November 5, 2008 (Crested Butte, CO) – Nordic enthusiasts are invited to post-Thanksgiving workouts in Crested Butte, Colo. Learn from Olympians, NCAA Coach & Industry Experts. Instructors typically include former Olympians Rebecca Dussault, Kendall and Ingrid Butts and other great clinicians at the Crested Butte Nordic Council’s annual Thanksgiving Training Camp on Nov. 28-30, 2008.

With all clinics held at elevations in excess of 8,800 feet, camp participants of all levels are sure to get a jump on conditioning for a successful season of competitive racing, recreational touring or fun winter exercise. For more information or to register, call Crested Butte Nordic Center at (970) 349-1707 or visit www.cbnordic.org . Clinics are designed to enhance and improve skills and are limited to approximately 12 people in each, so register early.

Friday, November 28
– Pre-Clinic Waxing Assistance: Nordic Center, 8 a.m., FREE.
– Beginning Classic Clinic: A starter clinic for people looking to
learn the basics of classic style Nordic skiing. Nordic Center, 9-11 a.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Intermediate Classic Clinic: A clinic for people with a strong base in classic skiing looking to improve their technique and take their skiing to the next level. Includes video analysis. Nordic Center, 9-11 a.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Fit for the Skieason: Early season Nordic Training with a 20-30 minute dry-land workout followed by 90 minutes on the snow. 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.
– Lunch at Nordic Center: Noon, $5.
– Advanced Classic Clinic: Fine tune your classic racing technique and develop a more aggressive style. Nordic Center, 1-3 p.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Wax Clinic: Sponsored by Fastwax, this informative clinic will address the ins and outs of proper ski waxing. Nordic Center, 3:45-4:30 p.m., FREE.

Saturday, November 29
– Pre-Clinic Waxing Assistance: Nordic Center, 8 a.m., FREE.
– Grey Hares Group Refresher Clinic: Join Crested Butte’s 50-plus
recreational group for a fun-filled morning of camaraderie and Nordic ski instruction. Nordic Center, 9-11 a.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Beginning Skate Ski Clinic: An introductory clinic with NCAA coach Jessie Crandall covering the basics of skate skiing including balance, posture and poling techniques. Nordic Center, 9-11 a.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Advanced Skate Ski Clinic: Fine tune your V1, V2, and V2 alternate technique and increase hill performance. Includes video analysis. Nordic Center, 9-11 p.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Lunch at Nordic Center: Noon, $5.
– Intermediate Skate Ski Clinic: A clinic for those with a basis in skate skiing looking to ease the transition from flats to hills and V2 to V2 alternate. Includes video analysis. Nordic Center, 1-3 p.m., $40 clinic fee.
– Women’s Skate Ski Clinic: Intermediate to advanced women skiers can improve their technique and cheer each other on at this clinic. Nordic Center, 1-3 p.m., $40 clinic fee.
– FREE Backcountry Avalanche Awareness Class: An absolute must for skiers traveling off the groomed track! Participants will receive essential information to ensure good avalanche and safe backcountry travel awareness. Nordic Center, 4-5 p.m., Free.

– Nordic Gourmet Dinner and Silent/Live Auction Fundraiser: Join fellow clinic participants, instructors, staff and the local Nordic community for a gourmet dinner. There will be great food, music, slideshows and an opportunity to bid on items such as skis, packs, jackets, private lessons, lodging and spa packages, 10th Mountain and Summit Huts, and tickets to Crested Butte Center for the Arts performances. All proceeds benefit the Crested Butte Nordic Center. Catholic Church’s Parish Hall, 6 p.m., $10 adults and $5 children age 12 and under.

Sunday, November 30
– Race Day: Break out your Lycra and practice new skills in timed 5 km classic and 5 km skate racing events against fellow camp participants, locals and members of the Crested Butte Junior Nordic Team. Location is dependent on snow conditions, 10 a.m. skate and 10:30 a.m. classic, $5.

Crested Butte Nordic Center Facts
The Crested Butte Nordic Center is a full-service cross-country ski center providing lessons and complete rental packages for skate and classical skiing, as well as ice skating, snowshoeing and sledding. The Nordic Center maintains more than 50 kilometers of groomed trails that meander around the outskirts Crested Butte and offers backcountry and moonlight tours and Nordic events and ski programs (e.g., Master Skiers, Gray Hares and Junior Nordic Team).

Located in the heart of town at Second Street and Whiterock, the Nordic Center will open for the season from Nov. 22, 2008-April 5, 2009, and is connected to Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski area and various stops in Crested Butte by a free shuttle bus. For more information about the Crested Butte Nordic Center and its winter 2008/2009 calendar of events, visit www.cbnordic.org

Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation PackagesTo find out more about Gunnison County or to book personalized vacation packages, call (800) 814-8893, or visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com. The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is served year-round by United Airlines with flights from Denver and during the winter season by American Airlines with direct flights from Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago and Delta Air Lines with direct flights from Salt Lake City and Atlanta.

About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado
Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado. Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities. In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding. Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options – from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels.

Recognized as the “Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado” by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” in 2008, Crested Butte is the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. Only three miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area’s conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails. Gunnison, a real western town located 28 miles from Crested Butte, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, a four-year institution offering majors in the liberal arts and sciences and professional fields. Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities.

In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado’s largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country’s newest national parks. Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.