Skin the Turkey, Wasatch Citizen's Series Race #1 Recap

Race #1 is in the books.  30+ people (including 5 split boarders) showed up on a Thanksgiving morning to chase each other around Brighton and make their turkey dinners taste that much better.  As usual, there were a good mix of "serious" and "recreational" racers.  Everyone lapped a 500 vertical foot course for an hour with the winner, Tom Goth, completing 6 laps.   A few picture from the morning...

The traditional crooked start line

Nick, Gemma and Eric at the first transition

He wasn't really second to last

Travis and Layne demonstrating the wide variety of ski and body sizes that participated

Tom Goth (of 9:47 Kona Ironman fame) with his victory pie

Don't forget, the next race is December 4th at 7PM.  There should be a demo fleet of Ski Trab skis, pies, and a few miscellaneous ski prizes so be there!

Skin the Turkey Ski Mountaineering Race

The first "Skin the Turkey" 2011

The Citizen's Series is starting again! We'll be meeting at Brighton this Thursday (Thanksgiving morning) at 8:00 AM. The idea is to chase each other around for an hour or so and get a little fitter in the process.  Check out the Citizen's Series race schedule for up coming events.  There will be another 9 races throughout the year leading up to the Granddaddy of them all, the Powder Keg.  

Let's be clear that these races are meant for everyone, not just the skimo dorks in their spandex suits and skinny skis.  There should be plenty of people on heavy gear, split boards, everything.  Don't let the word race scare you from coming!  Pies to the winners and other various ski related prizes will be given to those who are deemed worthy.  

Brighton has been kind enough to allow us to play in their resort so helmets and massive amounts of respect towards everything Brighton are required.  Park by the church on the Milly side, not in front of the Milly Chalet.  We will warm up together to the start of the course (location TBA). 

Skiing to work in SLC

It's been hard to come by a few consecutive free hours lately so instead of driving the horribly long 30 minutes to the canyon, we've settled on the 5 min drive to the foothills (if only they held snow all year).  The wonderful storm from last weekend left just enough behind the U to entice Andy and I to head out right from work.  Alone, the novelty of skiing directly from the car to the door of work made it worth it but combine with rocks, bushes, and breakable crust it was truly enjoyable. 

Andy avoiding a number of hazards

Ugly turns amongst the grass and rocks

Literally skiing to the door

Everest Ridge, Mt. Timpanogos - An election day celebration

I may or may not have voted this past Tuesday but I did wave an American flag while standing on one of my favorite summits in America. Andy and I planned on a short run up Baldy and then the Everest Ridge on Timp.  We figured (erroneously) it wouldn't take too long so both threw an oatmeal cream pie and one gel in our bags.  

Three and a half hours later we were sitting on top of Timp, hungry, tired, and trying to figure out the easiest way down to our parked car in Pleasant Grove.  Instead of retracing our steps down the scree filled Everest Ridge, we decided to run into American Fork Canyon via the Timpanokee trail and test our luck hitchhiking back around.  When we made it to the Pine Hollow Trailhead there was one car in the lot; a new, supercharged Range Rover.  Luckily the owner was kind enough to give two foul smelling, nappy looking half Asians a ride out. God Bless America!

The top portion of Everest Ridge

Just north of the Everest Ridge, one of many skiable west facing bowels

Andy about to brave a scree field above a small cliff band, one of the many reasons we didn't head down that way

A salute to Obama

Retreat down solid ground