Is ony one else going to make the race this year? I will be doing the Heavy Metal group for the first time

I did the course last weekend and conditions were better than I had expected...a little rought at MRG, but overall a good day.

It was interesting going down hill with skins and Dynafits (heels free) on a 4 foot wide path through the pine trees. Several of the tree did get the best of me as I ended up getting some face scratches.

Any advice from other that have done this race....do people keep the skis on in the tight areas down hill areas of the long trail or even up the one steep short section?

If you want to work the race you will receive a voucher for the day and a voucher to use another day. If your a pass holder I believe you get two vouchers. Contact Craig Spear for information (617) 257-4663. He will coordinate with you and let you know what to bring.

There is a short section of mandatory ski removal on the steepest downhill of the LT, otherwise, I've kept the skis on for the rest of it. Before the race, practice some kick and glide for the flatter sections and quick step turns for the sharp corners.

You'll do fine.

John

It was a great day for the race. The snow conditions were great with lots of cover in the woods.

They did have 2 manditory ski removel sections on the LT (one of which got be last week).

If I could make one change I wish SB would have closed the Slidebook trail for the race (MRG did this) or have someone at the enterence to remind people to watch out for racers...skiers coming at you while you are skinning up through the wooded section is difficult, as many of the skiers seem to think is is okay to ski at someone and then turn off as the last second. Just a thought.

Otherwise it was a great day and I hope the race continues as my 10 year old is interested in joining next year (after she joins the adventure blazer group)

Hmmm... Slide Brook "trail" at Sugarbush. I believe the "Slide Brook Basin" only had snowshoe tours advertised for the past weekend due to the snow depth... but I'm sure that didn't stop those who felt like "dropping in" on their own and at their own risk.

My hat goes off to the giant raccoon that was giving directions.

I am sure a few racers went by thinking "did I just see..... nah, couldn't have been"

We saw him walking home later as we rode up Castlerock, backpack slung over his shoulder, strolling down the trail to where ever he came from....

That raccoon was a she. I was urging her to go boarding in the woods in that outfit (but not in hunting season.)

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If I could make one change I wish SB would have closed the Slidebook trail for the race (MRG did this) or have someone at the entrance to remind people to watch out for racers...skiers coming at you while you are skinning up through the wooded section is difficult, as many of the skiers seem to think is is okay to ski at someone and then turn off as the last second.

Slidebrook was closed to the official ski tours all weekend and the tour guides were working the race. There was a person stationed at the entrance to slidebrook. There's not a lot that he can do other than warn the skiers that racers are coming up the trail. When I did that I only got blank stares. People don't seem to understand what the race is. With the conditions of the traverse we're lucky no one was hurt since the skiers probably turned at the last minute because they were out of control or hit a log or stump. The traverse was pretty sucky.

I was stationed at the race/recreation split point. Early on, I ran into a pack of teenage boarders bombing down the road in slidebrook who clearly had no idea where they were. When I was able to get one of them to stop he was surprised to find out that he was out of bounds. His buddies almost hit the mountaineering blazers coming up the trail. I got the basic "sorry dude" response. I hope it took them a very long time to find their way back to Sugarbush.

We should definitely have a ski area boundary sign at the entrance of slidebrook all the time. For the race, maybe we should put a patroller at the top (if we could spare one.) That might keep some of the dipsh*t population out of there during the race itself. The more skilled folks who could avoid skiers coming up the traverse could go in.

BTW, TreeBandit - how did you do in the race?

Heard that all 15 Mountaineering Blazers finished their Course; that's an achievement worthy of recognition!
Coach Diggity and Coach Rick, nice work.