Registration for the Northeast Championships on March 12 is currently $25 – that will increase to $30 from 2/16 -3/10, and after that it’s day-of registration for $35. Prospect currently has enough snow that it will take a substantial heat wave to get rid of it all, so the likelihood of the races being cancelled again this year is much reduced. Sign up by Wednesday 2/15 to get the best price!
43 snowshoers tackled the inaugural Stone Bridge Caveman 6k snowshoe race at the Natural Stone Bridge & Caves Park on Saturday February 11. Featuring a course that started out somewhat rolling and then climbed and climbed and climbed some more before a rapid descent to the finish, the race also highlighted the natural beauty of winter in the Adirondacks. For a season which has seen little snow prior to this week, the ample base and coating of fresh powder were a welcome change. The top three winners for both men and women, led by Tim Van Orden and Jamie Woolsey, were treated to a variety of goodies courtesy of the Park. Here’s hoping RDs Greg and Lance will make this a yearly event!
Results from the race can be found here.
Photos are available on the park Facebook page: Part 1 and Part 2, as well as on our own photo page. RD Greg has also posted a video of a drones-eye view of the start:
And finally I’d like to give a shout-out to the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves Park – I’d never even heard of it prior to this snowshoe season and I suspect the same is true for a lot of people, which is a real shame. If you enjoy the outdoors and natural beauty, the Park is well worth a visit. More information can be found on their website and Facebook page.
Saturday’s Stone Bridge Caveman 6k at 10 AM in Pottersville, NY looks to be a fun one, with both a challenging course and what should be excellent conditions. Preregistrants get a winter season pass to use the 14 miles trails at the park, and there is also day of registration from 8:30-9:45. The RD’s also encourage everyone to check out the natural stone bridge and the largest cave entrance in the northeast, located near the start/finish. More info can be found on our race page and at the event website.
Sunday’s Switchback Singletrack 5k at 12:30 PM in Woodford, VT is a very recent addition to the series, but promises a challenging and rolling 5k on a mix of singletrack and groomed nordic trails. Runners may also be getting a preview of the course for the NE Championships in mid-March, since RD Tim Van Orden is considering using the same course for those races. Day of registration only, from 11-11:45 (NOTE THAT NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 12 NOON – arrive early enough to register before then!) More info available on our race page and at the event website.
If anyone is going to be in northwestern VT Sunday morning, the Northern VT Snowshoe Challenge at Smuggler’s Notch looks to have great conditions for their 4k and 8k races, and former RD/current race assistant Zeke Zucker says “Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. at the Nordic Center at Smuggs, and just tell the registration folks that Zeke said you can get the early registration fee of $25, instead of $30. ($18 for the 4K). The races start at 11:00, and it looks like the temps will be in the low 30’s with some light snowfall. Look for the Parking signs as you near the Resort, and you’ll be shuttled to the start location.”
Here’s hoping everyone can get out and enjoy the (relatively) fresh snow this weekend!