Christmas has come early to the Bigfork Community Nordic Center.

The center has turned out its brand-new grooming equipment and started grooming the ski trails located on state land at the junction of Foothill and Jewel Basin roads.

The trails now are open to the public for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The center is operated by North Shore Nordic Club, which also grooms the Nordic ski trails on Blacktail Mountain near Lakeside.

Groomed Nordic skiing started there three weeks ago.

The club purchased a new Ski-Doo Skandic 800 snowmobile, a Ginzu grooming tool and a roller for compacting deep snow.

The club has spent more than $15,000 this year to improve trail grooming equipment for the Bigfork Community Nordic Center alone.

The Blacktail operation has a dedicated set of equipment as well.

Money for the Bigfork purchases came from grants from the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork and the Saddlehorn Foundation in 2009, as well as individual skiers and a loan.

“This equipment will make trail grooming far easier and more efficient,” said Neil Navratil, a North Shore Nordic Club board member and one of the three volunteer groomers at the Bigfork Community Nordic Center.

“Last year our old Ski-Doo broke down in the first week of the ski season,” Navratil said. “That pretty much killed our season at the BCNC. But this year we’ll be delivering good skiing all season long.”

Skiers already have discovered the improved trail conditions at the Bigfork Community Nordic Center. Skiers were out in good numbers during the first weekend of December.

“Volunteers make the North Shore Nordic Club work,” said Dave Hadden, club president. “We couldn’t do what we do without their countless hours before, during and after the ski season. Thanks to everyone who came out to help clear trails this fall, and thanks especially our donors and to the board members who continue to do the heavy lifting.”

The club does not charge for use of the ski trails.

However, the club encourages skiers to donate money to help cover costs of equipment, fuel and maintenance. The Bigfork Center trails are on state school trust lands, administered by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

The club pays a lease for exclusive winter use of the ski trails. All skiers should purchase and have in their possession while skiing a current DNRC Recreational Use License that entitles people to recreate on trust lands.

Licenses may be obtained wherever fishing and hunting licenses are sold.

Visit the website http://northshorenordic.org for daily trail conditions reports and for instructions on how to make a donation to help keep the club moving forward.