The Summit High School Nordic ski team began on-snow practice this week despite the Colorado High School Activities Association delaying the start of the traditional winter sports season from Jan. 4 to Feb. 1 due to the pandemic.

Second-year Summit High Nordic head coach Eva Hagen said the team started voluntary practice Tuesday, Dec. 8, after receiving approval from the school district. Summit High School Director of Athletics Travis Avery said the team will begin its preseason practices on snow at the Gold Run Nordic Center in Breckenridge.

Hagen said she has not yet received word on a race schedule, though she hopes the team will be able to begin formal practice Jan. 25 and competition on Feb. 1.

Summit High Alpine ski head coach Karl Barth said the Tigers downhill racers hope to be on snow next week. At first, that might just be free skiing on the mountain for Tigers downhillers, though the coach said the team might be able to get into some start gates soon at preseason practices.

Barth said the delay in getting Summit skiers on snow is due to finalizing and updating training policy agreements with local ski areas and resorts due to the COVID-19 situation.

Traditionally, the Summit High School Nordic and Alpine ski teams begin practice by December and start competitions after the new year.

“Other than not racing at meets till later, (CHSAA’s delay) won’t change much else,” Barth said. “Hopefully, we’ll get training in (soon), by January get skiing in in small groups. But I don’t have any idea of the rest of it, the rest of the apple cart. Obviously, we’ll take two weeks off (from the resorts) because of the busyness with the holidays, but we’ll get on snow once we’re back.”