IMPORTANT LINKS:
(If racing *only* weeknight, with no interest in weekend races, then can safely ignore everything else on the website, and read *only* this page.)
Held in partnership with Western Mass Backcountry Alliance -- please join them so as to help them in their support of this weeknight race series!
On-line registration linked from each date below, default = Wednesdays -- with Thursdays back-up weather days or when Wednesday night skiing not anticipated to be scheduled (date changes/cancellations will be posted on this webpage) -- held on the following dates:
- Wednesday February 15
Wednesday March 1Thursday March 9Thursday March 16
Results:
2021
Registration:
- Each weeknight race requires a separate registration, $10 per night, open on-line until 5:45pm the day of the race (i.e., 15 min before the start time), plus a resort uphill pass ($50/season, $15/session) or regular season pass.
- Full refund (net of SkiReg fees) for any reason for cancellation up until 5:45pm the day of the race.
Gear (simplified from weekend races, except for lights):
- Must skin up on removable climbing skins on skis (160cm min length men, 150cm women) w/ full metal edges. Prohibited = Dynafit Expedition and other AT bindings (e.g., Silvretta 300) w/o lateral release; SNS/NNN "bar" bindings; mountaineering, leather tele, or nordic boots; snowshoes.
- Must wear a helmet, certified for ski and/or climb, at all times, both ascents & descents.
- Must have a solid white/clear light/headlamp in front (only for skinning visibility, not skiing, so minimal lumens ok) and a red light (preferably blinking) in back.
- No gear caching or ditching during race.
Before:
- Course route is emailed in advance via SkiReg to all registered racers, most likely West Side, with East Side as back-up, topo map for both HERE, see below for details on each, marked by flashing LED wands, green = skinning, red = skiing, blue = transitions.
- At 5:55pm, must be within earshot of the start for any last-minute announcements, although necessary updates will also go out as SkiReg email to all registered racers immediately before the start, so continue monitoring email up to the 5:55 start area assembly.
- Given all of the above, at exactly 6:00 will most likely be an announcement of "Ten seconds, racers ready, five seconds, three, two, one, GO!"
During:
- Anywhere *above* blue wands at top of course, remove skins, stashing either in clothing or (optional) pack (but not just holding onto them).
- While skiing, make turns, stand up (i.e., no alpine racing elbows-in-front-of-knees, no arms-behind-back), stay within ski patrol speed limits.
- Slow down upon approaching base (no dramatic "hockey" stops!), then transition to skinning at same location as start, *below* blue wands.
- No on-foot hiking, walking, booting, climbing, snowshoeing: all travel is on skis (or snowboard), both ascents & descents, i.e., if skis off, either stationary at a transition area (or crashed…).
- Must also ... have fun (however defined)!
Conclusion:
- Must *begin* final ski>skin transition (below blue wands at bottom of course) by 7:00 (or within an hour of whenever we -- or just you, if late -- started).
- Once finished, make note # of laps and finish time (to serve as a tiebreaker among racers with the same # of laps), preferably recording on watch or phone to upload to Strava (all free!) so as to focus on skinning & skiing (w/ transitions in between too of course), then email to race director.
- Product samples in parking lot afterwards for freebies from sponsors Hammer Nutrition, Nikwax, Athletic Brewing (w/ add'l socializing possible on Thursdays only at Crazy Horse Bar & Grill).
Course Description, West Side route (default course):
- Park at West Lodge, following tubing signs (which almost seem to be directing thru maintenance areas).
- Start = just above lift operator shack at Wilderness Quad base.
- Ascent = far skinner's right of Exhibition, trying to stay as close as possible to underneath lift, to skinner's right of any green LED wands, w/ transition most likely at or near lift tower #8.
- Descent = Exhibition, looking back uphill first (i.e., on descender's right), exercising caution when merging into downhill traffic.
Course Description, East Side route (back-up course):
- Park as close as possible to base of magic carpet lift, then skin up magic carpet slope on skinner's right, gradually skinning back over to skinner's left toward top of slope.
- Start = between triple chair chair and Mountain Coaster bldg.
- Ascent = groomed Lower Mohawk (closed at night), sweeping right turn to continue on Lower Mohawk, then bypass ungroomed Roy's Way on left, next fork left up steep groomed Chute, which levels off briefly before one final short steep pitch, then transition on a road-like section of Mohawk (which has wrapped back in from right).
- Descent = very short closed road-like section of variously named trail in maps below (no lights, but is brighter than many sections of open trails), then merge into Big Chief (use caution re lift-served skiers coming down from above!).
