5 ways American Birkebeiner is transforming Mt. Telemark Village into an outdoor mecca
As the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race gets ready to celebrate its 50th running at the end of February, the group that organizes it is breathing new life into the property where it all started five decades ago.
The American Birkebeiner, North America's largest Nordic ski race, was the brainchild of Tony Wise, a Hayward-area World War II veteran who built and developed the Telemark Lodge and its corresponding Mount Telemark Ski Area. Wise developed the Nordic ski race to help bolster tourism in the Hayward/Cable area and to raise the profile of his posh European-style ski lodge.
The race blossomed in the years following, but the lodge and the downhill skiing, anchored by a "mountain" with just 370 vertical feet, did not. The Telemark Lodge permanently closed in 2013, after falling into disuse and disrepair stemming from a series of bankruptcies and temporary shutdowns that dated back to 1984.
The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is the nonprofit organization that runs the Birkie and affiliated races, along with warmer-weather mountain biking and trail running events. It purchased the Mount Telemark property, more than 500 acres, a couple years ago with the caveat that the lodge be razed. And it embarked on an ambitious plan to rejuvenate the property for not only skiers, but also year-round users of all kinds. They call it Mt. Telemark Village.
Since buying the land, the group has been doing some under-the-radar fundraising, said Blair Flickinger, the foundation's marketing director. It has garnered $5.2 million to pay for the redevelopment efforts from diverse sources such as state grants and funding from the Wisconsin bicycle company Trek. Late last month, the foundation embarked on a public fundraising launch to get another $5 million.
Meanwhile work on rejuvenating the area to make it a year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts has begun. Here's a rundown of what has been accomplished so far, and what is planned for the years ahead.
Developing trails, trails and more trails
The old Telemark Lodge became famous for hosting for the start of the American Birkebeiner Nordic ski race, so trails always have been integral to the spirit of the place. The foundation is in the process of expanding the kinds of trails that circle Mt. Telemark Village to help make it more of a year-round destination for silent sports lovers.
To do that they've partnered with Trek Trails and One Track Mind to provide mountain bike trails that range from beginner level to technically-challenging downhill and competition trails.
"Last fall we opened up the first four miles (of mountain bike trails)," Flickinger said. "And currently there are six miles under construction."
By the time the trail building is complete, there will be about 17 miles of trails looping around Mt. Telemark Village.
The foundation also has completed a five-kilometer paved trail, designed for use by roller skiers doing dry land Nordic ski training, cyclists and hikers. The pavement makes it a terrific place for people who might have physical difficulties with navigating more rugged dirt trails, Flickinger said.
It's been named after George Hovland, a Birkie stalwart, trail developer and Olympic skier from Duluth, Minnesota.
Meanwhile the foundation also is expanding its traditional Nordic ski trail system. There were miles of trails developed when Wise owned the area and the Telemark Lodge, and most of those "have been left to their own devices," Flickinger said.
"We have already started rehabilitating trails around the Birkie trailhead, and that process is going to continue," Flickinger said.
Foundation planners expect that when all the Nordic trails are developed, there will be more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) available to skiers.
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Building a base camp with rentals and a coffee shop
Birkebeiner foundation organizers are calling a 12,000-square-foot multipurpose building that will anchor Mt. Telemark Village a "base camp." The building will serve as a community center, shopping and rental area, coffee shop and changing/shower area. Construction on the building is set to begin this fall, and the hope is the facility will be complete in the spring of 2024, Flickinger said.
The building will feature vendors such as Backroads Coffee, New Moon Ski & Bike Shop and a Trek Store for rentals and repairs. The vision also includes a Tony Wise Museum to honor the roots of the entire venture.
Getting bird's-eye views from the Kawabaming Observation Tower
Kawabaming is an Ojibwe word that means "a place to look out from." The observation tower at the top of Telemark Mountain opened to the public in July. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the tower at a leisurely hiking pace on the Tony Wise Tower Trail. Right now the trail is marked with temporary blue signs that read "Observation Tower."
The tower has attracted plenty of visitors in the few months it's been open, Flickinger said.
"It was fabricated out of a lot of things that were on the property: ski towers, lift poles, bullwheels that are at the top of ski lifts, the cables from the old ski lifts themselves," Flickinger said. "I think it was a surprise to all of us. The amount of use it's already getting, and the views from the top, are amazing. And when the fall colors start to creep in, I think we'll be seeing a lot of usage from that."
Staying at Home Base
Home Base at Mt. Telemark Village is an overnight lodging option located on the property. It's not owned by the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, Flickinger said, so it's run independently, similar to the way the vendors will work with the organization in the base camp building. Home Base has 10 private rooms with a capacity of up to five people. It offers bicycle storage, and an area where visitors can wash and repair their bikes. According to the motel's website, the standard room rate is $129 per night, plus taxes.
Upgrading snow-making capabilities
Birkebeiner has the ability to make snow to support about three kilometers (almost two miles) of Nordic ski trail. As the development of Mt. Telemark progresses, Flickinger said the organization plans to add more equipment and put in more infrastructure to expand that capability and create a competition loop.
As climate change takes a firmer grip, the organization can use the manmade snow to offer competitors more reliability when the weather for skiing is iffy.
Contact Keith Uhlig at 715-845-0651 or kuhlig@gannett.com. Follow him at @UhligK on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation continues to develop Mt. Telemark
