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View Full Version : USSMA Sugarbush - Mad River Glen Randonnee Race, Feb 6th!



atkinson
01-28-2011, 11:35 AM
We are ramping up for the race and excited to help host it again. This is truly a team effort with the Valley ski areas and we are lucky to have such awesome terrain to hold the event.

The Pro Course has changed this season and now includes a mandatory bootpack in the woods on the side of FIS and then a descent via FIS. We eliminated the climb to the top of North Lynx, so the Pro and Am courses are the same from Rim Run to the finish.

http://www.sugarbush.com/uploadedfiles/2008_files/stokeexchange/USSMARandoRace_CourseMap2011web.jpg
The red line is the mandatory bootpack and FIS descent.

Helmets are required for all divisions throughout the course. Pro's need to securely strap skis to a backpack for the bootpack. Be aware that FIS is realtively steep ~30-35 degrees and is usually a challenging descent. Metal edges and good downhill skills are required. The full descent into Slide Brook is over 2500' total. Ski crampons are not allowed in any division.

We can not transfer gear to the finish. Please plan ahead.

I will be at the start to give a course rundown. We hope to see you there!

John

Hardbooter
01-28-2011, 01:14 PM
John, do you know what the rules are about hiking other parts of the course? Do people boot pack up parts of Antelope?

atkinson
01-28-2011, 03:14 PM
Bootpacking other parts of the course are bad form at the least, and probably against the rules. Lower Antelope is not steep enough to need a bootpack.

John

Hardbooter
01-28-2011, 03:29 PM
Well, I'm not sure exactly where it was on antelope but I just did that section last weekend, and there was a headwall section somewhere mid-antelope that I wasn't able to zig-zag my way up on the split board. I probably need some advice from experience skinners but I wasn't racing so I just bootpacked over a few sections. It was, at most, about three downhill turns worth of bumps (or maybe twenty steps) each, and I had to do that at least twice (maybe three times.) I was glad I wasn't racing. I was also glad that the whole thing was packed powder. Icy bumps would have sucked - big time.
Overall, the long trail was in good shape except for one spot and I had a lot of fun. I probably won't do the race though.

atkinson
01-28-2011, 04:50 PM
A split board might be the best tool for Antelope, because of so much skin over a shorter surface. Traversing can be tough, but with so much traction, you just need a few proper techniques to glue to the wall.

Eyes on the prize! Look up, head up, always.

Hips forward, weight more on your heels. Stand up straight.

Set the skin in the snow before committing to a step. Smaller steps for steeper stuff.

Let your hands drift behind you as the pitch increases.

Smile!

You should do the race, I know you have the fitness and it is an accomplishment to ski all three areas under your own power.

John

Hardbooter
01-28-2011, 05:52 PM
Do you know what an average time is for the race? I wasn't trying to be fast when I did the first half of the route, but I'm curious.

Last Tracks
01-29-2011, 10:11 AM
what do you mean by bootpacking in the woods.. are you talking about right off the trail or are you going to send them up the "FIS nouveau" chute?

harbooter - there will be lots of other people skining up at the same time and some of these athletes are very fast... so unless you are uber-fit there should be skin track to follow or other skiners that might show you an smooth way up..