Youth Ski Programs

young male ski racing

High School Ski Team

young female skier classic skiing mid-stride

Middle School ski team

group of elementary age skiers standing together on a snowy day on skis with arms raised

Junior Nordic (Elementary & Families)

JNST logo featuring two skis crossed, ski poles, and mountains below

“There is no better feeling than flying down a well-groomed track with your friends!”

-Clem Taylor-Roth, ’11-’19

Juneau Nordic Ski Team (JNST)

girl with red hair and orange bandana skis down a snowy slope
a young female ski race in an orange, light blue and gray race suit skate skis down a hill
a group of young skiers on a sunny, bluebird day posing with arms over each other's shoulders in front of snow-capped peaks

There is a soft cap of 30 skiers for this team. A waitlist will be included and skiers will moved off the waitlist as gear needs are assessed (available rental equipment is our limiting factor).

Questions about the Juneau Nordic High School Ski Team? Contact Mo Michels (memichels.ak@gmail.com) or Jordan Tanguay (jordan.tanguay22@gmail.com).

High School Team

Our high school team is for students of all abilities and experiences (every season several of the new team members are beginners). All you need is a desire to improve your skiing skills, times, a commitment to your team, and a willingness to have fun! Skiers participate in time trials, workshops, retreats, races, and adventure skis throughout the season. Race schedule is a mixture of local races and 2-3 travel meets.

Season November 1, 2021 through February 26 or March 5, 2022 (depending on last race of the season).

Practices Mon/Wed/Fri 4:30-6pm, Sat 9:30-11:30am (location dependent on snow) focusing on technique, strength, balance, and agility development. No snow? Bring your running shoes! We’ll host dryland practices before the snow flies.

Cost Our team fee is offered on a sliding scale, $0-$600, whatever is affordable for each family, no questions asked. Your fees help to cover ski club memberships, trail fees, coaching stipends, local team retreats, races and events, ski wax, race suits, guest coaches, and all the many associated costs that go into running our program. While the true cost of our high school program for the 2021-22 ski season is more than $1,000/athlete, our priority is building a team of young and eager skiers, regardless of ability to pay. To that end, we write grants and ask that all skiers participate in our effort-based fundraising. There are two other costs your athlete may incur:

Gear Our team uses both skate and (waxable) classic skis, so each skier needs to have both. For those who do not have skis, we provide rentals for the season. Rentals include skis, boots, and poles. One set is $60, both is $120 (plus a $25 or $50 deposit, respectively, refunded if waxing requirement is met throughout the season). While we don’t offer the pay as you can option on gear rentals we do offer scholarships–no one is denied a rental based on ability to pay. Additionally, CBJ offers a $100 youth activity scholarship to help offset the cost of organized activities and it is easy to apply for this.

Travel — For those eligible for travel to away meets, there may be additional fees to cover cost of transportation. However, we make every effort to keep our sport affordable and will work with families to ensure athletes can travel regardless of ability to pay.

11/12/21 – Our high school season has started and we are full! Registration for our high school team is now closed.

Sign Up!
Pay Team Fees

Middle school Team

For all abilities and experiences, our middle school team was developed to bridge the gap between our recreational program and our high school team. While middle and high school skiers were previously grouped into one team, as of the ’21/’22 ski season we split middle school out which allows for developmentally appropriate age-group coaching while growing our capacity to serve an increasing number of young skiers. Practices focus on developing basic ski skills (technique, strength, balance), building strength and endurance, and having lots of fun on skis. The season includes weekly practices, local retreats and guest-coach clinics, weekend races, and an end-of-season trip to the Buckwheat Ski Classic.

Season November 30, 2021 – March 12, 2022

Practices Tu/Th 3:45-5:15pm, Sat 9-11am (location dependent on snow) focus on technique development, building strength, and playing games (lots of games). No snow? Bring your running shoes! We’ll host dryland practices before the snow flies.

Cost Our team fee is offered on a sliding scale, $0-$400, whatever is affordable for each family, no questions asked. Your fees help cover ski club memberships, trail fees, coaching stipends, local team retreats, races and events, ski wax, guest coaches, and all the many associated costs that go into running our program. While the true cost of our middle school program for the 2021-22 ski season is nearly $700/athlete, our priority is building a team of young and eager skiers, regardless of ability to pay. To that end, we write grants and ask that all skiers participate in our effort-based fundraising. There are two other costs your athlete may incur:

Gear –  Our team uses both skate and classic (skin) skis, so each skier needs to have both. For those who do not have skis, we provide rentals for the season. Rentals include skis, boots, and poles. One set is $60, both is $120 (plus a $25 or $60 deposit, respectively, refunded if waxing requirement is met throughout the season). While we don’t offer the pay as you can option on gear rentals we do offer scholarships–no one is denied a rental based on ability to pay. Additionally, CBJ offers a $100 youth activity scholarship to help offset the cost of organized activities and it is easy to apply for this.

Travel — For those attending our travel meet (Buckwheat Ski Classic), there may be additional fees to cover cost of transportation, etc. However, we make every effort to keep our sport affordable and will work with families to ensure athletes can travel regardless of ability to pay.

Questions about the Juneau Nordic Middle School Ski Team? Contact Tristan Knutson-Lombardo (tkl1289@gmail.com, 723-1772).

12/1/21 – Our middle school team has started! If you missed out on registering this year, we hope to have you join us next season!

Sign Up!
Pay Team Fees
group of young skiers standing on skis, side by side, on a snowy day
a young female ski race in an orange, light blue and gray race suit skate skis down a hill

There is a soft cap of 35 skiers for our middle school team. A waitlist will be included and skiers will moved off the waitlist as gear needs are assessed (available rental equipment is our limiting factor).

a small girl with a mask on skis and in winter clothing, standing in front of her moth on skis on a snowy trail

Questions about the Junior Nordic program? Contact Mo Michels (memichels.ak@gmail.com) or Jordan Tanguay (jordan.tanguay22@gmail.com).

Junior Nordic

(Sunday Recreation Program)

Junior Nordic is geared towards elementary school kids and families and includes nine to ten weeks of in-person sessions each winter. We meet on Sundays from January through March. This is a great opportunity for younger skiers, ages 6+, and their families who want to get outside and ski with others. The emphasis is on improving skiing and outdoor skills and developing a healthy, enjoyable, lifelong connection to being active outside. The first day is typically held inside as a parent and athlete meeting to be followed by gear distribution. The next eight to nine sessions are outside having fun on snow. Parent volunteerism is strongly encouraged.

Season January 9 – March 13, 2022, Sundays 1:00-2:30pm (locations vary depending on snow)

Cost $75 (includes Juneau Nordic Ski Club youth membership)

Gear Athletes are asked to choose one technique to focus on over the season, either skate or classic. Rentals are available for $60 (includes boots, poles, and skis).

12/22/21 – We have reached out soft cap of 45 skiers. If you are still interested in joining, please register using the link below and we’ll add you to our waitlist. We will assess our capacity and add additional skiers before the season starts.

Sign Up!
Pay Program Fees

The JNST is a proud recipient of the Youth Activities Grant, and thus is partially funded by the citizens of the City and Borough of Juneau through sales tax revenue.

Youth Nordic skiing in alaska’s capital city

In 1998, a group of parents decided Alaska’s Capital City needed a new cross country ski program for Juneau’s youth. Formed in partnership with 4H as a recreational program geared towards skiers of all ages, the program expanded in 2011 to include a combined middle and high school race team, now called the Juneau Nordic Ski Team (JNST) . In 2020, the Juneau Nordic Ski Club (JNSC) assumed all youth Nordic ski programs, aligning under one banner in an effort to continue strengthening cross country ski opportunities for youth and families in Juneau. In 2021, middle and high school race teams were separated into unique programs, while the original 4H Sunday recreational program was rebranded, Junior Nordic, with a focus on serving elementary-aged skiers and families. All groups practice several days per week, host races and local events, travel to out of town meets, and welcome skiers of any ability or experience level!

high school skiers pose in front of a snowy John Muir Cabin