STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

There’s no excuse not to get out and ski the Wood River Valley’s amazing Nordic ski trails today.

The Blaine County Recreation District is offering a Free Ski Day on its 200-plus kilometers of groomed Nordic ski trails and its 45 kilometers of snowshoe trails today.

This is the second of four Free Ski Days this season. Others will be offered on Feb. 20 and March 24.

And, much to the delight of those with wagging tails, the BCRD just began grooming the Billy’s Bridge loops with the help of Tuesday’s new snow. That means all of its trails are now being groomed from Quigley Nordic in Hailey to Psycho above Galena Lodge.

Galena Lodge is open for soup and other goodies, with grab-and-go items also available at the new Pearl’s food trailer.

Mountain Rides is offering free Ride n’ Glide bus service Fridays through Sundays with stops in Ketchum, at SNRA Headquarters, Baker Creek, Prairie Creek and Galena Lodge. Face masks are required and dogs are not allowed. Check out the schedule at www.mountainrides.org

And, if you’re up for a challenge, consider the Virtual Boulder the first week of February.

Like the prestigious Race to Robie Creek foot race in Boise, the vaunted Boulder Mountain Tour is going virtual this year. Instead of a thousand skiers toeing the line at the same time, skiers are invited to pick a day between Feb. 1 and 7 to ski 30 kilometers along the Harriman Trail from Galena Lodge to SNRA Headquarters.

But it will contain the same enthusiasm and fun (think prizes for best costumes, etc), a chance to brag on Facebook, a livestream awards celebration and the satisfaction knowing you’ve accomplished something big.

Oh, and you also get a race hat, a chance at raffle prizes, swag, a three-day trail pass and a training plan devised by former U.S. Cross-Country Ski Team member and two-time American Birkebeiner champion Muffy Ritz, two-time U.S. Olympian Betsy Youngman and VAMPS coach Kate Ellis.

Did we say you could do it as a family or as part of a book club?

Learn more at https://bouldermountaintour.com