Month: February 2019

After a week of somewhat challenging weather, the 2019 Mt Tom Snowshoe Scramble was surprisingly run as a snowshoe race, thanks to a re-routing of the course that lengthened it slightly, introduced a few new hills, and moved the major climb to later in the loop. Runners had the option of one or two loops. The snow had held up surprisingly well, with decent coverage and a mixed of frozen hard-pack and icy powder.

Runners were given the option of using either snowshoes or trail shoes with traction assistance, so the race has been scored as two separate races based on choice of footwear. Stephen Kerr and Kathy Furlani were the 1st finishes of the 3.4mi snowshoe race, with only Jason Kudron & Tom Tifft completing the 2nd loop on snowshoes. Kelsey Allen finished first for both loops of the trail race, seconded by Joseph Bernstein on the 1st loop and Wayne Ball on the 2nd.

Thanks to Amy Rusiecki and her team of volunteers for continuing the Mt Tom tradition despite multiple challenges – currently this is our only series race that is actually held in MA! Full results can be found here, and photos of most of the runners on the 1st loop are here.

These aren’t part of our series but some of you may have been planning to check out one or both days – the Catskill Snowshoe Festival in Windham NY scheduled for this weekend has been postponed until Mar 2 & 3 due to lousy course conditions after this week’s warm, wet weather.

After near perfect conditions last Sunday the week brought us temperatures into the 50’s and rain, rain, and more rain. Despite that our hard-working RD’s are determined to bring us a weekend of the best snowshoeing we can get given the trail conditions.

Saturday 2/9 finds us just north of Saratoga Springs at the Camp Saratoga 8k in the Wilton Wildlife Preserve. Word from RD Laura Clark is that despite the weather this week conditions aren’t too bad – there are some icy patches and they’ve re-routed a section to avoid a treacherous downhill, but overall the snow cover has held up better than expected. The recommendation is to bring trail shoes and traction assistance just in case there needs to be a last minute switch to a trail race, and waterproof boots might be helpful for fording the moat around the cabin that houses registration and the post-race festivities. Registration and race info can be found here.

Sunday 2/10 brings a return to the Viking Nordic Center in Londonderry VT for another of the Nor’Easter Snowshoe Series races, this time a morning 10k or half marathon. The latest from RD Eliza Hamm is that while the singletrack may not be useable, the hope is that the rolled Nordic ski trails will continue to hold up through the upcoming rain – and in any case, Viking Nordic has plenty of trails to play with, so she’s confident they’ll be able to put together Sunday’s courses. Registration and race info can be found here – note that both WMAC series runners and current USSSA members can get registration discounts.

The season is flying by and will be over before we know it – here’s hoping you can all get outside and have fun in whatever snow we have this weekend!

 

by Laura Clark

NOTE: Gore Nordic is holding a series of Citizens Races for  XC skiing and snowshoeing on Tuesday nights from Jan 15 through Feb 19. While these races are not part of our 2018-19 points series, they are apparently good low-key weeknight fun. More information can be found here.

Have you ever dreamed about running the VT 100, the ultra where horses and humans share the trail, but figure you could never stay awake all night?  Are your weekends consumed with carpooling your kids to sporting events and birthday parties?  Are you just getting started and reluctant to head off into the wilds on a course you are not sure you can even complete?  Then the Tuesday evening Ski/Snowshoe Series at Gore’s North Creek Ski Bowl is just what you have been waiting for.  And, yes, you heard me correctly.  Track and skate skiers and snowshoe runners and walkers compete on the same lit, professionally groomed stadium course, complete with  a single track line,  ample corduroy gliding areas, with the inside lane reserved for the snowshoers.  Participants can trace the circuit up to four times, yielding a maximum distance of three miles.  Obviously, skiers finish the route way before the snowshoers and they are welcome to get in a few bonus miles while the rest of us complete the journey.  Registration begins at 5:30 PM and with a 6:00 PM start.  Admission is $10 per night, with no charge for season pass holders.

Saratoga Stryder Matt Miczek made it for the first event and I joined him for the second.  There were fourteen participants, with the  majority being skiers.  Needless to say, I felt rather intimidated and a bit concerned that I would be run over.  The mass start was exciting but it only took about 10 seconds for the skiers to outdistance  us.  I did have one moment of glory when I passed some track skiers going uphill, but obviously I didn’t stand a chance.  Like all cross-country ski courses, the route was mostly uphill or down to supply momentum.  I counted three longer steep hills, but none were overly intimidating.  It was exhilarating to play hooky and escape normal weekday night chores.  The route was romantically lit (good date night material), we had just been blessed with two feet of fresh powder and the moon was two days past its prime.  One of those picture-postcard evenings.

But what stood out to me was the casual atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the staff.  They seemed to know everyone by first names and were genuinely glad to greet newcomers.  The event reminded me of some of our earliest snowshoe races when everyone was simply glad to be there and enjoying the outdoors, even down to the part where we patiently waited while the start was delayed to accommodate a latecomer.  Try and find that consideration in a mega-race!

Afterwards, the North Creek food truck offered dinner and beverages and we gathered around hoping we would win a raffle prize.  There were farm fresh eggs from Cobble Hill Farm, wool scarves knitted by an employee, hats from the ski shop, Adirondack calendars and gift certificates.  Each time you participate you are given a slip of paper for the raffle, and after the drawing all slips are retained for the final big bash on February 19.  What a deal!  My only regret is that I didn’t participate in the first race on January 15.

See you there!

—  Laura Clark is an avid snowshoer, trail runner, XC skier, race director, 2017 World Snowshoe Federation Championship 70-99 Female Age Group winner, and 2018 National Championship Half Marathon 70-99 Female Age Group winner.