Despite poor conditions, Mat-Su Ski Club enjoyed a successful Junior Nordics season

The Mat-Su Ski Club finished up their Junior Nordic Ski Program earlier this month. The program faced a difficult winter, with a lack of snow and icy conditions. Despite their delayed start and a couple of cancellations, the program was successful getting more youth outside this winter.

“Parents were super excited that we just made it happen, even with modifications,” Junior Nordics Manager and Volunteer Coordinator Stephanie LaRousse said. “The most important thing is that we’re getting kids outside.”

Around 500 kids were registered this season and 55 volunteer coaches made the skiing possible on Government Peak Recreation Area trails this winter. Youth aged five through sixteen participated in one of three programs that started in the middle of January and finished at the beginning of March. Kids could participate in any of the days and times that fit their schedule: Monday and Wednesday evenings, Tuesday and Thursday evenings or Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

All programs were in action by Jan. 15 with a delayed start due to a lack of snow, something that hasn’t happened in 13 years LaRousse said. The ninth week was also canceled because of an abundance of ice on the trails. The kids were resilient and stuck it out to make the most of the weather they were dealt.

“We skied on ice. We skied in a rainstorm this year,” LaRousse said. “That was a first.”

Younger participants were pushed further up the mountain this year to ski where they could find snow. These trails were more difficult, and LaRousse said that the program will need to consider strategies to accommodate more kids on higher elevation trails in future low-snow years.

A goal from this season is growth higher up on the mountain where there is more sustainable snow, LaRousse said. She mentioned that the club may pursue a grant for snow making equipment in the future.

Participating in Junior Nordics is a great opportunity to get more youth outside, LaRousse explained. It requires minimal gear and connects families that may otherwise spend their winters indoors. LaRousse is a first generation skier in her family, and shared that when she moved to Alaska from the Lower 48 it was her kids, who were enrolled in Junior Nordics, that eventually led her to become interested in skiing. Getting kids outside after school and spending time on the mountain is the main goal of the program.

“They get here, they get to go have fun with their friends and exercise and be outside and talk and be loud,” LaRousse said. “They don’t have to be quiet and still. We’re the opposite of that.”

Junior Nordics is very popular in the Valley. LaRousse suggests that parents that are interested in registering their children for next year should sign up for the Mat-Su Ski Club newsletter to get notified when registration begins. Registration for this winter filled in four days. Parents should be prepared for registration for the 2026 season to open in early-to-mid October.

Although Junior Nordics is over, and the winter is coming to a close, LaRousse encourages people to still get outside and that skiing is not over yet. Snow is still available at higher elevations and up Hatcher Pass. The club will continue to groom trails for as long as they can.

Adapting to the conditions could make this the most successful year of Junior Nordics yet, LaRousse said. Young skiers will take away not only a new skill and an opportunity to spend time outside, but also the knowledge of learning to adapt to the conditions and make the most out of what Mother Nature throws at them.

“It’s not necessarily about skiing,” LaRousse said. “It’s about getting outside and enjoying the trails. That’s our priority.”