Well it was an interesting season, things started our slow but are ending with some great snow. We are glad you joined us, so please take the time to fill out our MNC End of the Season Survey below.
Archive | BKL Jackrabbits
BKL Fest. Is. Awesome.
Marshmallow roasting in Reid’s stove
Not many places can do it like New England can! The BKL Festival was an amazing experience this year, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it may possibly be the best event on skis in the country. There was a snowstorm dropping plenty of new snow on an already-good base, perfect temps in the upper-20s, bright sun on Sunday, an impeccable venue with the perfect layout for hosting, and 600+ young skiers all taking it in.
We’re often used to Craftsbury utilizing their deep resources of lodging, snowmaking, grooming, buildings (“campus”), and extensive trails to put on the highest quality races around. But when all of those resources are leveraged toward a giant party on skis it’s quite the scene.
In fact, it reminds me of our weekly BKL practices at MNC, but on an hugely expansive scale. Games? Activities? Jumps? Races? Maple Syrup? Nature experiences? Radar speed trap? Parade? Often on a weekly basis the trails at the Range are abuzz with different groups of kids playing and cruising around on skis.
This festival was no different, and my challenge for future years is for more of our own members to get out and experience the vibe of this thing! There was plenty to do for families and skiers alike, and racing isn’t even a prerequisite to participation or enjoyment.
You can check out some great photos from the event, spanning all the age groups and various activities/race happening all weekend, via Phillip Belena’s album here. If you choose to buy a print, 25% of proceeds will go to NENSA! Here’s a couple “action shots” from MNC’s end:
Astrid in the 7/8 classic race!
Isaiah in the classic race
It doesn’t matter if it’s a race or a casual ski…if you see a tutu on the trails, you KNOW it’s Bella!
Be sure to keep an eye on the NENSA calendar and announcements from them, and MNC, as the location and details for next year’s festival come out! Here’s a great video recap from NENSA themselves:
Coming to the Range
Hello everyone!
While our Range days are limited in December (and the lack of snow makes it difficult to have a “traditional” session in the first place) we have access occasionally and I’d like to just put out information on the arrival process as a refresher.
- If you have signed up for MNC Programming (including Range Access, not just coaching) your name will be added to our “command list” which is kept at the front gate.
- When you drive in, you’ll need to show a photo ID to the gate guard and specify that you’re on the MNC/Mansfield Nordic Club list. For younger skiers, a school ID is fine! For the smallest skiers (elementary school) it’s likely ok to just have a parent in the car who can provide names.
- Always remember to go the speed limit, or even better BELOW the speed limit!
- Need specific directions to the Range itself? Check out this document below
The 2022 MNC Annual Fund HERE!
Be on the lookout for a mailing for this year’s Annual Fund as we collect donations for our scholarship and more! We are also offering an online contribution option via a GoFundMe page which you can view here. Thanks for the support!
The 2021/2022 season will probably always be remembered as the first year “back” from many pandemic restrictions and adjustments. Training in groups became more feasible, and we all enjoyed getting to connect on the snow again. Mass start races brought people together again in a wholly different sense, and fun trips and camps helped unite members of all ages. But while the season could be remembered for its return to normalcy, we’d also be remiss not to remember it as a huge step forward in club achievements and milestones. As we look ahead to more experiences we hope you’ll consider a contribution!
BKL Festival 2023
Craftsbury is the host for the BKL Festival this coming March 4th and 5th! It’s great to have this event in our backyard, which means we are shooting for tons of participation from MNC skiers! Even if you never do a youth race, or if you’ve never even done MNC before, you will gain soooo much from checking out the festival as it truly is a highlight of skiing in New England and, really, the whole country.
If you would like to stay closer to the venue, now is the time to make a reservation. Most of the lodging at the Outdoor Center has already been reserved for coaches and staff. The un-reserved rooms will become available on August 1. Meanwhile, if you are interested in lodging, you might consider staying in Greensboro (try Highland Lodge), Morrisville (Sunset Motor Inn) or look for a place on AirBNB. The staff at Craftsbury are psyched to put on a really great Festival and Craftsbury is one of the best places to ski in the east, so your BKL aged kids will definitely not want to miss this event!
