Mike Terrell: Cross-country center opens

BY MIKE TERRELL
Outdoor columnist

January 25, 2008 04:00 am

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Lou Awody, long time northern Michigan Nordic guru, has opened a new cross-country touring center just south of East Jordan off M-66.

Called Aspen Grove XC Center, it will offer 15 to 20 kilometers of groomed trails this season and the promise of more to come in future years.

Awody spent over 22 years at Boyne Mountain developing the Nordican into one of the most successful and copied resort cross-country touring centers around the Great Lakes. Development at the resort was encroaching on his cross-country terrain and he wanted a new venue with a more wilderness-like surrounding.

"When I first started the Nordican we had just a couple of road crossings, and when I left this season there are something like 10 or 12 road crossings now and housing visible from much of the trail system," Awody said. "It just wasn't my idea of a pristine Nordic environment. It's still a nice resort trail system, but I wanted a more rural setting without road crossings and housing around every turn in the trail."

That's what he has at Aspen Grove. Located three miles south of town on Wagbo Peace Center property, the cross-country center can be found at the intersection of M-66 and Kidder Road. Wagbo is a community gardening program situated on an ancient glacial moraine overlooking the Jordan River Valley. There aren't any houses on the property and no road crossings other than old two-tracks and forest roads left over from long ago lumbering efforts.

There are about 15 to 20 kilometers groomed for both classic and skate that meander up into the tall halls on the west side of M-66, which is the Wagbo property. The system offers a variety of terrain from flat to rolling trails that flow along meadows and low hills near the front of the property to more strenuous trails that head up into the upland forests and high hills in the back.

You see a few houses along the road when you first start out but soon leave them behind. At this time Awody doesn't have the trails named, but it isn't hard following the groomed system. You're just not sure how long the trail is going to be. All the trails lead back to the warming hut.

I took off into the upland wooded hills following a broad trail groomed for both skate and classic. As I wound up into the hills I saw a narrow trail groomed with just a single track and followed it for quite awhile. The trail went up over a ridge and then followed a hollow back out towards the road. It then took off on an old forest road along the edge of a cedar swamp back up into the hills.

Eventually it crested the long ridge and plunged down the other side in a series of quick turns. I took my skis off and walked down this section. It would have made a great run in downhill skis, but not being sure how far I was from the warming hut I decided to play it safe. Once down the steep part at the top I put the skis back on and enjoyed the rest of the trail.

The trails that lead up into the big valley -- taking off to the right from the warming hut -- are easier and less aerobic. Across M-66 sits the Cosner Preserve, which is part of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Awody is grooming about a five to six kilometer single-track trail through the flat to gently rolling preserve this season. In future years he hopes to groom about twice that much and take the trail down along the Jordan River, which abuts the preserve.

"It will make a great outing that isn't difficult and really offset the harder trails on the west side of M-66," Awody said. "It's wooded over there and will be quite scenic, especially down by the river."

In addition to the ski trails there are also snowshoe trails. Trail passes, equipment rentals and repair and lessons as well as limited retail items will be available this season at Aspen Grove.

"It will be a little rough this season since I didn't have much of a chance to do trial work before the season began," he added. "Base facilities will be open daily on a limited basis. I will be out working on trails as I get this set up, but trails are available to ski on. I'll catch up with people on the trails or when they finish, but come on out and see what we're doing."

The daily trail fee is $10 and season passes are $100, and a touring rental package -- skis or snowshoes -- is $15.

You can call (231) 536-9860 or (231) 620-5679 to check on the latest trail and snow conditions.

Having skied at the Nordican for over 20 years I can assure you that if there is snow on the ground, an Awody groomed trail system is about as good as it gets for cross-country skiing. His passion is contagious.

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