The Cedar Mountain Nordic Ski Club (CMNSC) began in the early 2000’s as a small group of like-minded friends who loved Nordic skiing and wanted to advocate for the sport and establish and promote XC skiing routes across Cedar Mountain. Since then, it has grown into a non-profit organization of about 70 dues-paying individuals and family members that is entirely supported by the efforts of member volunteers and occasional grant funding.
The stated purpose of the CMNSC is “to increase public awareness and enjoyment of Nordic skiing in what are some of the nation’s best snow conditions and in locations offering outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities…. Our efforts include, but are not limited to the following:
- Increase public awareness about Nordic skiing by organizing and sponsoring Nordic ski activities, events, and workshops. Workshops may be conducted in cooperation with the Southern Utah University (SUU) Outdoor Recreation Program to help ensure Nordic ski awareness throughout SUU.
- Provide a source of Nordic skiing information such as free trail maps, snow reports, and pictures of CMNSC outings (currently available on the CMNSC website, cmnsc.org). This valuable information is great for those who are not yet familiar with the many Nordic ski areas near Cedar City.
- Ongoing liaison and cooperation with city, state park, national park and national forest personnel in order to facilitate access to and maintenance of ski trails in areas under the control of these agencies.
- Soliciting funds to support the above efforts. With increased support from available sources, we hope to raise the healthy and rewarding sport of Nordic skiing to the level of popularity we feel it should enjoy here in Southwestern Utah.”
Since its inception, the CMNSC has been directly involved with the Cedar City Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest to assist in the development and promotion of the Deer Hollow Recreation Area as the only designated non-motorized cross-country skiing and snowshoeing area in southern Utah. The area now has 37 km (23 miles) of snowshoe and cross-country ski trails, including some multi-use and dog-friendly trails, which are groomed by the Forest Service (FS) and Club volunteers as conditions permit, under an agreement with the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. In 2015, the FS constructed a 20-stall trailhead parking lot. In 2016, they were successful in funding and installing a trailhead restroom building. In 2017, the Forest Service and CMNSC volunteers installed a 3-panel informational kiosk and marked each trail intersection with high quality aluminum laminate "You Are Here" map signs. The popularity of the area has been growing each year, and the large numbers of users are accommodated with grant-supported parking lot plowing the construction of safer turning lanes on Highway 14 at Deer Hollow by the Utah Department of Transportation, and the future planned paving of the parking area.
Recently, most of the club’s volunteer efforts have been focused on the maintenance of the trail system at Deer Hollow. Our members have been involved each year with off-season trail maintenance to prepare the trail system for winter grooming, operation of snowmobiles and the State’s snowcat trail groomer, seasonal installation and removal of boundary and trail signs, and equipment repair, maintenance, and storage.
The CMNSC continues to have a need for volunteers to not only do the physical work of maintaining the trail system but is also in great need of volunteers who are willing to work “behind-the-scenes” to promote and publicize our activities through print and social media, host and post events, apply for grants, and accomplish a number of other tasks. Currently, the CMNSC has identified the following volunteer positions. Some of these are already filled by dedicated volunteers, but having ALL these positions filled would help the club to thrive and meet the challenges of continued growth: Volunteer Coordinator, Events Coordinator, Website Manager, Membership Coordinator, Public Relations Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, Fundraising Coordinator, and Grants Administrator.
If you are a “self-starter” and have an interest in volunteering to promote and improve opportunities for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing in the Cedar Mountain area, and attracting new users to these healthful activities, please send an email to cmnscinfo@gmail.com with the subject line: Volunteer Support and let us know what your interests are and how you can help us in our efforts.
And THINK SNOW!
Steve Robinson, President
Cedar Mountain Nordic Ski Club
January 2024
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