When I first started cross-country skiing in Utah, my work colleagues kept mentioning this website that I needed to check out: TUNA. Initially, I was confused. What does my favorite high-protein snack have to do with Nordic skiing grooming reports?
At first glance, I assumed TUNA was a ski club or maybe a race team that was kind enough to share information about local XC trails and their conditions. But the more I looked into it, the more I realized it was something much more.
Not only does TUNA provide grooming reports, but it also maintains cross-country ski areas, offers clinics for adults and children, and creates a fun race environment for people of any level. This winter, I sat down with Jen Santoro, program director for the Utah Nordic Alliance, to learn more about what the organization actually does and how people can get involved.
What Is TUNA?
The Utah Nordic Alliance, officially founded in 1990, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing and supporting cross-country skiing across the state.
According to Jen, the organization serves as a base for Nordic skiing in northern Utah, connecting recreational skiers, youth athletes, coaches and volunteers.
TUNA organizes youth and adult programs, lessons, races, and community events, and serves as a central resource for Nordic information across the region. If you’ve ever looked for grooming updates, race schedules, or places to learn how to cross-country ski, there’s a good chance you ended up on their website at utahnordic.org.
Today, the organization has roughly 800 members, ranging from young skiers on their first pair of skis to competitive athletes training to qualify for national-level teams.
What Does TUNA Do?
One of the organization’s biggest contributions is operating and grooming the Nordic trail system at Mountain Dell, located just outside Salt Lake City. It’s one of the most accessible cross-country ski areas for people living along the Wasatch Front.
What many people don’t realize is how much work goes into maintaining those trails. Because Mountain Dell is located on a golf course, TUNA can’t use large snowcats like some Nordic centers. Instead, they’ve developed custom grooming systems to maintain skiable trails throughout the season. TUNA also helps provide centralized grooming updates for skiers throughout the region, making it easier to know where conditions are best before heading out.
Beyond grooming, the organization runs youth and junior ski programs, adult clinics and lessons, and the Wasatch Citizens Series (WCS), one of the biggest cross-country race series in Utah. These races take place at venues such as Soldier Hollow, Solitude Nordic Center, White Pine Nordic Center, and Mountain Dell, and are designed to welcome everyone from first-time racers to experienced competitors.
For Jen, though, the most rewarding part of the organization isn’t the races or even the training programs. It’s the community. “We see parents skiing while their kids are in programs, adults learning the sport for the first time, and families making Nordic skiing part of their winter routine,” she said.
Since 2020, TUNA’s youth programs have grown dramatically, and adult clinics continue to fill quickly as more people discover cross-country skiing as a winter fitness outlet.
How Can You Get Involved?
The easiest way to get involved with TUNA is to become a member.
Memberships are available for individuals and families and help support trail grooming, youth programs, races, and community events. Members also receive discounts on programs and ski passes at Mountain Dell.
From there, the opportunities expand depending on what you’re interested in. Some people join to take lessons or improve their technique through clinics. Others participate in races through the Wasatch Citizens Series. Parents often enroll their kids in junior ski programs and end up discovering the sport themselves.
If you’re curious about cross-country skiing in Utah, exploring the resources on utahnordic.org is a great place to start.
Why Organizations Like TUNA Matter
Cross-country skiing is different than resort skiing. Behind every freshly groomed trail, youth program, and after-work ski loop is a network of volunteers and skiers working to keep the sport accessible. In Utah, much of that effort runs through TUNA. Whether you’re taking your first lesson, signing up for a race, or simply enjoying a quiet glide through the snow, there’s a good chance The Utah Nordic Alliance helped make that experience possible.
