Shedhorn Skimo Race Recap

Imagine the RUT 25k course but with the added fun of skiing and you more or less get the Shedhorn Skimo race, now in its 2^nd year at Big Sky Resort.  I had a poor race last year so was excited to return for this beast of a course (18mi and 9k vert).

second climb to the summit (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

An extended spell of high pressure leading up to the race had created “slide for life” ice conditions in the big couloir (heard over the patroller’s radio shortly before the start) so racers were required to carry either a whippet or an ice axe for the race.  The hope was that subsequent descents would soften under the strong sun before racers arrived. 

unknown racer in the big couloir (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

After the initial mix-up off the line, I found myself in 12^th place on the initial cat-track climb.  I edged past Meredith and Michela and two guys as the course deposited us on a steeper groomer.  I reached the bottom of the bonecrusher bootpack shortly after Case, quickly transitioned and gave chase.  Fortunately the winds were mild (in contrast to last year’s 40+ mph) and I maintained position, reaching the summit still in 8^th place.  After a mandatory 2min break at the summit aid station (to space out skier’s in the big couloir), I cruised down the ridge and dropped in.  It was certainly icy but within my comfort level to ski without use of the fixed line they had in place, so I made chatterly jump turns down the whole thing (read: not pretty but skiing nonetheless), passing Case as he sideslipped along. 

elliott and teague on bonecrusher (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

racers on the parachute boot pack (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

I caught up to Jeffrey at the next climb below parachute, had a quick transition and started up just ahead of him.  This short climb was a welcome sight in comparison to the 3600ft beast of a first climb and I dropped into three forks just as Jeffrey and Case were arriving.  Variable conditions, including some powder were found before reaching the transition and slapping on skins for the climb to an aid station atop six-shooter lift before continuing up the headwaters.  I elected to skin the entire way to the top of parachute but I’m not sure if it was any faster than transitioning to boot the portion that is normally bootpacked by resort skiers.  Case arrived as I was ripping my 2^nd skin and Jeffrey was close behind so I kept pushing hard, skiing sloppy corn down parachute before bombing across the bowl and making the long but flat climb along the middle road to shedhorn grill aid station.  I elected just to carry my skis and walk/run this mini-climb and could tell of those in front of me, all disciplines had been tried – skating, skinning and booting. 

case and jeffrey on headwaters, I am slightly out of frame ahead (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

patrollers at the top of parachute, big couloir is the prominent
run down lone peak (photo: myke hermsmeyer)

I cruised the short ski down to the dakota lift, before slapping skins on and beginning the long (2600ft) climb back to the summit.  With blue skies and warm temps, the snow was getting soft and heavy and the skin to the base of the fixed lines through the kircher cliffs seemed to drag on for a long time (with Case and Jeffrey still close behind).  The jugging and scrambling up the cliffs was a fun change of pace from the prior slogging however the third and final portion of fixed lines and just beyond featured waist deep wallowing in isothermic snow which was a major mental lowpoint of the day.  I finally arrived at the top of the mandatory booting section and was incredibly excited to transition back to skinning.  A glance at my watch showed another 1500ft to the summit and I knew it was going to be a serious grind, made all the more difficult by the glaring sun and my black race suit.  This was the climb that crushed me last year so I just put my head down and kept moving and fueling. 

I eventually arrived on the summit, hurting but in good spirits, indulged in some coke at the aid station and dropped in to liberty bowl.  The slushy conditions and small moguls were absolutely brutal on my quivering quads and I had to briefly stop midway down to let the burn momentarily subside.  I continued down to the bottom of shedhorn before slapping on skins for the final time and grinding up the short final climb and skating down the slow and slushy ever so slightly downhill cat track to the finish. 

results

I thought I was in 6^th but a broken boot and resulting DNF by crazy fast Tom Goth put me in 5^th place at the 4:45 mark.  My goal time was sub 5 hours so I was very happy with my race.  Relaxing in the sun with a beer in hand cheering on other finishers ensued. 

A big thanks to the Big Sky ski patrol for all their hard work on putting together this great race and to Myke Hermsmeyer for taking lots of great pictures.

Rose: putting together a strong (for me) performance

Thorn: hurting big time on the 2^nd climb to the summit

Bud: investing in race skis and some skimo specific training next fall and seeing where that can take me next season

Thoughts:  this is a challenging and awesome course worthy of a much larger turnout than 24 racers, skiing off lone peak (shedhorn) is much more fun than running talus down (rut)