ASC Training Center Introduces Nordic Night Skiing To California
ASC, the historic Auburn Ski Club, builds upon a century-long legacy of expanding access to snow sports with the first Nordic night skiing in California and within 600 miles. Permanent, high-efficiency LED lighting in the Nordic stadium and 1km of trails extend opportunities to cross-country skiing and biathlon athletes that alpine and snowboard teams enjoy. In a given week, more than 200 local children, working parents, and high school student-athletes from Reno to Colfax and beyond benefit from ASC’s extension of short winter days with illuminated trails.
To celebrate this latest innovation, ASC hosted a New Year’s Eve Freestyle Night Race on December 31st. More than 110 community members, ranging from six-year-olds to septuagenarians, cross-country ski raced on the lit loop. Funds raised from the race and ongoing “A Place to Shine” campaign will make a Phase II expansion to 2 kilometers possible this summer. The additional distance will open up more terrain for a true training experience.
“We believe the lights project will fundamentally change Nordic ski culture within our region,” said Nordic Program Director Gus Johnson. “The lights allow more skiers to get on snow for training and racing, expanding the pipeline and raising the level of competitive skiing for generations of Nordic skiers.” Extended time on snow benefit skiers from the surrounding communities including Reno, Truckee, Tahoe City, Colfax, Grass Valley, Auburn, Sacramento, and even the Bay Area.
“Illuminated Nordic trails serve ASC's mission to provide affordable year-round mountain sport experiences for all snow sport enthusiasts,” said Bill Clark, Executive Director of ASC. “We strive to be the West’s premier high-altitude training center and to inspire a life-long love of snow sports. This project is a huge step in making that vision a reality.”
On February 16th, don’t miss the spectator-favorite high school and middle school CNISSF Truckee Sprints under the lights. Night skiing is offered to the public until 7:30 pm Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (conditions permitting).
The ASC mission is to provide affordable year-round mountain sport experiences through programs, events, and facilities for all snow sport enthusiasts. ASC's vision is to be the West’s premier high-altitude training center and to inspire a life-long love of snow sports. One of the oldest ski areas in California and in the Tahoe Sierra, ASC was founded as Auburn Ski Club in 1928 with its first ski area at Cisco Grove. ASC has been a leader in the growth of winter sports in the state and lobbied the California State Legislature in 1932 to keep Highway 40 (the predecessor of Interstate 80) open year-round so visitors could access winter recreation.
The current cross-country ski area opened in 1989 on Donner Summit next to Boreal Mountain. The high-altitude training center offers programs in Nordic, biathlon, alpine, and snowboarding. Delivering excellence as well as accessibility, ASC sends athletes to national and international competitions, including the Olympics. Donate to the lights project to the lights project at https://www.asctrainingcenter.org/nordic/lights-project/ Learn more at asctrainingcenter.org
