The Nordic Council reports that about a foot of snow was on the ground in its Skyway and County Line trail system areas in late October.

“We’ve got some skiing up there right now,” said Christie Aschwanden, executive director of the Nordic Council.

While people are able to ski now, they should expect early season conditions such as rocks and other obstacles. They may also encounter non-skiers on some trails, such as Scales Lake Road, where there may be Forest Service crews or workers servicing the tower in that area or local reservoirs.

The Nordic Council worked to pack snow on the trails to help establish a base. But grooming isn’t scheduled to begin until the expected opening day, Nov. 15, and skiers shouldn’t expect groomed trail conditions until then.

The Nordic Council trail system is becoming well-known for long seasons. The system’s 10,000-foot elevation typically means snow arrives early in the ski season and melts slowly late in the season. Aschwanden said he has already heard from some varsity and junior varsity ski racing teams who plan to come in on Thanksgiving for early season training.

The Nordic Council will also hold several ski clinics between Nov. 29-Dec. 1. More information about the clinics can be found on its website, www.gmnc.org.

The Nordic Council is hosting a season kick-off party from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at Edgewater Brewery, 905 Struthers Ave. in Grand Junction. Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided and there will be a cash bar. People can email [email protected] with any questions about the event.

It will be an opportunity to meet Nordic Council staff and board members, become a Nordic Council member or renew your membership and learn about the group’s plans for the season and its Skyway Station fundraising campaign .

Established in 1990, the Nordic Council is now looking to build its first permanent building. The structure will be located in the trees just north of the parking lot at the end of the group’s Skyway. The building will provide more protection and secure storage for snowmobiles, grooming tools and other equipment. The importance of secure storage was highlighted earlier this year when one of the group’s snowmobiles, worth more than $13,000, was stolen from outside storage. It was not recovered.

The building will also allow crews to maintain equipment in a protected environment. And the solar-powered installation will enable the battery and engine of the Nordic Council care car to be heated, making starting the car easier on bitterly cold winter mornings.

The building will also serve as a community space for users of the trail system. With wood stove heating and solar power to provide electricity and additional heat, it will serve as a place for people to warm up, feed, change clothes and socialize and as a meeting point for lessons, races and other activities.

The Nordic Council has a fundraising goal of $1.3 million for the project and has raised just over $1 million so far. The effort received an $800,000 boost from a Grand Junction donor who Aschwanden said did not want to be identified, and has also benefited from grants from entities such as banks and foundations.

While the goal is to break ground in the spring, “we’re not going to move forward with the project until we know we have the money,” she said.

Information about donating to the project and becoming a member of the Nordic Council can be found on the organization’s website.