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What’s up, everyone!?

The conditions in the backcountry right now aren’t the best for slaying pow but you know what is the best right now? …Utah SkiMo’s post-event raffles (see our latest IG post for a look at the goods, or look below!)! Additionally, we are excited to announce that Blue Ice Climbing will be there to show off their ice axes, climbing axes, and packs. Petzl will be there to let our members (yes, that’s you) demo some sweet lights and helmets. SOOOOO….get there early so you can check out the goodies!

If you don’t use IG, we will have a full complement of Black Diamond Snow (this week’s presenting sponsor!) backcountry safety gear (beacons, shovels, and probes), The Chuck Bucket swag, and Blue Ice Climbing axes on raffle. We will, of course, have more items from our title sponsor CAMP USA ( gift cards and skins!) and much more at tomorrow’s event!

A friendly reminder that…

• MASKS ARE REQUIRED at check in and at the start just before you depart at 7pm sharp!
• 1 can = 1 extra raffle ticket, maximum 25 cans, remember to count your cans before you show up

Please see the TimeToSignUp page to volunteer for other event dates on our race calendar and remember to sign your electronic Utah SkiMo and Brighton waivers. REMEMBER: if you don’t sign your waivers, you can’t come play with us and that would be sad.

See y’all on 01/18 at Brighton!

The Utah SkiMo Crew

What’s up, everyone!?

We’ve got a fantastic course for you all this coming Tuesday (01/18). The plan is to start at the base of Great Western (race and rec. waves to spread things out), racers will do three (3) upper loops with a full descent to the bottom (~1900ft. vert). Rec. division should try for two (2) upper loops with full descent to bottom (~1400ft. vert). Don’t worry if you can only do one (1) upper loop within the hour. The upper loops will have a booter (yellow)!

Like last week with the sweet ski racks from The Chuck Bucket, this week (01/18) Blue Ice Climbing will be at the check-in tent to show off some of the sweetest packs, harnesses, and ice axes this side of the Atlantic, so get there early to check it all out! Along with being the 01/18 presenting sponsor of the evening, Black Diamond Snow is raffling off some sweet backcountry safety gear too! We will, of course, have more items from CAMP USA, La Sportiva, Voile, and Scarpa!

Now for the boring, BUT STILL IMPORTANT, stuff.

• MASKS ARE REQUIRED at check in and at the start just before you depart at 7pm sharp!
• Because y’all are so freaking motivated to help Utah Food Bank, we are going to have to limit the maximum number of cans to 25 per person. The suspension in the Utah SKiMo Subaru is starting to sag (like my face) from all the weight, and our volunteers are getting jammed up with all the counting (yes, they can count but counting your cans before showing up really helps us out!). Nonetheless, more cans = more raffle tickets and a lot more all-the-feelz.

We are still looking for a few volunteers to set course and check people in. Please see the TimeToSignUp page to volunteer and remember to sign your electronic Utah SkiMo and Brighton waivers. REMEMBER: if you don’t sign your waivers, you can’t come play with us and that would be sad.

Expected arrival times and total time needed to volunteer:

Course Setter: ~5pm to start time, help set the skin track, set up tent/flagging

Check-In: ~5pm to start time/~7 then 8pm/Breakdown (~8 to 8:45pm), check-in skiers, manage raffle tickets, breakdown the tent.

Course Breakdown: 8pm to 8:45pm, remove course flagging, sweep course for skiers, and bring equipment to the van.

BOARD UPDATE: Many thanks to those that have stepped up to help our 100% Volunteer Board with all-the-things as we navigate the growing strains (cause it’s definitely not painful!) of putting on the largest skimo series in North America!

See y’all on 01/18 at Brighton!

The Utah SkiMo Crew

Photos courtesy of @ronwinsettimages

Hi Everyone,

This is a friendly reminder to please print and sign the PCMR waiver HERE. If you don’t print and sign the PCMR waiver, you won’t be able to participate. We will have a few at the event on 01/04 but who wants to stand in line – in the cold – to sign a waiver? Plus, there’s no guarantee that our pens will work well in the cold, either. You can still sign Utah SkiMo waivers HERE at the left hand side of the page.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at PCMR tomorrow night!

Thanks,

Utah SkiMo

What’s up, everyone?!

Our second race of the season is next Tuesday 01/04 at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR). Yes, you read that right! Utah SkiMo in conjunction with Park City SkiMo are hosting our very first event on the Wasatch Back! Please come out and show your support!

Check in will be at the base of the main PCMR parking lot near the First Timer Lift (approximate check-in tent location will be HERE ). We will have some flagging leading you to the start and you’ll be able to see the CAMP/Utah SkiMo tent in the parking lot. We ask that everyone wear a mask at the check-in booth since the more contagious omicron variant of COVID-19 is making its mark in Utah.

The start, since it’s not in the parking lot, will take 5 to 10 minutes to skin to and the race starts at 7PM SHARP! Plan accordingly and get there by 6:40 so you can check in at the bottom and get to the start line. Since we have such a growing enthusiasm for skimo racing, we will not mass start but split the start by a few minutes to spread people out. There will not be wave sign ups like we had last year, just come on up.

Below is the course description and map:

1. Start just below payday (in the area above the magic carpet). First climb will go looker’s left up Home Run to the base of Waterfall.

2. Kick turns part way up Waterfall, then a booter section, then back to skinning/kick turns

3. At the top of Waterfall, we will run lookers left in the soft snow (not on the easy way down cat track), rejoin Home Run at pump house

5. Groomer up from pump house to Angle Station

6. Transition at Angle Station

7. Skiers will drop fall line from angle station to the bumps/ungroomed section skiers left of Treasure Hollow to control speed. We will take that section as far down into Treasure Hollow as possible before we pop out onto Treasure Hollow groomer run.

8. Drop Treasure Hollow to the base of Waterfall, then lap again (not drop all the way back down home run)

9. Racers will do the first long lap, and one extra short lap for a total of ~2k ft. of vert. Rec and Sport division will do one lap for ~1200k ft of vert.

As always, we are always looking for volunteers to help with the growing demands of putting on the best skimo series in North America. You can sign up HERE. If you’re interested in joining the Board/Open meeting on 01/06 you can sign up for that HERE. Location for the opening meeting is TBD and we will email those that have signed up.

Please make sure you sign BOTH your PCMR and Utah skimo waivers before coming up so you don’t have to do it in the cold. The PCMR Waiver must be printed and signed and brought to event night. Utah SkiMo is not able utilize our e-sign waiver system with the PCMR waiver. Remember to become a member for the season and support your favorite race series!

As always, we will be holding the best raffle in the country. You will get your raffle ticket as you are checking in at the bottom. We are also doing a food drive. Every can of food you bring gets an extra raffle ticket! This is a raffle you don’t want to miss! We will have a pair of Dynafit boots, skis, and race pack along with goodies from CAMP, Blue Ice Climbing, and La Sportiva. Raffles will be drawn while the race is going on, as you finish and head down to the bottom, check the parking lot tent to see if you won anything!

And remember to have fun! You can follow us on all forms of social media ( FB, Instagram, and Strava).

Let’s show some love for the Wasatch Back with @parkcityskimo ‘s Park City Town Series Vertical Races! There will be four races (01/28, 2/11, 3/4, 3/25) so go easy on that seventh helping of spiked eggnog, dust off your lightweight gear and show your friends that you’re up for the (vert) challenge!

You can register HERE. $30 per event or $100 for all four!

Full disclosure: this is not a Utah SkiMo event, but let’s get real folks, the skimo community is small and we are always happy to share the love!

Utah SkiMo hopes everyone has a safe and healthy holiday season!

We are sad to report that the 12/16 event at PCMR is postponed. Ideally, we’d like to squeeze the postponed 12/16 event in between our last event on 03/01 at Brighton and the 03/19 Wasatch Powderkeg. If it’s rescheduled between those two dates, it will most likely be a vertical race so as to not blow the legs and lungs out before the PK.

Sorry for the late notice and we hope to see you on 01/04!

Happy Holidays and see you all in the New Year!

Believe it or not, its winter and skimo racing is starting, so dust off the boots, do some intervals in the next few days, and let’s get to it!

Our first race is this Tuesday 12/7 at Brighton. We have just enough snow on the upper mountain to race there, so the start is at the bottom of the Snake Creek lift part way up the mountain. We will have some flagging leading you to the start. The start, since its not in the parking lot, will take 10 to 15 minutes to skin to and the race starts at 7PM SHARP! Plan accordingly and get there by 6:40 so you can check in at the bottom and get to the start line. Since we have such a growing enthusiasm for skimo racing, we will not mass start but split the start by a few minutes to spread people out. There will not be wave sign ups like we had last year, just come on up.

Please make sure you sign BOTH your Brighton and Utah skimo waivers before coming up so you don’t have to do it in the cold. Plus sign up and become a member for the season and support your favorite race series!

The race will be about 1hr total with some skinning through the woods up the Thor run and then descending back down Sunshine run. We will do 2 laps for a Rec division and 3 laps for a race division (conditions dependent). Please make sure you bring the only mandatory gear which is a helmet and headlamp. There are no lights so you will be skinning and skiing in the dark.

As always, we will be holding the best raffle in the country. You will get a raffle ticket as you are checking in at the bottom. We are also doing a food drive. Every can of food you bring gets an extra raffle ticket. Please bring food you would eat not what’s been in the cupboard for 2 years! Raffles will be drawn while the race is going on, as you finish and head down to the bottom, check the tent to see if you won anything!

And remember to have fun!

The first event is just one week away (12/7 @7pm @Brighton!) and this is a reminder to get signed up!

First and foremost, get both of your waivers signed here and here and and sign up for the 21/22 season here.

Second, take a look at our sponsors this year as they are the ones that make our fantastic events (and the awesome raffles!) possible. CAMP USA will again be title sponsor of our 21/22 season and we are absolutely stoked to have them with us!

Last and definitely not least, let’s all have fun and be safe out there. Below are some rules to remember and please read our FAQ:

1.  I will bring and use a helmet, headlight, and proper uphill skiing/riding gear. Skimo race gear, backcountry skis and splitboards, and telemark gear are allowed. I will be prepared with enough clothes, food, and liquid to keep me safe and comfortable during the event. Nordic gear is not allowed.
2.  I will identify a “buddy” who is also present as another participant, spectator, or Utah SkiMo volunteer. I will let my “buddy” know when I have finished the event and off the course safely. The obligation of the “buddy” is to notify Utah Skimo officials if their “buddy” is not accounted for after the event. Utah Skimo officials will organize a search and inform SL County SAR if necessary.
3.  I agree to follow the designated route set by the Utah Skimo organization. Green flags represent the up skin track, yellow flags indicate up booters, and red flags and blinkers designate the downhill route. I shall stay within 30 feet of the designated downhill route upon descent.
4. I agree to assist any sick or injured participant, summon other participants to assist me, and summon Utah Skimo representatives immediately. Utah Skimo will then organize an assessment and evacuation of the sick or injured person.
5. I agree to ski in control at all times.

You can follow us on all forms of social media ( FB, Instagram, and Strava).

All are welcome and we look forward to having everyone out there next week!

What’s up SkiMo Peeps!?

The final CAMP USA & Utah SkiMo event is Tuesday, March 9th! We figured we’d end the citizen series with the biggest raffle giveaway of the season. You should know the drill by now for signing up and the rules, if not, check out our previous social media posts. We still need volunteers for the last event and wave sign up can be found here: SIGN UP HERE

We will be raffling off:

• A Blue Ice Yagi 25L Ski Touring Backpacks
• 2 CAMP Rapid Backpacks
• 1 Pair of Voile Skis
• A Voile snow shovel
• 1 pair of Voile poles
• 3 Digital Uphill Athlete Training Plans
• Dynafit and Uphill Athlete Hats, and
• 1 Pair of Scarpa boots (you get to pick your size and model!)

03/09/2021 Event Day Reminders:

• Remember to sign both waivers on the time to sign up page (no need to sign them again if you already have earlier in the season)
• Raffle is 100% virtual
• Park between the Milly Chalet and church
• Remember to grab your raffle ticket when you check in (1 can = 1 extra raffle ticket, limit 25) Let’s go out with the bang and show the Utah Food Bank what Utah SkiMo members are all about
• We still need a few more check-in volunteers , please see the time to sign up sheet: Volunteer Here!

While it’s been a crazy season with pandemic, we could not have guessed that we’d have filled all 120 slots, week in and week out! Simply put, without our amazing volunteers, Eric Bunce from SkiMo.Co being the best dang event director, and sponsors there’s no way we can get these races off the ground so please don’t forget to thank them.

Also, there’s no way we could convey the amount of stoke there’s to be had skinning and skiing in the dark without Ron Winsett to document the night’s activities so please take an opportunity to visit his Smug Mug page and show your support. He makes us all look fast! 

Thanks again to our 20/21 season’s sponsors: CAMP USA ( Check out CAMP USA! ) , Contour Skins ( Contour Skins! ), Scarpa North America ( Scarpa Boots! ), Dynafit ( Dynafit Gear! ), Voile Skis ( Voile Skis! ), Uphill Athlete ( Uphill Athlete Coaching! ), Blue Ice Climbing ( Blue Ice! ), Ron Winsett Images ( Ron’s Photography ), and SkiMo.Co ( SkiMo.Co! )

Hi Everyone,

Due to the deteriorating road conditions on SR-190 (Big Cottonwood Canyon Road), Utah SkiMo has gone ahead and cancelled tonight’s event with everyone’s safety in mind. Please spread the word.

We are hoping to reschedule for next Tuesday (02/23/2021) so please keep an eye on your socials and email newsletter for event updates. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

– Utah SkiMo