Pole Pedal Paddle racers this year will notice some changes to the nordic ski course.

The 6.2-kilometer course is about the same distance as the previous route, but this year the course will remain mostly on the south end of the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center trails, according to race organizers.

The changes were made to protect the course from snowmelt and protect the racers from potential stormy conditions, according to Dan Simoneau, nordic director for the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, which runs the PPP as a fundraiser.

“It got out of the thick trees and into the sun, and that creates melting issues on a (low-snow) year like this and warming issues on a hot day,” Simoneau said of the old course. “We kept it closer to the hill, more in the old-growth (trees) and more in the shade so it’s protected from the sun.”

Simoneau added that the new course’s length is within 100 meters of the previous course.

Like the old route, the new route starts by circling the West Village Lodge parking lot and finishes with a climb up the common corridor to the nordic center and the PPP bike transition.

The 42nd annual Pole Pedal Paddle, set for next Saturday, includes teams and individuals competing in alpine skiing, nordic skiing, cycling, running and paddling. The race starts at Mt. Bachelor ski area and finishes at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend.

Registration for the 2018 PPP ends on Monday at 11:59 p.m.