Hayward, WI (November 6, 2020) The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF), organizers of the American Birkebeiner, “Birkie,” cross-country ski race, have entered into a purchase agreement for the long-closed Telemark Lodge and the 713-acre site on which it sits. With final purchase details in place, the ABSF is seeking broad community input on the project through a community survey.
Open to all, the survey will seek input and ideas for recreation opportunities, business strategies, and the possibility of protecting a portion of the property through a conservancy. Survey results will guide the ABSF Board of Directors and staff in bringing the property back to life in a deliberate and fiscally responsible way. The Telemark project survey will be available at www.Birkie.com/Telemark from December 1-14, 2020.
“The ABSF’s goal is to bring the Telemark property back as a centerpiece of the Cable community. Our multi-phase plan for the Telemark property provides a realistic and financially appropriate cadence to redevelopment, beginning with trail infrastructure and removal of the Telemark Lodge buildings,” said Ben Popp, ABSF Executive Director. “The Telemark property has been at the heart of the Birkie since the beginning and we are excited at the possibilities this new chapter will provide for outdoor recreation in NW WI.”
Current property owners, Mount Telemark Partners, stated, “We’re very pleased with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation’s vision for the Telemark property, the economic impact it will bring to the Cable area, and the opportunities it will provide to locals and visitors alike in enjoying the beautiful and historic Telemark property.”
The Telemark trails and property are adjacent to the American Birkebeiner ski race’s permanent start line and Trailhead venue, the gateway to the award-winning American Birkebeiner Trail. The American Birkebeiner is North America’s largest and most prestigious cross-country ski race which draws visitors to the area, each February, from across the nation and around the globe.
Posted November 6, 2020 at 2:30 pm
