February 22, 2012 (West Yellowstone, MT) – Snow is falling in West Yellowstone, Montana, and skiers of all ages are invited to participate in the 33rd annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race on March 3, 2012. Race organizers have been busy marking the course and making final preparations for the event. The skiing has been great all winter.

Part of the American Ski Marathon Series, the Yellowstone Rendezvous Race is a cornerstone of cross-country skiing in West Yellowstone. Join hundreds of ski enthusiasts in this historic race. This year the race is proud to once again have Yellowstone National Park Lodges as its corporate sponsor. There are six different race divisions offered for skiers of all ages. Marathoners can enter the 50 kilometer freestyle race, which consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Rendezvous Ski Trail system. Racers can enter the 25 kilometer classic or freestyle events, and the 10 kilometer race is a great choice for those preferring a shorter distance. The 5k and 2k races are geared for kids.

Register before February 27th to save on entry. Race registration deadline is Thursday March 1st at 12 noon. Please visit www.rendezvousrace.com for more information, and find us on facebook for the latest updates on the race.

On Sunday, March 4th, the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation will host their annual Youth Ski Festival where kids 13 and under can participate in a variety of ski games including relays, musical chairs and more! Bring the family and experience winter this year. Day-of registration. Please visit www.rendezvousskitrials.com for more information.

January 03, 2012 (West Yellowstone, MT) – The Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone, Mont. are in great shape with the entire trail system groomed for both skate and classic skiing. Elevation and natural snowfall have been our friends this season, and skiers here have been spoiled with fantastic, mid-winter conditions all season.

Make plans now to enjoy some of the best skiing in the world, and mark your calendars for the 33rd annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race, on March 3, 2012, sponsored by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.

The Yellowstone Rendezvous Race is a cornerstone of cross-country skiing in West Yellowstone, and is part of the American Ski Marathon Series. There are six different races offered for skiers of all ages. Marathoners can enter the 50 kilometer freestyle race, which consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Rendezvous Ski Trail system. Racers can enter the 25 kilometer events under classic or freestyle technique, with the 10k as a great choice for those preferring a shorter distance. The 5k and 2k races are geared for kids… bring the whole family!

The Rendezvous Race is a fun, festive event in a unique location. The camaraderie at the start is evident and follows racers along the course. To support racers in the 25 or 50k division, local community groups staff feed stations along the trails, and the theme this year is “Pirates”. Look for eye patches, hooks, hats, and of course, treasure. Bragging rights are on the line. Racers vote for their favorite feed station and the winners gloat for the rest of the year.

For most skiers, crossing the finish line is the goal. The fastest skiers will be rewarded with medals and cash prizes at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening. All racers are invited to treat themselves to the complimentary desert bar at the Holiday Inn after the race.

For more information, please visit www.rendezvousrace.com.

November 10, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – Light snow is falling outside and the forecast is calling for more. The Rendezvous Ski Trails are covered and the South Plateau is looking good. A few more inches and the trails in town will be rolled, groomed, and ready for the Yellowstone Ski Festival. There are two weeks to go and almost all of them have a snowflake in the forecast.

With the 2011 Yellowstone Ski Festival in sight, the final details are wrapping up. It is not too late to register for a clinic. Consider a three or five day Nordic clinic to start the ski season off right. Or a one or two day to fit your holiday schedule. Take in an early season race. There are six different races at this year’s ski festival. Online registration is available now. Sign up by Thursday, November 17 to avoid late fees. Check out the schedule of events. Enjoy an array of wax clinics, movies, classes, and presentations. The schedule is updated constantly, so check back often. The Indoor Expo is packed with all things Nordic and free of charge. Visit with those in the know from Rossignol, Salomon, Fischer, Toko, Atomic, Fast Wax, Madshus, Swix, Solda, the National Nordic Foundation, National Guard Biathlon, Sun Valley Nordic Ski Club, Concept 2, Boulder Nordic Sport, SkiFast Ergometer, Cross Country Skier, Ski Trax, Master Skier, and the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. Fill in your wish list at the On-Snow Demo- Your ski pass allows you full access to demo gear on the trails. Be sure to schedule some time so you can sample the latest and greatest from Alpina, Atomic, Fast Wax, Fischer, Madshus, Rossignol, Salomon, and Swix.

Join us for keynote speaker Conrad Anker, catch a fashion show, and win great prizes at the annual WYSEF Raffle, all at the Holiday Inn, Yellowstone Ski Festival’s event headquarters.

Enjoy your First Tracks in West Yellowstone. Whether First Tracks truly means the corduroy and you, or it is the first time on skis this season, or the first time on skis period; you are invited to take them at the Yellowstone Ski Festival. Think Snow and make plans now to attend the 2011 Yellowstone Ski Festival. For more information, visit www.yellowstoneskifestival.com and follow westyellxcski on Twitter, or friend Yellowstone Ski Fest on Facebook for up-to-minute news.

October 31, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – With the temperature well below freezing in West Yellowstone last night and five inches of snow above 8,000 feet, planning for the 2011 Yellowstone Ski Festival is in full swing. We would like to welcome back our old friends and invite new cross-country ski enthusiasts to the first Nordic Festival of the season. There is something for everyone this year, and we are excited to announce many new additions.

– New Trails: Over three miles have been added to the Rendezvous Ski Trails this year, along with new signs, trail maps, and a brand new biathlon range.
– Two-Day Kids Ski Clinic: The Yellowstone Ski Festival and Lone Mountain Ranch have partnered to offer a ski-specific kids clinic on Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving week. Grade K-2nd clinics will focus on the “Fun”damentals of classic skiing, and 3rd-6th graders will have both classic and skate options.
– Fresh off of another first ascent, Legendary Mountaineer Conrad Anker will be delivering the keynote address on Friday evening, Nov. 25, at the Holiday Inn, Yellowstone Ski Festival Headquarters.
– Adaptive Sit Ski and Biathlon Clinic. Eagle Mount in Bozeman, Mont., the Casper Mountain Biathlon Club (Casper, Wyo.), and the Yellowstone Ski Festival have joined to provide a FREE clinic to adaptive athletes on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
– Fashion Show: Wednesday evening, Nov. 23, will feature a Fall harvest Tapas and Tasting, followed by the first ever Yellowstone Ski Festival Fashion show, featuring the latest in styles from leading ski clothing manufacturers.

The Yellowstone Ski Festival will also welcome back the major ski manufacturers as well as a few new companies to the On-Snow Nordic Gear Demo and Indoor Nordic Expo. Online registration is now open for six different races for competitive skiers, and the Nordic clinics will present five, three, and one day courses, including a women’s only and junior clinic option.

Discounted month-of-November trail passes are available until Oct. 31. Order yours today and save 20 percent. Book your lodging now for the best availability. Many hotels, motels, condos and houses are still available over Thanksgiving week. Contact the chamber for a list of properties. If you are flying into Bozeman and do not want to rent a car, let Big Sky Taxi or Karst Stage do the driving. Register for a clinic. Many of the popular clinics will fill on a first come first served basis, so sign-up online today!

For more information about all the events at the Yellowstone Ski Festival visit our website at www.yellowstoneskifestival.com.

September 28, 2011 (West Yellowstone, Montana) – Everyone is invited to West Yellowstone, Montana Nov. 22-26 for the Yellowstone Ski Festival, a week-long celebration of cross-country skiing. Each year thousands of skiers, from Olympic athletes to first timers, descend on this small mountain town to make their first tracks of the season over the Thanksgiving holiday on perfectly groomed corduroy.

The Yellowstone Ski Festival offers a diverse schedule of events, with one to five day Nordic ski clinics offered throughout the week. Classic and skate specific options, as well as multi-day combination clinics, provide an opportunity for all skiers to kick-start their season on the Rendezvous Ski Trails. West Yellowstone will also host the USSA SuperTour opener, beginning with the “Sprint Showdown,” on Wednesday, Nov. 23. The 10/15 kilometer freestyle race and 5/10 kilometer classic race will happen on Friday and Saturday. A “Try Biathlon Day” will be held on Nov.22, and Biathlon Sprint on Nov. 23.

Skiers will have the chance to test skis, boots, bindings, poles and wax at the On Snow Gear Demo. New this year, the “Passport Program” will enter skiers who demo gear from all participating companies and attended one evening wax clinic into a drawing for a $750 gift certificate to their choice of local ski shops Freeheel & Wheel, Bud Lilly’s, or Altius Handcrafted Firearms. Second and third prizes will also be awarded. The festivities continue after dark at the Indoor Expo, where skiers may visit with company representatives, fine tune ski prep techniques at wax clinics, and enjoy a variety of lectures, presentations and films. The expo will be held at the Yellowstone Ski Festival’s headquarters, the Holiday Inn.

Bring the whole family; there are plenty of options for kids. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center has scheduled daily activities and family-friendly evening presentations include the Backcountry Film Festival, a Birds of Prey exhibit featuring live raptors, a hands-on lecture from the National Park Service, and a good, old-fashioned s’more party. Let the Yellowstone Ski Festival become a new Thanksgiving tradition.

Think snow and make plans now to attend the 2011 Yellowstone Ski Festival. For more information, clinic registration, or to find out about early trail pass discounts, visit www.yellowstoneskifestival.com.

March 01, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – The 32nd annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race will be held on March 5, 2011. Local legend, Nordic shop owner, and member of the race organizing committee, Kelli Sanders, invites all skiers to join her on race day. Sanders was asked to describe the course and here is what she said.

– Start- Listen for the boom of the cannon and it is race on.
– 1k- All out, it is flat and wide open.
– 2k- The terrain is rolling. Anticipate the first steady climb followed by a short herringbone hill.
– 3 to 5k- Enjoy the gentle terrain with a long easy downhill that rolls into the first feed station.
– 5k, 1st feed. – Thank you to the volunteers from the Forest Service manning the station.
– 5 to 7k- Continue gentle terrain with a horseshoe bend.
– 8 to 9k- Expect a couple of short hills with button hook turns.
– 10k- Go fast down the long descend.
– 11k- What a sight. It is a gradual long climb with open views.
– 12k- Bob up and down and look around. The scenery is beautiful in this stretch. Roll up to second feed station.
– 12k, 2nd feed.– Look for volunteers from the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation and other local groups.
– 13 to 14k- Brace for the long climb back up to Dead Dog.
– 15 to 18k- Gradual downhill and rolling terrain to the 3rd feed station.
– 18k, 3rd feed. – The West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce shows their support.
– 18k- Rolling up with little relief.
– 19k- Slow going at the longest/steepest climb of race course.
– 20 to 21k- Recover on this fun stretch over rolling terrain and enjoy the twists and turns.
– 22k- Last gradual long climb on the race course with a steep ‘S’ descent.
– 23 to 24k- Rolling into biathlon cabin area.
– 25k- Flat and wide open back to finish area for 25k or head under the arch for the second lap. 50k racers get to do it all again and will find the last feed station near the trailhead building.

After crossing the finish line, all skiers are invited to the Ambulance/Fire Station for the final feed. West Yellowstone Boy Scouts are on-hand to serve warm soup, drinks, and other snacks as skiers recover from the marathon. Stick around for the evening Awards Ceremony, complimentary dessert bar, raffle, and live music at the Holiday Inn.

Late registration is open until noon MST on Thursday, March 3rd. The extended weather forecast looks promising. It will be a great weekend to ski in West Yellowstone.
More info can be found at www.rendezvousrace.com

February 14, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – The 2011 Equinox Ski Challenge will be held March 19-20 at the Rendezvous cross-country ski trails in West Yellowstone. Racers complete as many laps as they can and may enter as soloists or as members of a relay team of up to 8 members in 3-hour, 6-hour, 12-hour and 24-hour divisions. Kids 12 and under can race for free in the 24-minute challenge.

Bozeman resident Andy Gerlach, who raced on a 5-person team in the 24-hour division in 2010, said that “skiing at night is fabulous.”

“The reflections, the light…everything moves faster.”

Gerlach also noted the race went easier than he expected.

“The first lap was the hardest, and then it got better,” he said.

Gerlach added that having Toko ski wax representative Eric Mittelstaedt working on participants’ skis throughout the event went a long way in keeping them fast throughout the 24-hour ski race.

Wilson Dippo, who races for Bowdoin College in Maine, skied the Equinox for the first time in 2010 on a two-person, 24-hour team, and had a little less time to rest in between laps.

“I went out too hard for a 24-hour race,” he said.

Dippo said his first “bonk” hit around 8 p.m., after skiing with teammate Ian Anderson for nearly 10 hours.

Still, they rested, ate and recovered to ski through the night and win their division with 289.1 kilometers skied.

Dippo said he’s planning to return home to Salt Lake City over spring break and make the trip to West Yellowstone again, this time to ski the 24-hour solo division.

Melissa Alder and Kelli Sanders, owners of Free Heel & Wheel in West Yellowstone, thought first about entering as a two-person team for the 24-hour race, but instead opted to ski the 12-hour individual category so they could ski together.

“The costumes were great. The festive atmosphere was positive, energizing and made me want to keep skiing,” said Alder.

Proceeds from the race benefit the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation (WYSEF) and Manaia Youth Programs. Participants are also encouraged to bring food donations for the West Yellowstone Food Bank.

The event includes a Saturday evening potluck and an all-night bonfire at the start/finish line.

Before March 1, registration is $55/adult or $30/junior. Between March 1-March 15, the fee is $75/adult and $50/junior. Race-day registration is $90/adult and $60/junior. Registration discounts are available for racers who also volunteer at the race or who bring someone along to volunteer for them. Registration is free for kids under 12 participating in a 24-minute kids’ race.

For more information, visit www.equinoxskichallenge.com.

February 08, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – There is just under a month to go until the 32nd annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race. Final preparations are in place and there is still time to train for the big day. Join hundreds of Nordic skiers at the start line on March 5th, 2011. Register before March 1 to avoid late fees and all registrations will be closed promptly at noon on Thursday, March 3.

Whether you are skiing for prize money or just to cross the finish line, all racers invited to the Yellowstone Rendezvous Race. True marathoners can enter the 50 kilometer race, which consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Rendezvous Ski Trail system. Skiers can choose the 25 kilometer event under classic or freestyle technique. The 10k race is open to skiers not ready for a long race, with the 5k and 2k races geared for kids.

Bring your friends and family and stay a few extra days. From skiing to sight-seeing, West Yellowstone is the home base for winter fun. There is no other place in the world where you can spend one day racing on 25 kilometers of professionally groomed trails and the next day see bison grazing next to hot springs or bald eagles soaring past geysers.

The Rendezvous Ski Trails are in great shape and the entire trail system is groomed with both a skate lane and classic track. With three feet of groomed packed powder on the ground and more on the way, there is no reason not to expect perfect corduroy for next month’s event. End your race season with a bang at the 32nd Annual Rendezvous Race.

There is still time to sign up for the Rendezvous Race. For more information, go to www.rendezvousrace.com.

January 27, 2011 (West Yellowstone, MT) – The time is now to register for the annual marathon ski race in West Yellowstone. With a bit of luck, a season’s worth of long skis, interval training, and hill climbs will pay off when the boom of the cannon signals the start of the race.

The Yellowstone Rendezvous Race has been a cornerstone to cross-country skiing in West Yellowstone for over three decades. The race takes place on the Rendezvous Ski Trails, located on the southern edge of this small gateway community and the trailhead is within walking distance from most lodging properties.

The Yellowstone Rendezvous Race is considered a long distance event and is part of the American Ski Marathon Series. There are six different races offered for skiers of all ages. True marathoners can enter the 50 kilometer race, which consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Rendezvous Ski Trail system. Racers can enter the 25 kilometer events under classic or freestyle technique. The 10k race is open to skiers not ready for a long race, with the 5k and 2k races geared for kids. Registration for all races is currently available online at HERE.

To support racers in the 25 or 50k division, local community groups man five feed stations along the trails. The theme to the 2011 Rendezvous Race is “Lost in Space”. Look for lots of aluminum foil, pointy ears, and galaxy dust. Bragging rights are on the line. Racers vote for their favorite feed station and the winners gloat for the rest of the year.

As the name implies, West Yellowstone sits at the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park, which is open to over-snow vehicles until March 15, 2011. Visitors are encouraged to extend their stay and truly enjoy a winter wonderland that is unlike any other place. Whether it is skiing or sight-seeing, West Yellowstone is the home base for winter fun. There is no other place in the world where you can spend one day racing on 25 kilometers of professionally groomed trails and the next day see bison grazing next to hot springs or bald eagles soaring past geysers. The skiing options in and around West Yellowstone are not limited to the Rendezvous Ski Trails. Multiple snowcoach companies offer ski tours around Old Faithful, a skier led track will take you from the western boundary of town to the Madison River just inside the Park, or a short drive will find many trailheads for those interested in a light backcountry tour of Yellowstone National Park or the Gallatin National Forest.

The Yellowstone Rendezvous Race is a fun, festive event in a unique location. The camaraderie at the start is evident and follows racers along the course. For most skiers, crossing the finish line is the goal. The fastest skiers will be rewarded with medals and cash prizes at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening. All racers are invited to treat themselves to the complimentary desert bar at the Holiday Inn after the race.

The Rendezvous Ski Trails are in great shape and the entire trail system is groomed with both a skate lane and classic track. With three feet of groomed packed powder on the ground and more on the way, there is no reason not to expect perfect corduroy for next month’s event.

There is still time to sign up for the Rendezvous Race. Register before February 1 to avoid late fees and all registrations will be closed promptly at noon on Thursday, March 3. For more information, go to www.rendezvousrace.com. End your race season with a bang at the 32nd Annual Rendezvous Race.

Stay in touch by becoming Rendezvous Race’s Facebook friend or email race organizers at yellrendrace@yahoo.com with any questions.