the positive energy at practice every day! It is truly inspiring to see the big Nordic energy at Trail Creek every day after school. One highlight of February was the Moose Chase - where over 150 of our JHSC skiers got to put a bib on in a low-stress situation and have fun and ski fast! We had moose costumes, glitter stations, guessing games, fun sunglasses, and tons of kids pushing themselves and discovering independence out on the trails. It was very cool to witness the breadth and depth of the Nordic community from our kindergarteners to retired alums of the program out there racing together.

Coming up in March we have Western Club Championships at Mike Harris and Junior Nationals in Wisconsin. We then will have our full club team celebration at the Center for the Arts on March 16th, and that is the last week of practice! We will try to pack the calendar with fun practices and events to celebrate the season and all the good times from the winter. Thanks for being part of this special program and helping us build a great Nordic community. It takes a whole village to support such a strong Nordic program; we have a particularly caring community here in Jackson that I am always grateful to be a part of. THANK YOU!

Will Wicherski

Head Coach and Nordic Program Director

Lollipoppers

February is such a special month for our Lollipoppers!

We’re skiing with more confidence than ever, gliding stronger, braving hills and longer distances, and really getting to know Trail Creek. Every group has now made it all the way to Sam the Truck, which is a huge accomplishment for young athletes!

We’re continuing to build skills including herringbone technique, smooth gliding, and using our poles (and pole straps!) effectively. Most importantly, we’re having so much fun together. With just a few weeks of Nordic left we’re going to pack in all the good stuff: skiing with the big kids, skiing with parents, Nordic X adventures, and of course… a hot cocoa party!

Coach Steph Thomas

Head Lollipopper Coach

Teewinots

The last month with the Teewinot team has been full of smiles, snow, and a little bit of everything. We had some great powder days, along with plenty of adventure skiing, games, and laughs. From a fun Valentine’s Day practice to a surprise Yeti appearance (and an enthusiastic Yeti chase), the kids brought great energy to every session. We also mixed things up with a scavenger hunt and a creative obstacle course, turning practice into fun little adventures on skis.

One of the highlights was the Moose Chase race, where many Teewinot kids jumped in and experienced the excitement of race day in such a fun and supportive environment. We also had an Olympic-style practice with different disciplines, pulled out the tandem skis for teamwork and spent lots of time exploring on skis. The focus has stayed on learning through games, movement, and fun—and it’s been really special to see how much more confident, capable, and comfortable the kids have become on their skis over the past few weeks.

Julia Richter

Head M/W Teewinot Coach

Devo Team

February delivered everything we love about winter in the Tetons—adventure, fresh snow (finally!), laughter, teamwork, and some truly memorable moments together as a team. Devos stretched their distance legs and sense of exploration with adventure skis out to Black Hole, Homesite, Nose Dive and the Boiler Meadows and ventured off trail in Woolsey Woods. Skiers handled longer distances and varied terrain with growing confidence, encouraging one another and discovering that they’re capable of more than they think.

We intentionally add playful skill-building activities like human wheelbarrow races, “Chase the Rabbit”, tandem ski relays, scavenger hunts, and Nordic Bingo. These games aren’t just fun; they build teamwork, communication, resilience and reinforce agility, balance and coordination. The tandem ski relays in particular required true cooperation and timing, and produced plenty of laughter.

After patiently waiting through January's dry spell, we were finally rewarded with beautiful powder skiing! Soft snow brought huge smiles and a lot of joyful face plants. Another February highlight was the Nordic Olympics; athletes rotated through creative stations including dual slalom, ski hockey, skimo-inspired challenges, curling, and skeleton. The energy was high, the teamwork was strong, and the sportsmanship was even stronger.

Alongside all the fun, we have continued to focus on foundational techniques: strong kick and glide in classic, balance on one ski, athletic stance, and efficient movement. It’s exciting to see athletes connecting skills and timing from drills to real terrain.

Several Devos also stepped onto the race course this month, representing the team with courage and grit at the Teton Ridge Classic, the Moose Chase, the Spudathalon, and even Junior National Qualifiers at Trail Creek and West Yellowstone. We are so proud of these young racers for challenging themselves in a competitive setting, supporting one another, and embracing each start line with sportsmanship and humility.

Devos showed enormous pride and spirit at the Jackson Hole Airport welcoming Anna Gibson home from the Milano Cortina Olympics. It was truly special. Watching the kids cheer for Anna, ask questions and see firsthand what dedication can lead to was powerful. Anna greeted every athlete with such generosity and warmth—a true role model. Devos capped off the day with King Tubes fun at Snow King, making it a day the kids won’t forget anytime soon.

February reminded us that Nordic skiing is so much more than clocking kilometers. It’s about shared challenges, snowy adventures, growing confidence, and being part of something bigger than yourself. We're excited to finish the season strong with more fun and growth on skinny skis!

Libby Hall

Development Team Head Coach

Junior Team

Jackson Hole Junior Nordic – February Newsletter

February has been a full and exciting month for our Junior Nordic team! We’ve raced two weekends here in Jackson, traveled to West Yellowstone for a competitive and memorable weekend, and proudly represented our team at the Moose Chase right here at home. On top of that, we recently competed at the IYC in Sun Valley, where our athletes brought incredible energy and focus to the trails.

Across all of these events, we have seen so many strong results and, more importantly, so much great skiing. From powerful starts to smart pacing and gritty finishes, our athletes continue to show growth, determination, and team spirit. It has been especially exciting to watch them support one another—cheering at race courses, encouraging teammates, and celebrating each other’s successes.

Despite warm weather and some unusual conditions this season, we’ve consistently found ways to make the most of it. The snow and temperatures have kept us on our toes, but the adaptability and positive attitudes of this group have been outstanding. No matter the conditions, the skiing has been strong, the effort has been high, and the smiles have been real.

This is such a good group of athletes and an even better team. It’s been a blast to see these skiers thrive—pushing themselves in races, building confidence, and continuing to improve week after week.

We’re proud of the hard work everyone is putting in and excited for what is still to come this season. Thanks to all the families and supporters who make it possible for this team to train, travel, and compete at such a high level.

Here’s to a strong finish to the winter!

Coach George & the Junior Nordic Team

Prep/Comp Team

After a slow start to the race season, the calendar has been full of events for the Prep/Comp teams over the last month. Following the first JNQ in Soldier Hollow, the team had an opportunity to race at Trail Creek at a WYHS race to prepare for our home JNQ event Feb. 7-8. Our home race, which was originally planned to be hosted by Bogus Basin, was a fun pivot for the team to be able to race at home on very familiar courses for the second JNQ. The team brought their best skiing for this event, with many skiers having their personal best finishes of the season at these races. The combination of familiarity of the venue and ability to relax and feel comfortable helped the team to ski incredibly strong both days.

The race calendar continued on with WYHS races in Sheridan, WY and the local Moose Chase event! It was fun to see coaches and athletes out supporting and celebrating Valentine’s Day. Even Coach Filardo put on a bib for a win in the 20k! To wrap up a very busy month of racing, the team packed up for the final JNQ of the season in West Yellowstone, MT. The theme of this season has been changes in plans; this race was originally going to be hosted by Bozeman at Crosscut, but was moved due to poor snow conditions. This marked the 8th event this season that was either moved somewhere else or cancelled due to lack of snow. Everyone deserves recognition for their patience and flexibility this season as so many plans have had to change, and often multiple times.

The final JNQ weekend displayed "real" winter skiing, with cold temps and abundant snow. The team displayed strong skiing and resilience despite some sickness going around. For me as a coach, the highlights of the weekend were observing teammates supporting one another on and off the race course, and having the team community come together as parents helped to provide dinners and snacks for the team all weekend. It was a great display of teamwork and community!

Championship season is ahead! JHSC has qualified 4 athletes to Junior Nationals: Walker Dunn, Matthew Finkel, Atten Aronowitz and Charlie Von Maur-Newcomb. Dunn, Von Maur-Newcomb, and Aronowitz will travel to Cable, WI for racing from March 9-15. Athletes are also traveling to Intermountain Youth Championships in Sun Valley, and WYHS State Championships in Pinedale. There is a possibility the Western Club Championships might take place here at home March 14-15 with fun race formats! With weather permitting and conditions allowing, Spring Series is still scheduled to take place at Trail Creek, too.

We are looking forward to enjoying the skiing ahead, especially as the Nordic X gets built up!

Luna Wasson

Head Comp/Prep Coach

Nordic Masters

The Recreational Masters team finally got on some consistent snow in February. As with all our teams, it has been a challenging winter for Nordic skiing. With limited track setting around the valley, it has been nearly impossible for adults with jobs to get out on the tracks after work to practice. Nonetheless, with our focus on fundamentals, both body positions and movements, we have seen improvement with all our adult athletes.

The philosophy behind the Recreational Masters team is that the US Ski Team's program for building Olympians can also build the best recreational Nordic skiers. By learning the basics, as taught in the Lollipopper, Teewinot, Development, and Junior JHSC programs, Masters skiers build a foundation on which the many techniques of Nordic skiing can rest. Whether it is skate or classic, V1 or double pole, the fundamentals stay the same. The challenge for adults (since we don't get early release from work) is to consistently practice the fundamentals and build on the foundation. The limited options this season made that challenge even more difficult.

The goal of the Masters team is to provide skiers with an understanding of how the fundamental body positions and movements work together so that they can continue to improve and increase their enjoyment of skiing. Nordic skiing is truly a lifetime sport, and our Masters team includes athletes of all ages looking to keep skiing into their 70s and beyond!

Rob Murphy

Head Masters Coach

Annika Stanley

The Junior Team is a magical stage. Being on the cusp of adulthood, yet still having the fun loving mentality of a kid, they are able to achieve amazing things on Nordic skis. It surely keeps Coach George and crew on their toes riding herd on this bunch. When reaching out to Coach George about a good candidate for Featured Junior Athlete, his suggestion was Annika Stanley, whom he described as being “a rock for the program”. Read on to hear Anni’s Nordic story:

Do you remember when you started skiing?

No. I do not remember, but I was pretty young.

At what age did you start skiing with the Jackson Hole Ski Club program?

I started skiing in kindergarten or first grade.

What grade are you in now and where do you go to school?

I’m in 7th grade, and I go to the Jackson Hole Middle School.

According to Coach George, you are a member of the Junior Team; who else helps coach the Juniors?

Sevi, Ben, Johnny, George, and sometimes Will also help coach the Junior Team. Also, I ski on Tuesdays with the high schoolers and Luna, Ben, Filardo and Will who coach that.

What is the toughest thing the coaches have asked you to do this year?

Probably the sprint simulation at Targhee.

Have you travelled to any races this year, and if so, which ones?

I have travelled to all the races this year, but I didn’t do the Moose Chase. The races we have travelled to this year are Soldier Hollow, West Yellowstone and the two Jackson races. I am going to Sun Valley this weekend for IMD youth fest.

Do other people in your family Nordic ski?

Yes, everyone does, but my older brother is the only other person that is a part of the JHSC Nordic team.

Are you getting close to being faster than others in your family?

I’m faster than my sister and mom. My brother is older and has skied for a while so not him and maybe not my dad. Might depend on the race…

Do you do other skiing like Alpine or Backcountry?

Yes I Alpine ski for fun.

What other sports do you do throughout the year?

I do soccer and track.

What is your favorite memory of skiing for JHSC or at Trail Creek?

Probably all the race weekends because they are fun and you get to hang out with the team. They are high energy and stressful, yet that makes them so fun. Also traveling with the team is so fun during these races because you end up doing fun and random things with your friends like wandering Walmart, drifting, night time snack walks, and doing your hair and glitter in the morning with your friends.

What has been the biggest challenge of your Nordic skiing experiences so far?

Definitely all of my races and the pressure before the start of the race when you get all stressed out about your race.

What kind of skiing goals do you have for the next few years?

To try to improve my double poling, and just keep improving.

Other than Nordic skiing, what do you like to do?

Hang out with friends—and play soccer and go downhill skiing.

What are your favorite classes in school?

History and Shop.

What else would you like the Nordic community to know about you?

That I love skiing and love being able to go ski with my friends (and leave school early to go outside and ski!)

Thanks so much Anni for being our featured Junior athlete this month. Best wishes for future skiing and racing!

Charlie von Maur Newcomb

As you read above, four of our Comp athletes are heading to Cable, Wisconsin for Junior Nationals. One of those athletes is Charlie von Maur Newcomb. Charlie has been training at Trail Creek for a long time; he is a great example of how hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude while training for Nordic skiing can be a great life experience. Thanks to Coach Luna for bringing Charlie to our attention. Read on to discover Charlie’s Nordic story:

When did you start Nordic skiing?

To be honest I can’t really remember when I started. I was 6, so it feels like a pretty long time ago to me.

Do your mom and dad Nordic ski?

My mom and dad both Nordic ski recreationally, and have both competed in local events such as the Moose Chase and Betty Woolsey Classic.

Assuming you can beat them, do you remember how old you were the first time you beat your mom or your dad in a race?

I can’t remember specifically, but probably when I was about 12.

At what age did you start skiing with the Jackson Hole Ski Club program?

I was also 6 when I started Nordic skiing; joining the club was my introduction to the sport.

What grade are you in now?

I am now a sophomore in High School.

What were your Nordic goals for the year and have you met them?

This year my goals were to focus on always giving my best effort in the races, finishing with nothing left and, most importantly, having fun. Nerves have been a really difficult part of competing for me in the past, so letting go of results a bit and focusing more on my effort has allowed me to enjoy racing even more this year.

You have had some great results this year. Did you qualify to head to Junior Nationals in Cable, Wisconsin and, if so, have you gone to Nationals before?

I did qualify for Nationals in Cable. I’m very excited for the trip, especially since I’ve never qualified for Nationals before.

Are there any other Nordic high points of your year so far?

My high point this year was the qualifier race here in Jackson. I had so much fun racing at my home venue with my friends, and also managed my best results of the year so far.

Have you received any awards from Intermountain Division Nordic this year or in previous years?

A couple years ago when I was a U14, I placed 4th in the Intermountain Division U14 cup, and last year I podiumed at Western Club Champs.

What are your college and career plans after high school?

Currently I want to go to a 4 year college after high school. I am not quite sure what I want to do for a job, but I’m definitely open to coaching or teaching.

Are you planning on participating in Nordic skiing or other athletics in college?

I certainly have aspirations of skiing in college, but I will play it by ear in these next couple of years.

What is your favorite memory of skiing for JHSC or at Trail Creek?

My favorite Nordic memories are skiing on sunny spring days at Trail Creek with my teammates, and also the training camps at Turpin Meadow Ranch and in Bend Oregon.

Nordic skiing is a lot of hard work; is there a particular reason or somebody that has influenced you that has led to all of your hard work?

The reason that I put in lots of work year round for Nordic is mostly the way I was raised. Both my parents are very passionate about the outdoors and being active, especially when we live in such a unique place. Although training is very hard, I often turn to my own love of nature and enjoying it with others when I need motivation to go to practice.

What has been the biggest challenge of your Nordic skiing experiences so far?

My biggest challenge with Nordic has been balancing training with school and other aspects of life. One of the downsides of a year round sport like Nordic is that it is time-consuming, and making room for hanging out with friends or spending time with family can sometimes be tricky.

In a decade from now do you see yourself living in a place where you can Nordic ski?

In a decade from now I definitely see myself living in a place where I can Nordic ski, among other winter sports.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with the Nordic community?

I would like to thank my coaches for the immense amount of hard work and time they put in waxing skis, organizing trips, making training plans, and more. I would also like to thank my parents for their constant support and for making it possible for me to do so many fun things like Nordic.

Thanks again, I’m honored to be featured.

Thanks so much, Charlie, for being our featured athlete this month. We will anticipate seeing your name at the top of the results in the years to come and wish you the best of luck. You are the amazing kind of athlete that makes it all worthwhile for the coaches!

February has been a huge month in the world of Nordic racing, with races from the local to the world stage having been completed.

Closest to home, on February 14^th was a great Skinny Skis Moose Chase Race at Trail Creek, with well over 100 racers coming together on a great course for a fun day of racing. With local racers from around age 3 to 70+, it was truly a fantastic day of Nordic camaraderie. Full results can be viewed on this page.

Intermountain Division racing had a chock full month of skiing with Junior Qualifier #2 February 7^th-8^th moved here to Trail Creek from Bogus Basin because of snow conditions, followed by the Junior Qualifier #3 February 21^st and 22^nd which was moved from Crosscut in Montana to West Yellowstone, MT. The full season results have now been tabulated and are available at this link on the IMD Nordic website. Former JHSC Nordic skier Anna Gibson competed in the Olympics in Italy.

With the season wrapping up, the Intermountain Division Team members that are heading to Junior Nordic Nationals in Cable, Wisconsin coming up in March have been set. JHSC skiers on the team include Walker Dunn, Matthew Finkel, Atten Aronowitz and Charlie Von Maur-Newcomb. It’s always amazing to see athletes that began as tiny skiers many years ago competing on the national and international stage.

Wyoming High School racing had a busy month, with a meet in Casper on February 6-7 and Sheridan February 13-14 before wrapping up the 2025-26 season with State Championships at White Pine Nordic, Pinedale on February 27-28. Results are available on this High Plains Nordic website.

Finally, master skiers have had lots of opportunities this month with the Boulder Mountain Tour February 1^st, the Skinny Skis Moose Chase February 14^th, and the American Birkebeiner February 19^th-23^rd.

February was the busiest month of the year at Trail Creek, with the trails being devoured by a full complement of JHSC youth programs (Lollipoppers, Teewinots, Devos, Juniors, Prep, and Comp skiers), the Coombs Foundation Ositos, JHSC Masters, and local elementary school winter sport programs. Throw in a Moose Chase, as well as an extra JNQ Qualifier, and you have what adds up to an amazing month. Thanks to all who have a part in making things happen!

This winter’s weather has surely been unusual. While our precipitation for the winter as recorded by the nearby Phillips Bench Snotel station is only below normal at 92%, what has been really unusual is that much of our precipitation this winter has come as rain. Being one of the higher elevation and generally colder Nordic areas in the Rocky Mountain west has at least given us, on the whole, quite nice skiing conditions; many Nordic centers have struggled to ski at all. Only time will tell how this bizarre season wraps up. Hopefully cool snowy conditions will usher us to the very end.

Moose and elk sightings have remained moderate this season, with a dozen or so elk calling Trail Creek home, as well as several cow calf moose pairs. The low snow winter seems to have made things a bit easier for our resident ruminants with fewer sightings than past years. Fox, coyote, and pine marten tracks have been spotted, and a few grouse have been strutting around the woods as well.

Looking ahead into March, JHSC skiing will continue, with most of the JHSC youth programs wrapping up sometime the week of March 16^th and Prep/Comp skiers possibly on Trail Creek snow until the end of the month. The season finishes with the International Spring Series FIS race April 3-5. General grooming is scheduled to continue to March 31^st depending on snow; with the way this year has been going, who knows? Be sure to get out and enjoy our great skiing while you can this month!

The Skinny Skis WYDAHO Nordic Race Series, according to the Skinny Skis website, has been cancelled for this year.

If you truly are a glutton for punishment, head to the Upper Green River Valley March 13^th-15^th for the Drift Races. Distances of 13, 28, and 100 miles are open for people wanting to propel themselves with their own power on snow over distances ranging to unfathomable.

On March 7^th a great group of JHSC skiers will depart to Cable, Wisconsin for the 2026 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Skiing Junior National Championships (JNs) March 9-14, 2026. This should be a fantastic race in a lovely place at a beautiful time of the year and you can enjoy some great Wisconsin cheese while there!

Finally, there is still time to register and get tickets to Norway for the granddaddy of all the ultra-Nordic races, the Birkebeinerrennet, March 14, 2026. This bucket list event allows you to ski around 50-60 kilometers through some amazing Scandinavian terrain amongst skiers from all over the world. What an amazing thing to do for those so inclined!

Keep those skis waxed and keep on skiing! Click on this link to go to the full calendar, complete with clickable links.