Smart Design Meets Community Goals: Grand Mesa Nordic Council’s Skyway Station

For more than 30 years, the Grand Mesa Nordic Council (GMNC) has operated a system of cross-country skiing trails atop Grand Mesa in Delta and Mesa counties. The trails are free to use, and as a nonprofit, GMNC relies on donations from its loyal community. Over the years, this support has allowed GMNC to add trails, upgrade grooming and build a permanent warming hut and operations space called Skyway Station.

Located on the northern edge of the Skyway parking lot, this new building is multipurpose, with a gathering space on the main floor. The building’s large basement includes operations facilities and an indoor garage for a snowcat.

Christie Aschwanden, GMNC’s executive director, calls Skyway Station “a game changer.”

“This is something we’d been talking about and dreaming about. It’s been percolating for a long time,” she shares. “When we decided to build a permanent structure, we wanted to create a building that would solve all of our needs. We had one chance to do it right.”

And do it right they did. Volunteer project manager Dan Tille, previously a GMNC board member, took on the job of working with Mesa County and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to make sure the structure met all building code requirements, as well as meeting the diverse needs of the Nordic Council. Partners in this effort include Chamberlin Architects of Grand Junction and Cristee-Meade Building Company of Cedaredge.

Building at more than 10,000 feet presents many challenges, and the Grand Mesa environment can be punishing. Temperatures well below zero, heavy snowfall and winds gusting to 100 mph or more were key concerns. Add the increasing risk of wildland fire across Colorado, and the design needed to be smart.

Because GMNC’s snowcat needs to be plugged in on frigid nights, power was a necessity. Solar power was the logical choice, but the panels had to be designed to withstand 150 mph winds. Plus, depending upon the severity of winter weather, solar might not always work, so a battery backup system (complete with its own fire-resistant room and fire suppression system) became part of the design.

The building also needed to be energy efficient, so it was framed utilizing a double stud method with spray foam insulation that prevents heat loss. Heat is provided by a pellet stove on the main floor with heat pump and propane as backup sources. Roll down exterior shutters protect the large front windows and onsite security monitors the building year-round.

Wood-framed buildings in fire zones can be problematic, so while the interior of the gathering space features tongue-and-groove paneling and other wood elements, the exterior is fully clad in metal to protect against fire. Defensible space also reduces fire risk, so GMNC, in cooperation with USFS, cleared a minimum of 30 feet around the building, extending to 50 feet in some areas.

“This building is like an onion,” Tille says. “The more layers you peel, the more everything is tied together. It seems like a really simple building, but the deeper you go, it’s actually quite complicated.” The project was challenging, and Tille expresses gratitude for USFS staff who helped bring it to completion, specifically district ranger Bill Edwards and recreation staff officer Tim Wise.

All in, Skyway Station had a $1.6 million budget, which was met through several large grants and numerous individual contributions. While the building is largely complete, a few remaining items are still being funded by GMNC. These include exterior landscaping, fencing the solar panels and one “big ticket” item: a mini-track machine for snow management and maintenance.

While Aschwanden called it “a scary leap” to fundraise for the project, she was gratified by the outpouring of community donations, many of which benefited from a 25% Enterprise Zone tax credit. This tax credit for donations exceeding $250 remains available until Skyway Station is fully complete in summer 2026.

“It feels good that it is such a community sponsored project,” says Aschwanden. “This is what distinguishes GMNC from other trail systems. It’s not a resort. It’s a community, a place to come together with friends and belong.”

Skyway Station will open with the beginning of skiing in late fall 2026. GMNC skiing operations run from November 15 to April 15 annually. Additional GMNC information can be found at gmnc.org. For more information on the Mesa County Enterprise Zone and tax credits, visit gjincubator.org/mesacounty-enterprise-zone.

Originally published in the summer 2026 issue of Spoke+Blossom.