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Winter is coming. The forecast is calling for a few inches of snow at Brighton this week.  Before we all know it we will be out looking for early season rocks buried under a few inches of snow as we work to get our skimo legs under us.

The Citizen Series calendar has been posted with this season’s race dates.  We have lots of exciting things planned for this winter so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

In the mean time, get excited about skimo by attending one of the showings of this years PowderWhore showings which have a light and fast feature on Andy and Jason (lycra included).

Yesterday, we held our ninth and final race of the season and I must admit, I never thought they would be so fun.  This season was an overwhelming success because of the infectious enthusiasm of every single person who came out and raced.  We also could not have done this without the support of Brighton, Brandon Dodge, and Max McNeal.  Those guys are psyched for all things skiing and are awesome.  Further, I could not have anticipated the support from the local outdoor industry as we have had an outpouring of prizes donated throughout the year.  In the beginning, I questioned my judgement as I gave away a “lightly used” jacket as a prize.  Now we have had donations from The Sport Loft, Voile, Gear Thirty, Skimo.co, La Sportiva, Momentum, Powerbar, CAMP, the Powderwhores, Scarpa, and Ski Trab (please let me know if there is anyone I missed).    And thank you as well to all of you who helped set the courses, pull pin flags, brought pies, or helped in any other way, including just showing up.  So with that longwinded speech out of the way, here’s a recap from last night.

Over 70 people came out to race by head lamps and moonlight and I hope enjoyed the most technical course of the year.  Jared and I set the course in the waning afternoon light and wondered if we were a little too ambitious with the technical skinning and a steep and very tight choke on the descent.

At the Milly base, I yelled out some informal instructions and pleaded with everyone to be careful on the descent…there was only room for one at a time.  Shortly thereafter, we were sprinting, 70 strong across the parking lot toward the southeast corner of the resort.  The nerds in spandex would complete three laps on the 800 foot course and the gluttons for punishment with the heavy gear would do two.

We booted a rocky outcrop, made kick turns up a couple steep slopes, traversed a ridge, and landed above Lake Mary at the top of the course.  From here, a short traverse along the plateau led to the mini chute, then a track through the trees, and onto the lower section of groomer, which brought everyone back to the booter.

By the time I made it to the steep choke, it was obvious that the very limited amount of snow still left wouldn’t withstand the onslaught of 70 people for another two laps.  In fact, a handful of racers were stymied by what now appeared to be a mandatory air onto very firm snow with a rock or two thrown in for excitement.

Jared and I hurried to find an alternate passage and luckily another choke into the trees served just fine. Our system was then for Jared to block the first option and wave people towards me, where I directed them through the detour.  This seemed to work well and I think everyone was happy to have the course refreshed for their next laps.

In the end, Eric Bunce edged out the PowderKeg master, Chad Brackelsburg for the win and Marta (hailing from Spain) edged out Gemma (also from Spain but adopted by the Wasatch) for the women’s victory.

To celebrate their performances, as has been our tradition, we gathered at Molly Green’s en masse and overwhelmed the staff.  Beer, nachos, and pizza were everywhere.  We handed out pies as prizes and then turned to a proper raffle to hand out a Voile shovel and probe (thanks Voile), an Arva shovel and probe (thanks Skimo.co), some CAMP shirts (thanks CAMP), Momentum climbing passes (thanks Momentum), many many boxes of Powerbars and gels (thanks Christian Knight, who is a rep for Powerbar), a CAMP Speed helmet and Comp gloves (thanks Gear Thirty), and some La Sportiva GTR skis (thanks Jared and Sportiva).

Paul Diegle was the big winner of the skis and I think we were all big winners for coming out throughout the winter in the dark, rain, and snow.  We got fitter, made new relationships and improved old ones.  Many people learned about light gear and moving more efficiently in the mountains.  Others just lugged heavy stuff cause they are tougher than us weight weanies.  So many folks won prizes or pies throughout the season and it was cool to see some of that gear in action.  It was also cool to see people sitting around at Molly Green’s sharing their victor’s pie and exchanging stories with other racers.

Also, I’d like to wish Courtney Phillips and Robby Babbit (sp?) a speedy and complete recovery from their injuries.  Both have been regulars at these races and have always been happy and encouraging to others.  They represent everything good in the backcountry skiing community and I can’t wait to have em back!  See you soon guys!

So to finish off, thank you again to all of you for an exciting season.  Don’t forget about the real racing coming up this weekend with the Powderkeg and hopefully, we’ll pick up on Thanksgiving morning right where we left off…

Jared, Chad, Paul, Andy and Andy setting the course

 

Unknown racer

 

Transitioning

 

 

Eric and Marta with their victory pies

 

Part of the crowd at Molly Green’s

 

 

That time has sadly come where the scheduled Citizen Series Races must come to an end. Watch the blog as we may have a race and BBQ similar to last year later in March.

As always, we will start the race promptly at 7PM. Headlamp and helmet are mandatory. We will again have some demo CAMP gear and the demo Ski Trab skis. If you want to use any of this gear, make sure to show up early.

Make sure to plan to stick around afterwards for awards at Molly Greens. We will have a great raffle including a pair of La Sportiva skis. If you want to be registered for the ski raffle, fill out the questionnaire below or at this link.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday and celebrating the end of the Citizen Series.

Also, don’t forget that you must be registered for the Powder Keg by 8PM Monday night (Feb 25) in order to receive the technical race T-shirt.

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Last night we had our penultimate race of the Citizen’s Series and it was another great success.  We all warmed up to the base of the Snake Creek Lift and then rallied for an hour, putting in as many laps as we each could on a meandering short course through the trees.  Witnessed were many great battles with Jared Inouye just pulling out the win over Teague at the last minute (8 laps) and Sarah edging Emily and Liz after a very close race. We all raced through pockets of darkness  but also enjoyed the lights of Brighton’s night skiing operation for sections of the course.  After the hour of pain, most folks again congregated at Molly Green’s where we had a short gear demo by Brett from CAMP USA and then a huge haul of prizes was passed out.

We had climbing passes from Momentum, shovels and probes from Voile, a pack and shirt from Gregory, and of course pies for the winners of the races (both heavy gear and race gear categories).  We also had Trab demo skis, CAMP demo gear, and course markings provided by La Sportiva, Scarpa, and CAMP.  It really is amazing the support we are getting from the ski industy!

Once again, thank you to all of you for coming out and creating an infectiously enthusiastic environment.  These free, informal “races” are a success because of all of you.

Also, thank you again to Layne, Tom, Jared, Brett, and Greg for helping set the course and carrying course markings and gear.

Finally, our last night race will be this coming Tuesday with the finale for the season being the Powderkeg over March 7-9th.  Make sure to sign up to test your fitness and skill against the Wasatch and the rest of the country.

Since this will be our last night race of the year, suggestions are welcome regarding the race format.  What were your favorites? Anything new you’d like to see?  Comment below and let’s have a fantastic last race!

 

Don’t forget about our penultimate citizens race tonight (2/19)!  Be ready to go at 7PM for an hour of uncomfortable fun followed by some actual fun at Molly Green’s.  Please park along the Milly side and defer to cat drivers during your warm up.

More great prizes will be given out tonight and you’ll have the opportunity to demo CAMP gear and Trab skis!

As always, all are welcome.  See you all tonight!

I normally don’t get too excited about writing race reports but today is different.  We had our 7th race of the Citizen’s Series last night and it was stellar.  Layne Caldwell, Jared Inouye, and Teague Holmes set up a great course with two short 250 foot climbs.  The format was a relay and teams were required to have one guy on race gear and one on fat skis.  To start, the 60 or so participants formed two lines (race gear in one and fat skis in the other) and then paired off.  From there it was a tag team effort to see who could finish 7 laps the quickest.

People went fast, it hurt, some people crashed, blah blah blah.  The race was an amazing workout on a well thought out course but I couldn’t care less about that right now.  I’m most excited about the enthusiasm of everyone. There were a lot of fast guys and gals out there and everyone seemed to be psyched to be out skiing and competing.  Living in a relatively large city so close to such a skier friendly resort (Brighton) offers all of us a unique opportunity to help spread the SkiMo psych to the masses.  I think it’s catching on.  I heard a few people say, “these races are my favorite thing about Salt Lake City!”

The World Championships are only a few days away.  Come give 2 of US National Team from the Wasatch (Tom Goth and Andy Dorais) your best wishes and get out of the inversion for a little fresh air and exercise.

Race #7 is tomorrow night (February 5) at 7PM at Brighton Ski Resort.  Please be early so that we can start the race right at 7PM.  As usual, park by the church, meet at Milly Chalet, and  a helmet and headlamp are mandatory.  If you are on race gear, bring a pack so you can get transition practice getting your skis on and off your pack on the booters.  As always, the race will be followed by awards and libations at Molly Green’s.

Please bring friends and introduce them to this great community sport.  As you spread the word, let people know that all abilities and gear are welcome and that only a small percentage of the participants are serious racers.  We want the Citizen Series to  be a fun, low stress introduction to the sport.

 

Thursday morning we had a special daytime race (although we started in the snowy dark) to accommodate any folks from the OR show who wanted to get some exercise during their 3 day marathon of yapping their jaws and fondling gear.  As expected, attendance was a little down on a work day but 30 people still came out and raced our best course yet!

We started next to the Milly Chalet and ran across the parking lot to the Great Western base.  From there, technical skinning ensued and at least a couple people probably wished for full coverage skins.  Rather than stop at the top of the lift, the course took the racers to the top of Clayton Peak for a full 2000 vertical.  This fragmented the field but from my position as racer/course marshall/race director, I got to see a bunch of close battles within the overall race.

The descent from Clayton was variable up top and icy bumps below the cat track.  I had counseled everyone to ski gingerly through a few rocky sections but instead I saw a little aggression as some of the better skiers tried to make up ground.  Luckily, our safety record is intact!

The second climb ascended on low angle skin track through mature pines before gaining the upper groomed section of the Snake Creek lift.  We exited the gates and then climbed to the summit of Preston Peak, our second of the day.  From there, a short descent back into the resort and down a wind drifted section of trees took us to the base of the final climb.

Again exiting the backcountry gates, we made another short climb to the summit of Pioneer Peak, making it three for the race.  By now the storm was building in character and so were most of the racers left on the course.  It was windy and the visibility poor, but the best part of the course was still ahead.

On the final descent, we enjoyed steep powder through some tight trees.  Quickly though, we were spit out onto a long left traversing groomed section that was somehow punctuated with sporadic moguls and one steep drop that caught more than one person by surprise.  Not quite done, there was a 200 meter flat skate to the finish before everyone could relax, put on some warm clothes, and enjoy some food at the Chalet.  Not quite everyone made it to the finish as I suspected since many people had to get to the show for early appointments or to work like normal civilized human beings.

That was their loss as this race received generous support from Voile and a few nice avy shovels were given away during the awards.  New US Ski Mountaineering member, Tom Goth ran away with the race but bailed early as he is sometimes responsible and had a meeting.  That meant that Chad Brackelsburg won a pumpkin pie for being the top finisher at the awards ceremony.  Christian also took home a pie for being the last finisher (wait until he gets on some light gear and he will tear through the pack!) and Tamara snagged one for coming out for the first time.

Thank you to all who came and participated.  It’s great fun to see the Wasatch speeding up and to see the friendships that have developed throughout the races.  We will resume regular Tuesday night action on February 5th and only have three more before the big event: The Wasatch Powderkeg!

Thank you also to our race sponsors (more great prizes to come!):

SCARPA, Ski Trab, La Sportiva, Voile, Outdoor Research, The Sport Loft, the Powderwhores, and especially Brighton Ski Resort!

Gathering around for the pre race briefing

 

Mike Kloser finishing up

 

A few happy people (L-R Mark, Tamara, Andy, Chad, Jared, Janelle, and Everett)

Also, thank you to Noah, Jonah, Tom, and Jared for helping set the course and to Chad, Mark, and Brent for helping tear down!

After last year’s successful Wasatch vs. The World Skimo Race during the OR Show we are back at it this year.  OR kicks off today with the on mountain demo and tomorrow commences the activities at the Salt Palace.

We have a morning race planned for Thursday, January 24 at 7AM at Brighton Ski Resort .  Please be at Brighton no later than 6:45 AM as we will be starting at 7AM sharp start to ensure everyone involved in OR is done by 8AM and can get back to town and to the show by 9AM.  The race will last about 1 hour or less and the format will be determined Thursday morning based on any snow we might get.

The race will be followed by awards at Milly Chalet.  Milly Chalet wil also be serving their great breakfast.

Helmets, beacons, shovels, and probes are mandatory.  It will be dark for the first part of the race so you may want a headlamp as well.  All ski gear is welcome – split-boards, tele, AT, and race gear – as well anything from baggies to spandex.

Come up and see some of this year’s US National Team who will be competing in Pelvoux, France February 9-15, get in a good workout before your workday, and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine to start your day off.

My life is almost impossibly busy right now and with too many balls in the air, Chad, Jared, and Jason, Teague, and Tom jumped in and put on the race last night.  It was cold but still 8 degrees over at the base of the Great Western lift.  Around 40 people, some new and many regulars, toed the line and then worked hard to complete the three (heavy metal) or four (racers) lap course.  They skinned over groomer, bumps, and single track through trees with a harrowing choice to balance over the “death log” or to drop into a small pit of despair.  Oh, and the skiing wasn’t too bad either with the soft snow and mellow lighting from the nearby night skiing operation.

In the end, Jason won the race division with Teague and Jared rounding out the non existent podium.  The women’s group was led as usual by our adopted Catalonian, Gemma Arro Ribot with Sarah and Emily taking 2nd and 3rd.  Out of those not on true race gear, new comers Rusty, Chris and Chris did an admirable job at their first Citizen’s Skimo race leading all others.

Another oddity of the night was our departure from pies as prizes and the distribution of doughnuts.  Jared was gracious enough to pick them up but struggled to find pies in the middle of January.  It didn’t matter though as the winners were happy to pass around some chocolately doughnuts to share.  Also, thanks to La Sportiva for the ski straps that were given as prizes to the new people!

Next up is our 2nd annual Wasatch vs the World skimo race on Thursday the 24th.  This one will take place in the morning with the race starting at 7AM.  For you locals, come out and show all the OR Show folks how we are stepping it up around here and speeding up the Wasatch!

Trying to stay warm before the start

Early one in the race

 

A lone racer approaches the transition

 

 

 

Chad trying to stow his skins prior to leaving the transition

 

A tight race with more than three guys in the transition together

Gemma and Teague accepting their doughnut prizes!