In late 1993, Morton Trails was contacted by an American consultant working for the South Korean Organizing Committee which had just been awarded the 1997 World University Games. These international competitions are in effect, Olympic Games for college and university students, and typically attract competitors from more than 30 nations. After hosting a very successful Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988, the South Koreans were determined to demonstrate their ability to host a Winter Games as well.

The sites selected were the major city of Conju, about 120 miles south of Seoul, and the Muju Resort, a successful Alpine ski area, more than a hour into the mountains, east of Conju. All of the ice skating events would be held in Conju, while the Alpine skiing, cross country, biathlon and jumping events would be held at Muju.

On the first visit to Korea in 1994 as design consultant for the biathlon venue, we met Klaus Ruckenbauer and Willi Kostinger from Austria, who had been hired to design the cross country course. Over several days, we were shown nearly a dozen undeveloped sites as possible locations for the Nordic events.

Ultimately, the Austrians and Morton Trails agreed that the best potential location for the Nordic trails was nestled in a small valley adjacent to the Alpine runs at Muju. Since there was not enough acreage for two separate venues, we collaborated on the trail, stadium and biathlon shooting range design, and suggested to our Korean clients a revised competition schedule that would accommodate both cross country and biathlon events on the same two 5-kilometer loops.

The ‘97 World University Games were an unqualified success, and in spite of challenging weather conditions, the Nordic skiing events went off without a hitch. The location of the Nordic venue near the Alpine hill made it feasible to cover the trails entirely with machine-made snow. As an added bonus, Rachel Steer, a promising, young, Alaskan biathlete, earned silver and bronze for the USA.

Comments from the U.S. Women’s team were encouraging: “The trails are a blast!” “A little tough climbing out of the range, overall though, very impressive ski trails.”

And from the U.S. Biathlon coach: “It was really a top notch, challenging course.”