STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Nordic ski passes are on sale at discounted prices through Nov. 18.

The Blaine County Recreation District is offering season passes for a $50 discount when bought online through Sunday, Nov. 18.

Adult passes are $209 during the preseason sale and $259 afterwards. A BCRD/Sun Valley Combo Nordic season pass is also available for $389 during the preseason sale. After Nov. 18, it will go to $521.

Children 17 and under continue to ski and snowshoe for free with passes ordered online.

A season pass for dogs is $49, and snowshoe-only season passes are $65.

Additionally, Mountain Rides will once again offer a Ride ‘n Glide bus service from Ketchum to the North Valley Trails and Galena Lodge. A Ride n’ Glide season pass is $39.

There will be 44 days of bus service, including service on Thanksgiving Weekend and Christmas Weekend. The last day for service will be Sunday, March 3.

The bus will make several stops in Ketchum before heading north for stops at the SNRA parking lot, Baker Creek parking lot, Prairie Creek trailhead and Galena lodge. There will be four departure times heading north and five heading south.

The BCRD Nordic trail system is one of the largest in the United States, typically offering a grooming season that operates from mid-November to mid-April.

The BCRD will resume grooming 13 kilometers of trails in Quigley Canyon this season, after five years of grooming trails in Croy Canyon.

The sale of season passes, day tickets and donations pays for the maintenance of the groomed trails. The only tax dollars involved support grooming of the bike path that runs from Bellevue to Ketchum. Use of the bike path is free.

Those who wish to make a donation beyond the cost of the season passes will receive a platinum Nordic pin for $250 and a gold pin for $100.

To purchase a pass, visit www.bcrd.org.