News | Mt. Washington Auto Road

Auto Road Opening for 152nd Season to the Summit Friday, May 10th!

Posted on May 8, 2013 by meg

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH—The Mt. Washington Auto Road will open for private vehicles to the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak on Friday, May 10th. Beginning on Saturday, visitors to the nation’s first manmade attraction can take either a guided tour or drive their own vehicle on this remarkable and historic road, which has been in operation since 1861.

The Auto Road will be open from 9-4 pm on Friday. Guided tours will be beginning on Saturday, with Spring operating hours of 8:30-5 pm. Depending on conditions, the Summit Stage office may be open (and offering hiker shuttles). New for this year, all guided tours are two hours in length, which includes an hour on the summit. The Glen View Café and souvenir shop at the base will open later in the month.

“We are delighted to be opening to the summit for our 152nd season here on Mt. Washington. After a successful winter of SnowCoach tours to treeline we’ve all been looking forward to getting back to the summit! ”noted Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center.

Events on the schedule for the coming season begin with Alton Weagle Day on May 25th and include bicycle races, footraces, sunrise drives, a colonial muster in the mountains and much more. For a complete listing of events and information about Mt. Washington Auto Road operations, schedules and rates please call (603) 466-3988 or online at www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

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Three Races up Mt. Washington this Summer

Posted on May 6, 2013 by meg

*53rd Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race June 15, 2013 – 9:00 a.m.

*8th Newton’s Revenge July 6, 2013
(weather date July 7), starting times 8:40-8:55 a.m.

*41st Annual Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb August 17, 2013
(weather date August 18), starting times 8:35-8:55 a.m.

Pinkham Notch, N.H.-One day every June, upwards of a thousand runners get the opportunity to test their legs and lungs against the 7.6 miles and 12 percent average grade of the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Four times each summer, a few hundred cyclists make the same trip on two wheels, twice for practice and twice in races in July and August.

THE RACES:

The 2013 Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race will take place on Saturday, June 15. Led by some of the country’s best mountain runners, the field of well-trained endurance and multi-sport athletes will race to the 6288-foot summit of New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

The Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race is sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental, which has its headquarters in Concord, N.H. Entry is by lottery or, for elite athletes, by invitation. Lottery entries were selected in March.

This year the men’s field is led by defending champion Sage Canaday of Boulder, Colorado. Last year, when the race served as the U.S. National Mountain Championship, Canaday made his Mt. Washington debut by pulling away from everyone else after two miles and running one of the fastest times in the race’s history. The 2012 runner-up, Joe Grey of Newcastle, Washington, will also return this year. So will Chris Siemers, of Arvada, Colorado, who won the race in 2010 and is returning for the first time since then.

The women’s field will include Brandy Erholtz, of Evergreen, Colorado, who won the race in 2008 and 2009, then finished second the next three years. It will also include two outstanding masters runners – Laura Haefeli of Del Norte, Colorado, the first American woman ever to win an individual medal at the World Mountain Championships, and J’ne (pronounced “Janey”) Day-Lucore of Denver. Day-Lucore, who won the Mt. Washington Road Race three times in the 1990s, will be inducted into the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Friday evening, June 14.

Other new inductees to the Hall of Fame this year include Simon Gutierrez of Colorado Springs, Colorado, another three-time Mt. Washington winner; six-time world Mountain Champion and Mt. Washington course record holder Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand; and longtime race director Bob Teschek of Newport, N.H.

Jonathan Wyatt’s course record, set in 2004, is 56:41. The women’s course record is 1:08:21, set by Shewarge Amare of Ethiopia in 2010.

Starting time on June 15 is 9 a.m.

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On July 6, the Auto Road will welcome more than 200 cyclists to the 8th annual Newton’s Revenge, the first of two bike races held each summer on the Auto Road. The race attracts amateur cyclists across the northeastern United States, Quebec and Ontario, with the occasional professional cyclist coming to test his or her hill-climbing ability.

Many of the entrants in Newton’s Revenge will also be riding in the annual Practice Ride. Held this year on June 2, the practice ride enables riders to evaluate the quality of their training and, more importantly, the appropriate gearing on their bikes. The steepness of the Auto Road frequently takes newcomers by surprise, and the usual gearing for bicycle road races and many off-road races does not include a low-enough setting for the relentless grade in Newton’s Revenge. The Practice Ride is open only to riders who are already registered for Newton’s Revenge. Registration for this year’s Newton’s Revenge is still open, at www.newtonsrevenge.com.

Newton’s Revenge starts at 8:40 a.m. on July 6, when the Top Notch group – the first and fastest wave of riders — begin the climb. Three other groups, including junior riders, tandems, and others by age group, follow at five-minute intervals. Finishing times are adjusted for the gap in starting times. While the men’s race presents no clear favorite, the women’s field includes Marti Shea, of Marblehead, Mass., who won the inaugural Newton’s Revenge in 2006 and has won it every year it has been held.

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The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is exactly the same race as Newton’s Revenge, but with a larger field — for two reasons. First the Hillclimb was established in 1973 and so, with a longer history, is better known. Second, it is the principal annual fundraising event for the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H. Registration for Newton’s Revenge opens only after the field registered for the Hillclimb has filled to its limit of 600 cyclists. Registration for the 2013 Hillclimb opens each year on February 1st; this year the field reached capacity in ten days.

The 2013 Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb will take place on August 17. Riders start in five waves, beginning with the Top Notch (elite) group at 8:35 a.m. and continuing with the others at five-minute intervals.

Organizers expect this year’s field to include Jeremiah Bishop of the Cannondale racing team and currently the leader in U.S. national cross-country bicycling standings. He’ll have to contend with Cameron Cogburn, of Cambridge, Mass., who last year handily won both Newton’s Revenge and the Hillclimb. Marti Shea leads the women’s field.

The Practice Ride for the 2013 Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb will be held on July 21, with riders starting up the road any time between 5 and 6 a.m. As with the Newton’s Revenge practice ride, participation is restricted to riders who are already registered for the Hillclimb. Both practice rides are also limited to a maximum of 300 riders.

FURTHER DETAILS

Often described as more severe than the steepest climbs in the Tour de France, the Mt. Washington Auto Road has frequently been a proving ground for riders who have gone on to international competition. The men’s course record-holder for the Auto Road is Tom Danielson, who set that record in 2002, then in 2011 was the first American finisher in the Tour de France. Danielson has won both bike races up Mt. Washington.

The women’s course record-holder is legendary French cycling star Jeannie Longo. Danielson’s record for the ascent is 49 minutes 24 seconds; Longo’s is 58:14.

Weather on Mt. Washington weather can include 40- to 65-mph. gusts of wind and various kinds of precipitation. Given the occasional severity of atmospheric conditions here, either bike race may be postponed until Sunday if the Auto Road staff determine that precipitation, low temperatures or high winds have combined to make conditions on the road unsafe on Saturday.

Auto Road Opening to Treeline Saturday, May 4th!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by meg

152nd Season of the Nation’s Oldest Manmade Attraction on Northeast’s Highest Peak Starts Saturday, May 4th!

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- A historic ritual that has been played out in Pinkham Notch for the past century and a half will be repeated this Saturday, May 4th, when the Mt. Washington Auto Road opens its gates to the public for drives to treeline (at 4,200 feet) on the Northeast’s highest peak.

The improving weather conditions have allowed the Road Crew to make great progress, protecting and preparing the surface for another season. Considering the Spring conditions, it is expected the road will be fully open to the summit within the next two weeks.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook and we can finally say yes to all the people who have been calling wanting to drive up Mt. Washington!” noted Auto Road Office Manager Regina Ferreira. “The northern Presidential Range is still covered with snow and the views are just spectacular at this time of year”.

The Auto Road will be open from 9 am to 4 pm. Special rates are being offered for the drive to treeline: $26 per car, including passengers (within safety parameters) and only $8 per motorcycle or $16 per motorcycle with a passenger. Vehicles may not be left unattended anywhere along the road. The base lodge shops, restaurant and museum will not be open this weekend. Guided tours will begin later this month.

It is additionally expected that Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center will begin offering bicycle rentals and kayaking trips by Memorial Day weekend.

For more information regarding the Mt. Washington Auto Road operations, events and other offerings please call 603-466-3988 or check online at www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

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3rd Annual Alton Weagle Day

Posted on April 29, 2013 by meg

Make your own record on the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Saturday, May 25th as part of the 3rd Annual Alton Weagle Unusual Ascent Day

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- The Mt. Washington Auto Road will be hosting the 3rd Annual Alton Weagle Unusual Ascent Day on Saturday, May 25th as part of the kick-off celebration for the Road’s 152nd operating season. The event will commemorate the many unusual ascents made on the “Carriage Road” since it opened to the public in 1861.

This spirit of fun and adventure was perhaps best captured by day’s namesake, the late Alton Weagle of Walpole, NH. Weagle was a great advocate for safe and sustainable enjoyment of the White Mountains, who became known for awhile as “Mr. Mt. Washington”, thanks to his entertaining exploits during the 1950s. At various times he had run up the Auto Road barefoot, backwards and blindfolded (up and down) and he had pushed up a wheelbarrow with a 100 pound sack of sugar without setting it down; Weagle climbed up and down Tuckerman Ravine, along the Cog Railway and the Auto Road (30 miles) in 14 hours 28 minutes and even got married on the Cog Railway in 1955.

All of this follows in a great tradition of remarkable Auto Road ascents throughout history, which will be further shared and celebrated on May 25th.

“Mt. Washington has always drawn a unique assortment of characters in search of personal distinction-some have been more serious minded than others, of course! This has become quite a history making day on the Auto Road,” noted Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center.

In recent years, several unusual “first ascents” were accomplished, including one person who made the climb on a unicycle, one on roller skis, a trio who Irish stepped danced their way to the top and one man who backed his vehicle from base to summit along the winding 8 mile road to the northeast’s highest peak, 2 people riding tricycles; one Star Wars scout trooper; a fireman in full fire fighting gear including SCBA and hand tool and a buckskin character going up in a go-kart, among others.

A special ceremony recognizing records set that day will take place at 1pm at the Glen House base building.

Anyone interested in participating with an unusual ascent of their own is required to contact the Auto Road at 466-3988 for schedules and more information.

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NE Delta Dental Road Race Hall of Fame honors Day-Lucore, Gutierrez, Teschek and Wyatt

Posted on April 23, 2013 by meg

Pinkham Notch NH-Two great champions from the Rocky Mountains, the race director who brought Mt. Washington into the modern era, and the World Mountain Champion from New Zealand will be honored this summer as the newest members of the Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame. In a ceremony at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Friday evening, June 14, the Hall of Fame will induct J’ne Day-Lucore and Simon Gutierrez, each of whom won the race three times; Bob Teschek, who directed the event for 29 years; and Jonathan Wyatt, the Mt. Washington course record-holder whom many consider the best uphill runner in history.

Formed in 2010, the Mount Washington Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding performers in this annual footrace to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States. The Friday evening ceremony celebrates the folklore and history of the race while also serving as a welcome to some 1200 runners who will make the 7.6-mile ascent of the Auto Road the following morning in the 53rd running of the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race.

Votes by the Hall’s six committee members, plus the 11 honorees chosen in previous years, determined this year’s new members of the Hall of Fame:

J’ne (pronounced “Janey”) Day-Lucore, of Denver, Colorado, first ran Mt. Washington in 1992 and set a new course record for women in one hour 11 minutes 45 seconds. Already the record-holder for the Pike’s Peak Ascent in Colorado, she came back to the Granite State in 1993 to defend her title as Queen of the Mountain and reached Mt. Washington’s 6288-foot summit seven minutes faster than her nearest challenger. She won again in her third Mt. Washington appearance, 1995, before an injury restricted her running and she turned to triathlons. Even so, she returned to Mt. Washington in 1998 and finished second only to Sweden’s Magdalena Thorsell, who broke the course record that year. Returning in 1999 at the age of 38, Day-Lucore placed fourth, and in 2001 here she was ninth woman overall, second in the master’s division behind only Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson.

Simon Gutierrez, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, first came to Mt. Washington in 1998 and impressed everyone with a third-place finish. The following year he finished fifth — two minutes faster than in his debut. Certain he could win Mt. Washington, Gutierrez returned in 2002 and placed first in that year’s weather-shortened race, defeating the hardcore New Englanders as well as then course-record holder and Hall of Famer Daniel Kihara of Kenya. To prove he could win the race at its full distance, Gutierrez ran away from the field in 2003, then won for a third time in 2005. He is also the race’s fastest over-40 runner of all time, having broken Hall of Famer Matt Carpenter’s master’s record in 2008 by finishing fifth overall in 1:01:34, and holding six of the nine fastest master’s times ever recorded at Mt. Washington.

Bob Teschek, of Newport, N.H., ran the Mt. Washington Road Race eight times, beginning in 1966. He became the race’s director in 1982 and turned the race into one of the best-organized events in the sport. His name is familiar to countless Mt. Washington runners, as well as to race directors across the region and farther afield who use his company, Granite State Race Services, to provide timing and finish-line management to several road races on most weekends of the year. He set his own excellent personal best time (1:15:52) for the Mt. Washington Road Race in 1977 and says he will run it again some year.

Jonathan Wyatt, of Wellington, New Zealand, first ran Mt. Washington in 2004, when he became the prohibitive favorite the moment he signed up. He had already won the World Mountain Trophy three times, was an Olympic marathoner, held course records in mountain races all across Europe, and was likely not merely to win at Mt. Washington but to break the course record. In fact he broke it by a minute and 40 seconds, running through damp fog and wind to reach the summit in 56:41, nearly seven minutes ahead of runner-up and U.S. national mountain champion Paul Low. Wyatt returned in 2007 and won again in 1:01:25, still well ahead of the field. He also won the World Mountain title three more times.

The Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race pits runners against one of the most challenging obstacles in road-racing anywhere. The Mt. Washington Auto Road rises at an average grade of 11.6 percent, the second half of the course being above the tree line and exposed to Mt. Washington’s notoriously capricious weather. The race has attracted Olympic athletes, Boston marathon champions, and many of the world’s great mountain running specialists, who compete in the White Mountains of New Hampshire along with numerous other runners from across the United States and abroad.

The Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame recognizes athletes whose exceptional accomplishments in the race have added greatly to the history and stature of the event. Inductees are chosen by a vote of the Hall of Fame committee and Hall of Fame members from a longer list of nominees compiled by December 31 of the preceding year. Anyone is welcome to nominate candidates for consideration.

The Friday evening Hall of Fame induction is part of the annual pre-race gathering for stories, brief speeches, information and advice about running up the mountain, and other tributes to the race. The ceremony will start at 6 p.m. in the large tent at the base of the Auto Road, on Route 16 just north of Pinkham Notch. The public is invited.

Regularly updated information about the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame is available any time on Facebook (facebook.com/mwrrhof), Twitter (twitter.com/mwrrrecords) and the Hall of Fame blog (mtwashingtonrecords.blogspot.com). For further information email committee members Dave Dunham (dave.dunham@comcast.net) or John Stifler (jstifler@econs.umass.edu). For information about the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race, visit www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com.

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Alternative Energy Weekend – September 14th-15th, 2013

Posted on April 18, 2013 by meg

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH-Continuing its historic role as a proving and playground for new and evolving technologies, the Mt. Washington Auto Road will be hosting a new “Alternative Energy Weekend-The Powers That Be” event on September 14-15, 2013. Given the proliferation of vehicles on the road fueled by alternative sources, this event will bring together examples of what technologies are currently available on the open market, including electric, propane, bio-diesel, compressed natural gas, hybrid electric, as well as inviting entrepreneurs who are developing their own versions of alternative power.

The Moonbeam- about 100 miles to the gallon

Categories of vehicles welcome to participate include cars, trucks motorcycles and bicycles, although unique one of a kind creations are also encouraged. An Energy Expo Exhibit area is planned, which will include vehicle manufacturers, related alternative energy businesses and historic vehicles which have ascended Mt. Washington by other than gas powered engines. Exhibits and information regarding other sustainable energy sources will also be featured, including hydro-electric, wind power, solar power and geo-thermal.

Various related organizations and interested individuals on a statewide, regional and national level are planning to participate and others who are interested are invited to contact the Mt. Washington Auto Road to discuss the possibilities.

The Raven

“The Mt. Washington Auto Road has seen the evolution of transportation play out on its eight mile path to the summit. Considering that the first motor vehicle to ever go up was a steam powered Stanley Locomobile in 1899, it seems very appropriate that we showcase how alternative energy technologies have evolved since then,” said Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center.

For more information about the “Alternative Energy Weekend–The Powers That Be” event at the Mt. Washington Auto Road call (603) 466-3988.

Electric car from 1979

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Snowmobile Group makes Classic Run up Mt. Washington

Posted on March 22, 2013 by meg

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- A small but dedicated group of antique snowmobile enthusiasts slowly but steadily climbed above treeline on the Mt. Washington Auto Road last weekend to commemorate the first snowmobile ascent in 1963. In fact, at least one of the machines that went up recently also was part of the original team 50 years ago. All of the snowmobiles that went up this year were early 1960s vintage, including several Polaris “Sno Travelers.”

This is the 11^thyear the group has made a commemorative run, only two years of which they were able to make it fully to the summit due to weather conditions. On the original drive up 50 years ago, Polaris founder Edgar Heteen was part of the group. This year, to honor that achievement, his son Mike and nephew Alex flew in from Minnesota and were supplied with a vintage Polaris to drive. Another participant, Steve Campbell from Maine, went up on a sled that has seen a lot of North Country miles, having originally been owned by the late (and legendary) Fish and Game officer Paul Doherty.

All told, it was a colorful cavalcade of rear engine antique snowmobiles that looked like a page right out of Mt. Washington history. “Being the 50thanniversary we were happy to be on the mountain at all, even if Mother Nature said no to the summit,” said Roger Emerson, coordinator for the New England Antique Snowmobile Club. “This event was partially sponsored by Absolute Power Sports Vermont and the Mt. Washington Auto Road and it really allows us to trace the tracks of history,” he said.

“It’s quite something to see how often history is made and how often history repeats itself here on the Mt. Washington Auto Road. It never ceases to amaze me how diverse the activities are and the passion these individuals bring to the process,” observed Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

Watch the video of the start!

For more information about this event or the Mt. Washington Auto Road call 603-466-3988 or online at www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is full, waitlist open & Newton’s Revenge registration open

Posted on March 6, 2013 by meg

Pinkham Notch, N.H.-The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb takes place in late summer, but as usual the field for this all-uphill climb to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States is already full. Registration for the 2013 race opened on February 1st, and by the following week 635 cyclists – the maximum the Auto Road can accommodate – had taken every spot available at the starting line.

Anyone still hoping to pedal the 7.6 daunting miles up Mt. Washington on August 17 is invited to join the waiting list, from which the organizers will fill vacancies when any registered riders withdraw. The Tin Mountain Conservation Center, in Albany N.H., the race’s beneficiary, maintains this waiting list at https://www.bikereg.com/Net/17625.

Meanwhile, cyclists can also sign up for Newton’s Revenge, the other summer bike race held on July 6 on exactly the same ultra-steep course. Registration for Newton’s Revenge opens each year when the Hillclimb registration has reached capacity. The registration site is www.newtonsrevenge.com.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb attracts Olympians, hardcore bicycle road racers, mountain bikers, triathletes, all-around adventure athletes, tandem teams, and even the occasional unicyclist. They pay $350 apiece for the opportunity to ride up the Auto Road’s 12 percent grade to the mountain’s 6288-foot summit. For that fee they get a souvenir T-shirt, a superb lunch, a tax deduction, and the opportunity to make an ascent repeatedly described by professional riders as more arduous than the steepest climbs in the Tour de France.

The men’s course record, 49 minutes 24 seconds, was set in 2002 by Tom Danielson – who became the first American finisher in the 2011 Tour de France. The women’s record belongs to French cycling legend Jeannie Longo, who made the climb in 2000 in 58:14.

In 2006, the overwhelming demand for a chance to ride a bicycle to the Mt. Washington summit led the Auto Road management to create a second race on the identical course. Held this year on July 6, Newton’s Revenge features many of the same professional and highly-ranked amateur cyclists who have ridden in the Hillclimb. In 2013, Cameron Cogburn of Cambridge, Mass., and Marti Shea of Marblehead, Mass., won the men’s and women’s top prizes in both races.

The size of the field for both the Hillclimb and Newton’s Revenge is limited by the ability of the road crews and race officials to monitor the safety of all participants and by the number of vehicles that can be parked at the summit to bring cyclists back down the hill after the race. The Hillclimb is filled to capacity every year; Newton’s Revenge typically draws between 250 and 350 riders.

The Hillclimb is the primary fund-raising event for the non-profit Tin Mountain Conservation Center, which offers classes, workshops, excursions and other lessons in the workings of the natural world. Junior riders – anyone under 20 years of age on race day – are eligible for free entry if they raise funds through donations to Tin Mountain in connection with their registration. Other riders who raise $200 or more in donations may be given a partial or complete refund of the entry fee. This year Tin Mountain is also introducing a raffle in which, for $100 per ticket, the winner will get free annual entry to the Hillclimb for his or her lifetime.

For Newton’s Revenge the entry fee is $300, of which a portion is donated to various charities in the Mt. Washington Valley, while the rest defrays expenses similar to those in the Hillclimb. Riders who are already registered for the Hillclimb may enter Newton’s Revenge for $150.

Entrants in either race may also register for its practice ride. These are held on June 2, for Newton’s Revenge, and July 21 for the Hillclimb, with riders beginning the ascent any time between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. There is no additional fee for the practice ride, but the number of riders is limited to 300, and the ride is open only to riders who are already registered for the corresponding race. Registered participants will receive Practice Ride registration instructions via email.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb and Newton’s Revenge are two of 11 events in the Bike Up the Mountain Point Series, familiarly known as BUMPS. The series includes Mt. Ascutney in Vermont, Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts, Whiteface Mountain in New York State, and other uphill races. For further information see www.hillclimbseries.com.

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Justin Freeman returning to Ski to the Clouds to defend his title

Posted on February 27, 2013 by meg

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH-Olympian and four time winner of the one of a kind “Ski to the Clouds” race Justin Freeman will return to defend his title for this year’s event. The Ski to the Clouds, presented by Maxiglide, will take place on March 3, 2013 and will include a snowshoe category for the first time. In the snowshoe division, veteran Mount Washington Road Race competitors Dave Dunham and local favorite Kevin Tilton are signed up to compete. This challenging event, thought by many to be North America’s toughest winter 10km race, takes place on Mt. Washington, the Northeast’s highest peak and includes a climb of more than 2200 vertical feet over the final 6km of the course.

For most competitors this event is a unique way to test themselves in one of nature’s most spectacular settings. The Ski to the Clouds race is limited to a field of only 150 skiers and snowshoers and these racers will have the Mt. Washington Auto Road to themselves as remarkable views of the Presidential Range and beyond reveal themselves.

There will be a mass start of skiers at 10 am followed by a mass start of snowshoers 10 minutes later on race day. Online registration closes on February 28th at 5 pm. There will be no day of race registration. The registration price is $35 until sold out. If the race does not sell out, registration will be available Friday and Saturday (Mar. 1 & 2) directly through Great Glen Trails at (603) 466 2333.

Cash prizes for the top skiing finishers will be:
MEN: 1st place $250; 2nd place $150; 3rd place $100
WOMEN: 1st place $250; 2nd place $150; 3rd place $100
Top Male over 40: $200
Top Female over 40: $200

SNOWSHOE CATEGORY:
1st Place Men $100
1st Place Women $100

Volunteer registration is also now open for those who would like to be a part of this uniquely exciting event without making the 10km climb! All volunteers will be given lunch on event day and day passes for Great Glen Trails.

There is a rising tide of enthusiasm in the US Nordic skiing world, as American competitors are landing on podiums with increasing frequency. Most recently, Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins won the Nordic World Championship Team Sprint in Cross Country in Val di Fiemme, Italy, becoming the first American cross country skiers in history to ever win a gold medal in a Nordic World Championship event.

“It’s an amazing time in the Nordic ski world as we witness American skiers winning and earning medals on the international stage. What Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins accomplished by winning the gold medal is truly historic. We at Great Glen are proud and happy to see athletes in the sport we love, having the performances and getting the results they have worked so hard for,” observed Olympian and Great Glen Trails ski school director, Sue Wemyss.

Sponsors for this year’s event include: Maxiglide, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, Vitamin Water, Dasani, Polartec and SKIDA. For more information or to register as either a racer or volunteer, please call the Mt. Washington Auto Road or Great Glen Trails at 603-466-3988 or online at www.skitotheclouds.com

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