WHO WE ARE
Winter endurance athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, Nordic skiers, and snowshoers. We are a community. We celebrate the solitude and stark beauty of a winter’s day. We embrace the pursuit of fitness traversing our backyard wilderness under our own power. We get stoked if it’s a blue wax day. We thrive on type II fun (miserable while it's happening, but fun in retrospect). We enjoy some of the finest scenery in the State of Colorado from our trails. And some have the nerve to say, we wear silly clothes.
Like a community, we stick together, support each other, and work for the whole. Durango Nordic has done this from the beginning, when volunteers first cut the trails in the 1950s, when we took over operations of the Nordic center from Purgatory Resort in the 1980s to prevent it from closing, and when we battled high-density real estate development on the North Loop. Together, we have prevailed.
Our community collaborates as a non-profit club to operate the Durango Nordic Center and its ski programs with the mission of providing individuals of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn, enjoy, and improve in the sports of Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. We are funded through memberships, trail fees, programs, events, and generous donations from sponsors and community members.
OUR HISTORY
The Durango Nordic Ski Club (DNSC), founded in 1952, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides individuals of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn, enjoy, and improve in the sports of Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. We maintain over 20 kilometers of groomed trails and offer complete ski and snowshoe rental packages as well as private lessons, clinics, and a youth team program. Our Nordic Center is located one-third mile north of the base of Purgatory on the east side of Highway 550.
DNSC offers racing and development program for junior cross country skiers ages 6 through 19 years old. We embrace skiers of all abilities, from those interested in recreational pursuits to racers aspiring for Junior World Cup racing or the Winter Olympics. Our mission is to help young athletes achieve great things as individuals and as competitors by providing financial, developmental, and organizational support to the athletes and their coaches.
DNSC provides year-round opportunities and support to develop and build individuals into respectful, ethical, and disciplined athletes. Each year, up to 75 athletes participate in the DNSC’s activities including weekly training, a series of local races at the Nordic Center at Purgatory, Junior Nationals qualifying events around the State, and National events.
DNSC is funded through memberships, trail fees, and generous donations from sponsors and community members.
