Bridger Ski Foundation’s Community Nordic Trails Program gained a new trails manager this fall, with Dan Cantrell joining the team. He takes over the position previously held by Kyle Marvinney. 

After five seasons as the trails manager, Kyle has taken on a new career challenge, with a year-round trails and grooming job up the road, at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. He’s been actively involved in Dan’s transition, and we’re keeping a spot for him on the payroll, as he may well make a guest groomer appearance this winter. 

“Kyle did a tremendous job,” says BSF Executive Director Evan Weiss, “and we feel fortunate that he is still around to make this a smooth transition and to continue serving on the BSF Trails Committee. We’re excited to have Dan come on board, with genuine ski roots and a deep skillset.”

Dan grew up at the Catamount Family XC Ski Center in northwestern Vermont, with their lighted night loop just off his back porch. He Nordic ski raced at the junior national and collegiate levels, and later worked in the ski and snowboard industry, helping to organize the Yellowstone Ski Festival and SuperTours in West Yellowstone. He arrived in Montana not long after a post-college stint touring the West with Burton Snowboards, and he currently lives in Bozeman with his wife, Annie, and their two daughters. When the snow isn’t flying, he owns and operates a small residential building company. 

“With the Community Nordic Trails Program, BSF and its partners have done an amazing job of bringing skiing to the people at an incredible value," Dan notes. "I’m really excited to be involved with this program and to continue working toward making this sport accessible to as many people as possible.” 

He understands first hand the value of accessible skiing. With ski trails out their back door, “My brother and I would come home from school, ski until dinner, then head back out under the lights. The landowners really helped define my understanding of community by opening their fences, encouraging responsible public access and outdoor recreation, while fostering preservation of their land."

Dan is getting to know the new snowmaking system at Sunset Hills, building up the team of groomers, and is working with all our trail partners to prep the trails for winter. He’ll also be the guy behind the grooming reports this winter. 

If you see him out on the trails, give him a welcome! He can be reached at trails.bsf@gmail.com.