Eagle Valley Nordic ski team ready for 2024-25 season opener in Aspen

The temperature fell fast on a clear, perfect evening at the Vail Nordic Center last month. Under the starry night sky, a parade of high school cross-country skiers flew down the fairways. Some wore headlamps while others simply trusted the tracks in pitch-black darkness. At 6:32 p.m., the kids were still smashing K’s.

“One reason I joined Nordic is that I just love the attitude and the people it creates,” said Eagle Valley freshman Eva Klesner. “When you’re out there being tough — in the cold and dark — it makes you a better person. It makes you more mature and less selfish because you’re all out there suffering.” 

The Devils kick off their 2024-25 Nordic ski season officially in Aspen on Friday. But the grind began over a month ago.

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“Everything has been going great,” said head coach Paul Steiner, who can easily identify his team’s most obvious trait: toughness.

“These kids are super willing to go to the bottom of the well,” he continued. “And dig it deeper.”

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Steiner is shepherding a young girls squad that returns two state meet qualifiers and a junior-class heavy boys team that finished sixth and fifth out of 13 teams in the state classic and skate events, respectively. The girls graduated top skier Ava Bergsten but bring back Hailey Ehman and Tovah Pollack. The junior state-qualifiers are joined by sophomore skimeister McKinley Packert and Gillian Stewart as well as Klesnar, who described the team as “pretty close-knit.”

“It’s just really fun to have that girls team and work together to achieve those goals,” she said.

“They’re bringing a lot of hype and energy,” Steiner added. During pre-season sessions like the aforementioned after-school circumnavigation of the Vail Nordic trails, the coach trained technique transitions. He’s also helped athletes identify course-dependent strategies which maximize their unique abilities.

“We’re understanding what our strengths are — and you know, we keep working on our weaker techniques — and that’s what is going to get them to their goals,” he said.

For sophomores Cayle Brummer and Dylan Milam, that means attacking the hills.

“I ran cross-country, so I learned how to fight through the pain of going up hills,” Milam said. “I just want to carry that over into Nordic as well.”

Several leaders on the boys team were also top runners on the Devils cross-country team that finished fourth in 4A this fall. Steiner called his two seniors — Jackson Filmore and Thornton Kron — “superb leaders.” Along with Jonah Barber, Tyler Blair, Chris Marsh and Jack Sargent, the Devils have a talented pack.

“On any given day, they’re skiing so tight,” Steiner said. “And the energy is really strong.”

The top four finishers for each school contribute to the team score in each of the classic and skate races at the state meet, set for Feb. 27-28 in Steamboat Springs. New for 2025: separate team trophies for Nordic and a mixed-technique relay featuring two classic and two skate legs.

Each Eagle Valley skier has individual season goals, Steiner said. Klesnar, Brummer and Milam are all hoping to qualify for state. As a whole, Steiner wants to see his athletes “acknowledge each course” as a distinct venue wherein times — unlike track and field — can’t be neatly compared. He also wants them to develop confident mindsets and improve technically and tactically. Generally speaking, however, outcome goals are secondary.

“Our number one goal is always to create a lifestyle and then the racing takes a side car,” Steiner said. The kids are buying into the transcendent values.

“I think it’s really fun and it’s a great way to learn your own boundaries and how to push yourself for later in life when you will need to,” Milam said.

“Nordic helps your mental space,” Brummer said. Klesnar agreed, adding “Also, just learning to manage your time and be part of a team where we’re all suffering and pushing our hardest.”

There’s no hiding in this sport. Even at night.

‘”We’re making sure we get the most out of the little daylight we do have and then getting some k’s in once it gets dark,” Klesnar said. “You have to be out there and try your best otherwise you’re not going to get results.”‘”We’re making sure we get the most out of the little daylight we do have and then getting some ks in once it gets dark,” Klesnar said. “You have to be out there and try your best otherwise you’re not going to get results.”