Bruce’s Trail tree clearing

Bruce’s Trail is a U.S. Forest Service trail network located on the west side of Rabbit Ears Pass. It is a ski trail in the winter and a foot path in the summer. The trail was built and dedicated to Bruce Albin, a local cross country skier and outdoor pursuit enthusiast.

“The trail is a memorial to an outdoorsman named Bruce Ablin who died in 1992, after his bicycle was struck by a truck near the intersection of Mount Werner Road and Steamboat Boulevard.”
The ski trail was conceived by former SSWSC XC Coach, Dave Mark, with help from XC Skiing Legend Sven Wiik. These two had a big hand in the construction of the trail, but were helped by many others in the local XC ski community. The idea was to create a trail network that could provide early season skiing options. Volunteers have come forth over the years to improve the trail by re-grading and re-routing some of the 7.5 kilometers of trail located there. As with much of the Routt National Forest, standing dead trees are mixed in with healthy trees. When the autumn wind kicks up the dead trees fall to the ground, sometimes over the existing trail. Every year Bruce’s Trail needs tree clearing to prepare for the coming snow.

On October 1st 2019, a hearty group of SSWSC associated coaches, parents, and athletes, joined forces to cut and clear fallen timber which blocked access to the trail network. For now the trail is clear and awaits SSWSC donor and supporter, Steve Williams, to hit the trail with his brush hog. This will take down the vegetation which has grown throughout the year and will allow skiers to glide and stride on the trails sooner.
The trail is groomed by volunteers from the Steamboat Nordic Council and is permitted through the U.S. Forest Service by the Steamboat Ski Touring Center.

*If you want to help fund the skiing on Bruce’s Trail, you can follow this link to make a donation.