PATH was established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in 2020 by a small group of local silent sport enthusiasts. The group was formed to expand on the groundwork laid over the past (30) plus years by the Flambeau Nordic Ski Club.
Meet the Directors:
Kristi Speer
President
Mindy Howe
Vice-President
Chris Kendziera
Secretary/Treasurer
History:
1983 Bill Koch Ski team
Even before the Flambeau Nordic Ski Club was formally incorporated in 1985, individuals who would later become founding members helped to establish the Bill Koch Ski program in Phillips which became one of the largest Bill Koch programs in Wisconsin.
1983 Log Jam Ski Race
The Log Jam Ski Race was one of the early events sponsored by The Flambeau Nordic Ski Club
1985 Log Jam Ski Race
The Flambeau Ski Club hosted a number of events throughout the years including a unique triathlon with a run, bike and canoe race in the mid 1980’s. This event was paired down to a road and mountain bike race and finally became the Dirt Fighter Classic Mountain Bike race, part of the WORS series, drawing up to 800 participants in the early 2000’s.
1985 phillips downburst days Mountain bike race
1988 phillips downburst days race (11th annual)
In the early days, ski trails were groomed at Camp 5, North of Lugerville, Rock Creek, off of Rock Creek Road north of Philips, and the Log Jam Trail on Price County property near the Price County Airport. Trails were groomed for skiing using an old snowmobile and home crafted drags. Eventually the Flambeau Nordic Ski club purchased improved grooming equipment and worked with Price County Forestry to develop the Holy Cross and Squaw Creek trail systems and grooming at Camp 5 and Rock Creek was discontinued. The log Jam trail was used both for Cross County Skiing in winter and Mountain Biking in the summer and was home to the Dirt Fighter Classic Mountain Bike Race for many years. The trail was also used by the Phillips Cross County Team. Past runners will remember “Death Valley” and “Haps” Hills.
2016 Tour de Kolacky Bike tour
Several other events got there start under the umbrella of the Flambeau Nordic Ski Club including the Tour de Kolacky bike tour and the Phillips Flurry Snowshoe Race. The Phillips Flurry is now a major PATH fundraising event.
2022 Phillips Flurry snowshoe race
Due to airport expansion, the Log Jam trail was closed aground 2010 and new trails were constructed at the Phillips School Forest property on North Worcester Rd.
Separate trails systems were constructed at the Phillips School Forest to accommodate cross county skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, hiking/running and mountain biking. During the winter months the ski trails are dedicated for skiing only with the single track trails system used for snowshoeing and Fat Biking. During the summer, the entire system is open to hiking, biking and running.
Construction of the Single Track trails at the School Forest was a team effort. The School District of Phillips students and staff, Flambeau Nordic Ski Club members and community volunteers worked together to make the trail system a reality.
At the same time the trails were being developed, the brand-new Partnerships Academics Transition Health (P.A.T.H.) Program was designed & implemented in 2009. The four main components of the District’s new E.B.D. (Emotional Behavioral Disorder) program fit neatly with the new trail-building initiative.
Working on the trail building project. students involved in the P.A.T.H. Program learn valuable skills for independent living. They learned employment skills such as following instructions, being respectful to an employer, dealing appropriately with corrective feedback, arriving at work on time & ready to go, demonstrating a positive attitude, learning the value of taking pride in a job well done and caring about the quality of work. This was a win-win for both the students and the trails.
Clearing the way
Creating the trails
The final touch
Today the Phillips School Forest, Holy Cross and Solberg Lake trails continue to be maintained by PATH volunteers.