PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Most of the ski trails at the Nordic Heritage Center are groomed and ready for skiing after nearly two feet of snow in November, marking one of the earliest start to the cross country ski season in years.
If you’re looking to work up an appetite or use up some energy after a big meal, the Nordic Heritage Center has about three quarters of its 12 miles cross country ski system groomed, said Tom Chasse, vice president of the Nordic Heritage Sport Club steering committee. The four-season trail network’s snowshoe trails are also ready to explore.
Meanwhile at Aroostook County’s largest downhill ski center, Bigrock Mountain in Mars Hill, opening day is slated for Dec. 15, or earlier if significant snow comes.
Chasse, who oversees trail grooming at the Nordic Heritage Center and also owns Bike, Board & Ski in Presque Isle, said this is one of the best starts to cross country skiing in the area that he can recall.
“We may have skied this early before, but not with the kind of conditions that we have,” Chasse said.
Snow storms in early and mid-November brought close to two feet of snow to central Aroostook County.
Ski trails benefit from solidly frozen ground before snow accumulation and grooming, much like snowmobile trails and logging trails. But Chasse said the ski trails at the Nordic Heritage Center are looking like they’ll be in good shape for the season as freezing temperatures come with the march toward winter.
“The ground is just starting to freeze. I think we have enough frost in the ground probably to be good.”
As of the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the trails are groomed for freestyle or skate skiing. Over the weekend, they will likely have tracks set for classic skiing, once the main grooming machine is back from maintenance, Chasse said.
All of the ski trails at the center are groomed except for the Presque Isle Rotary and the Over the Mountain trails, which are being widened as part of preparations for hosting the International Ski Federation’s Final and Long Distance National Championships in March 2019.
Soderberg Construction is finishing that trail work, pulling stumps from widened trails, and will likely be complete within the coming weeks, Chasse said.
That race will bring about 150 cross country ski racers to Presque Isle for the final leg in a 10 race ski circuit known as the Super Tour. Racers from that circuit may be vying to make the Olympics.
Chasse said that the Nordic Heritage Center is still looking for volunteers for that race. An informational meeting will be held sometime in mid-December, and anyone who’s interested can learn more following the center’s Facebook page, Chasse said.
The Nordic Heritage Center also has a slate of events in store over the winter holiday season.
On Sunday, Dec. 23, the Nordic Heritage Center is hosting a Sunday snowshoeing event with Santa, with guided family friendly snowshoe hikes and a visit from Santa.
On Jan. 1, at 9 a.m., the Nordic Heritage Center and Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital are hosting a New Year’s Nordic Challenge, a one kilometer or five kilometer fitness challenge in mountain biking, cross country skiing or snowshoeing.
