The Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network
The Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network
The Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-country Skiing Network is one of the most visited and popular areas for cross-country skiing in in the Czech Republic. The cross-country skiing trails have been groomed for more than three decades. The popular Jizera Fifty race, which takes place every year, has played a significant role in popularising this area. During good weather, up to 180 km of trails are regularly mechanically groomed throughout the entire Jizera Mountains. Every year, up to 600 thousand visitors come to the area, mostly from this country, but also from abroad, especially Germany and Poland. There is something for skiers of all fitness categories.
The grooming of the trail has been organised by the JIZERSKÁ non-profit organisation since 1999. The Municipality of Bedřichov established the organisation for this very purpose. The organisation’s main goal is to ensure that skiers are satisfied with the quality of the groomed trails, but this also requires finances. The funds for grooming the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network are acquired from the public budgets of municipalities, towns and the Liberec Region, from private companies and from private sponsors (skiers). The work of the JIZERSKÁ non-profit organisation can be supported through a public collection which has been permitted and is audited by the Regional Authority of the Liberec Region. The use of these funds must be correctly documented so that people can be sure that all the money is used for grooming the cross-country skiing trails and for associated activities. There are several ways to contribute. The most popular method involves the sale of stickers and badges with the logo of the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network in various denominations. Despite significant changes in the weather and the slower start to last year’s season, more than 550 thousand crowns were collected in the public collection to assist the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network.
It is possible to contribute to the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network in the following ways:
- directly to the public collection’s account no.: 255 899 476/0300
- on the internet using the PaySec system
- by means of a donor text message (SMS) with the wording DMS MAGISTRALA sent to the tel. number 87 777. The donor message costs 30 CZK and the network receives 28.50 CZK of that
- by putting money in the sealed collection box at the information centre in Bedřichov
- by purchasing stickers and badges with the logo of the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network at the designated points of sale
In order to improve the services for visitors, the Jizera Mountains Arterial Cross-Country Skiing Network has established cooperation with the SKIMAPA and White Trails (Bílé stopy) portals. The GPS equipment in the grooming machines sends information about the progress of the trail grooming to the websites. Skiers can see precisely on the map where the trail has been groomed. The current information about the cross-country skiing trail grooming plan, the snow cover and any limitations is also published by the organisation on its website at www.jizerskaops.cz and on its Facebook profile, where it is also possible to find a lot of information which has been provided directly by other skiers.
Since last season, a new trail has been available in the Maliník – Černá Nisa and the old boardwalk – Hřebínek sections. The trail was established in association with the Czech Forests state-owned enterprise, the administration of the Jizera Mountains Nature Reserve, the Elbe Catchment Board and EUROVIA CS, a. s.
In the winter months, the Jizera Mountains are especially a paradise for those who love cross-country skiing, but the sections of track with mixed operations are also worth mentioning. This means that they can be used by both skiers and walkers. These sections include the trail from Bedřichov to the Černá Nisa Reservoir (U Trompetra – Černá Nisa, hráz), from Maliník to Česká chalupa (following the red-marked hiking trail), the High Ridge and the highly frequented trail from the Pešákovna hut in Jizerka to Smědava (the so-called Jizerka Road).
On behalf of the team at the JIZERSKÁ non-profit organisation
Ing. Silvie Vasková
www.jizerskaops.cz