A 4 a.m. wake-up call and I'm on the icy, snow-packed road to Wolf Creek with fellow Durango racer, Frank Mapel. The race was set to start @ 8 but with over 20+ inches of new snow the patrol delayed us for avalanche control. A 9 a.m. start and Marshall Thomson is leading the first climb. We skied together to the first transition and then began some serious trail breaking. At the 2nd transition Bryan Wickenhauser and Jon Brown caught us. Marshall led the 2nd climb with Wick and myself right behind him. A screaming downhill followed. At the next transition things began to fall apart for me. I had a very small gap and my skins didn't feel right. They weren't gliding and were tracking to the side. Marshall caught me and I decided I better check my skins. I found snow building up under the tips. I decided to continue without a skin change, reaching the top with Marshall still in the transition and Wick seconds behind me. Insult to injury, I couldn't rip my skins off and Marshall was gone. Finally got the skins off and Wick and I raced a very fast, exciting downhill reaching the final transition just as Marshall was leaving. Wick pulled out of the transition just before me and maintained a 30 second gap to finish 2nd behind Marshall. That left me to round out the podium in 3rd place. Congratulations to the Womens winner, Janelle Smiley. Janelle is headed to Europe for the 2012/2013 season. Watch out Europeans.
Many thanks to Miles @ Pine Needle Mountaineering, Pete and Tim with COSMIC, Wolf Creek Ski Resort and the National Forest Service for sponsoring a great race. A great early season race has been established.
| WOLF
CREEK Ski Mountaineering Race |
| RACER |
TIME |
PLACE |
| Marshal Thompson |
2:25:30 |
1 |
| Brian Wickenhauser |
2:27:32 |
2 |
| Scott Simmons |
2:28:03 |
3 |
| Ben Kadlec |
2:37:29 |
4 |
| Jon Brown |
2:44:48 |
5 |
| Janelle Smiley |
2:46:42 |
6 / 1st Female |
| Scott Archer |
2:53:11 |
7 |
| Frank Mapel |
2:58:48 |
8 |
| Eric Larson |
2:59:26 |
10 |
| Brian Edmiston |
2:59:50 |
11 |
| Doug Stenclik |
3:02:07 |
12 |
| Shane Sigel |
3:05:29 |
13 |
| Luther Birdzell |
3:09:29 |
14 |
| Jon Miller |
3:11:07 |
15 |
| Lindsay Plant |
3:12:06 |
16/2nd Female |
|
|
|
| Rec |
|
|
| Jesse Morehouse |
3:11:06 |
1 |
| Greg Peak |
3:11:16 |
2 |
