WOLF MOUNTAIN SKI AREA — Crews here have been busy clearing trees for a new ski run that will serve as a training ground for up-and-coming local competitors with aspirations of turning pro.

The new run, which has yet to be named, will start about halfway up the mountain, descending about 1,600 feet in between Barney’s Way and Moose Run within the existing boundaries of the ski area. Accessed from the main Howling Wolf chairlift, it is set to open this coming season.

Wolf Mountain General Manager Jeff Summers said its terrain will range between intermediate and difficult.

The project is a collaboration between Wolf Mountain and the Ogden Valley Winter Sports Foundation, a group that organizes and trains athletes for various ski competitions.

Jeff Harrison, board president of the foundation, said youth groups from the Ogden Valley Ski Team ranging in age from about fourth grade to 12th grade will train on the run.

Harrison said there were some initial discussions about installing a new lift on the northwest side of the ski area, but in the end, putting in a new run in an area not currently being utilized but accessible by an existing lift turned out to be the most cost-effective option.

He said local teams have been training at Wolf Mountain regularly for the past three years, and the resort provides ideal training conditions.

“The kids can get more runs in at the smaller lift there,” he said. “That mountain is just a special place for ski race training. The way that slope faces, it gets icy and hard, which is ideal for race training.”

Wolf Mountain (the ski area has reverted to its former name to distinguish itself from other assets of Wolf Creek Utah resort that are currently in bankruptcy) has closed some regular runs to the public in the past to accommodate training, which in some cases has resulted in longer lift lines and crowds.

Having a run designated specifically for training will allow the mountain to continue hosting ski teams without interfering with the experience of other guests, Summers said.

“We’re the smallest ski area in Utah, yet we get over 100,000 visits every season,” he said. “This is going to be a win-win for both sides.”

Plans for the run include lights for night skiing and snowmaking capabilities, allowing mountain staff to manage snow conditions and keep them ideal for training, Summers said. The short (2.5 minute) lift ride and steep pitch of the run are also ideal for such a purpose, he added.

It will be open to the public when not in use for training, but OVWSF will have first claim to the run.

“This will give them a place to train anytime they want,” Summers said.

Harrison said ski teams will typically be training in two-hour sessions, and will have early-morning access to the run before the lifts open to the general public, so there should be ample opportunity for regular visitors to try it out.

Meanwhile, he said, it will provide a safe, reliable and effective training area for young competitors without clogging things up for the public.

“This will allow safety for the kids, and at the same time, will allow the public to have continued great access to the mountain. It keeps everybody happy.”

Another advantage is the proximity of Wolf Mountain to Snowcrest Junior High School, where the OVST has expanded its ski academy. Students can enroll in a tailored academic program that allows them to train five days a week without interfering with their regular studies, and Wolf Mountain is just a five-minute drive away.

Teams will continue to train on a dedicated run at Snowbasin as well, but the new facility at Wolf Mountain, as well as a team of new coaches that includes two-time Olympian Alexandra Shaffer and Canadian National Ski Team members Stefan and Kristian Guay, will allow OVST to continue expanding and improving, Harrison said.

“We feel that we are now in a position to produce World Cup and Olympic racers from our ski racing program.”