Rando Races at ski areas. Why?

[mtnjam]

Flight just landed now from the Brundage races!
(And from backcountry tour this morning.)
Venue was perfect.
(As was the tour.)
Huge thanks and congrats to all the race organizers, host, and volunteers for a very well-organized and challenging course.
(Now where is my luggage?)

So let me get this straight, you flew all the way from Mass. and then back to hike up a tracked out ski area with people you barely know to race down on a groomer when there are thousands of acres of untracked snow in Idaho to go tour and make fresh tracks, in powder, with your buddies, without racing to the top. I just don't get the allure of a race like this.

[Jonathan S.]

So let me get this straight, you flew all the way from Mass. and then back to hike up a tracked out ski area with people you barely know to race down on a groomer when there are thousands of acres of untracked snow in Idaho to go tour and make fresh tracks, in powder, with your buddies, without racing to the top. I just don't get the allure of a race like this.

Actually, no, that is neither an accurate nor complete summary of what I did.

This picture from yesterday morning of me though is quite accurate:

[snoqpass]

They should do Randohash.

Quaffing micro brews every 5 miles of vert and then writing a review on Beeradvocate on the downhills with accuracy and speed being a judgment aspect.

My recollection of Hash House Harrier runs involved a lot more beer drinking

[Danno]

My recollection of Hash House Harrier runs involved a lot more beer drinking

Heh, my first thought after reading was "5 miles"? The drinking group with a running problem wouldn't make it that far.

[XXX-er]

we have a 24 hr "event " which is sposed to be non competative but someone always races it eh

as for the safety aspect one year it was snowing a fair amount so when a snow squal hit at midnight you could not see a thing, everybody was going down a different run so it was a good thing the runs all funnel down to the chair at the bottom

[mtnjam]

So you skied with Jim then. Thanks for the uptrack. You guys were ballsy putting in those lines down the glades bowl. I don't like that gully down there, total terrain trap.
How was the east ridge ride back out or did you drop down to the gully/creek.
As for the rando race thing, good on ya, but I don't get the allure.

[GeezerSteve]

The drinking group with a running problem wouldn't make it that far.

FWIW I've met dozens of HHHs who run and finish ultras.

[SB]

This picture from yesterday morning of me though is quite accurate:

Rando translates as tail gunner.

Phun waz certainly had.

[Jonathan S.]

You'll have to ask Jim for the details -- I was just playing follow-the-leader.
The final ski out though along some flats (i.e., before the final pitch where that picture was taken) was easier than he had anticipated (i.e., only some trivial double-poling) since we got lucky by being able to follow a skintrack in reverse.

The pitches at the very end had some sections I'd want to steer clear of in certain conditions, but I felt okay with all our terrain choices re avy danger.
(You guys really have it made there in general!)

Overall, pretty much a perfect (well, except for the brutally cold temps) four days:

Thursday = See family first thing in the morning, then easy flight out with productive laptop time for work, rendezvous with my three "teammates" along the way, catch up with Jim and family. (Hadn't seem them since summer of 2015.)





Friday = Ride the lifts to ski lots of remaining untracked powder at Brundage, check out the course, finally meet in person the national organizers and some other racers with whom I'd been working via email for years, redline for ~1,680 vertical and marvel at the dozens of racers arrayed up above me in the endless switchbacks against the setting sun (wish I'd brought my phone for that!), get into a maniacal sprint in the finish chute against some woman, then ski down with my NE crew.





Saturday = First ascent was up a groomer but then the entire race was in the backcountry, except for the final descent, which -- after an extremely steep bootpack to fry the legs even more -- was down the "Northwest Passage" trail in early-season conditions with magnified pitch and "features" to add to the challenge, then a bit of lift-served skiing, followed by catching up with Jim's brother and his wife.





Sunday = Powder, then fly home.

[Jonathan S.]

Rando translates as tail gunner.

You're probably focusing on the wrong leg.
Granted, hard to see, given the angle, but focus on the position of my left foot under my hips.
(I've certainly been given of being in the backseat, but not so sure of that here.)

[Sirshredalot]

You're probably focusing on the wrong leg.
Granted, hard to see, given the angle, but focus on the position of my left foot under my hips.
(I've certainly been given of being in the backseat, but not so sure of that here.)

Yeah, you're actually pretty well-balanced fore-aft in that shot.

[mtnjam]

How did you place? Nice form for riding those skinny boards. What are those, like 70 underfoot?
I saw you guys putting turns down from the top, meanwhile we were digging and I was putting on a refresher clinic for my buddies where you guys first dropped in.
You must have run into my buddy Mike ("solo" tourer looking for us) up at the top with the two other guys putting a pit in skiers left of where you dropped in.
So Brundage had a booter in going up NW Passage? Ugh....brutal. Bottomless?

[cmcrawfo]

You'll have to ask Jim for the details -- I was just playing follow-the-leader.
The final ski out though along some flats (i.e., before the final pitch where that picture was taken) was easier than he had anticipated (i.e., only some trivial double-poling) since we got lucky by being able to follow a skintrack in reverse.

The pitches at the very end had some sections I'd want to steer clear of in certain conditions, but I felt okay with all our terrain choices re avy danger.
(You guys really have it made there in general!)

Overall, pretty much a perfect (well, except for the brutally cold temps) four days:

Thursday = See family first thing in the morning, then easy flight out with productive laptop time for work, rendezvous with my three "teammates" along the way, catch up with Jim and family. (Hadn't seem them since summer of 2015.)

Friday = Ride the lifts to ski lots of remaining untracked powder at Brundage, check out the course, finally meet in person the national organizers and some other racers with whom I'd been working via email for years, redline for ~1,680 vertical and marvel at the dozens of racers arrayed up above me in the endless switchbacks against the setting sun (wish I'd brought my phone for that!), get into a maniacal sprint in the finish chute against some woman, then ski down with my NE crew.

Saturday = First ascent was up a groomer but then the entire race was in the backcountry, except for the final descent, which -- after an extremely steep bootpack to fry the legs even more -- was down the "Northwest Passage" trail in early-season conditions with magnified pitch and "features" to add to the challenge, then a bit of lift-served skiing, followed by catching up with Jim's brother and his wife.

Sunday = Powder, then fly home.

You forgot to mention all the pussy you scored... and the hoards of bitches tossing their moistened paintes as you crossed the finish line.

.... earlier in this thread I was lead to believe that's how these things play out...as a result, I just bought a used rando set up, please tell me I was not misinformed

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

rando race to get naked girls???? try loud music in the back lot and a case of rainier after chairs close, thats how i boned your daughter......

[brutah]

I don't see a problem with rando races held within a ski area. I don't even see a problem with skinning up a ski area, in fact, I do. its exercise in a safe and controlled environment, kinda like going to a gym to climb instead of going outdoors. When I lived in spokane, mt spokane was the closest and only option for pre work turns, so i would skin up there during the days I wasn't able to recreate elsewhere. When I was living in steamboat last winter, I'd skin up thunderhead and mt warner to get exercise, especially in the early season to start getting the legs back in shape for other missions. I skin up alta all the time after they close for the season because sometimes its the fastest and easiest option.

There is a huge skimo scene here in utah. Racing helps people push themselves physically. it makes you faster and being faster on the skin up ultimately means you'll be able to ski more, and isn't that the point?

the better question is why do you feel so threatened by people having fun???
I get that its not your cup of tea, but obviously those people in the races enjoy it. so who gives a shit.

[TAFKALVS]

You forgot to mention all the pussy you scored... and the hoards of bitches tossing their moistened paintes as you crossed the finish line.

.... earlier in this thread I was lead to believe that's how these things play out...as a result, I just bought a used rando set up, please tell me I was not misinformed

Maybe I got mixed up, I think its actually training to become a downhill ski racer that pulls in the tail. My mistake. Plus side is you already have the spandex.

[buttahflake]

I see nothing about back-seat driving in that pic of Jon.
What I see is a guy who still moves on his skis. He makes angles Scotty, you actually need to be in shape to make that happen. Add in the flyweight gear he is driving.
Forget about it, guy can ski.

[alto]

What are those, like 70 underfoot?

Definitely not that wide.

Skimo is really stupid but the couple races I've done were also really stupidly fun.

[Angle Parking]

Better than sitting on your rear and watching' the game. The spandex is disturbing though.

[Tech Tonics]

I have a feeling the OP is fairly young. Like 20s. Maybe early 30s

There comes a time in everyone's life where you:
1. Stop giving a shit what other people think
2. Stop caring how other people handle their shit.

Clearly he hasn't reached this point.

If whatever someone is doing causes-no-harm...let them be.

Know what's lamer than ski-mo racing? Posting about how lame ski-mo racing is on the internet.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

People who think only one kind of skiing is legit just don't like skiing all that much.

[muted]

Making something as cool as skinning up, being in the mountains and skiing down a competitive experience is a bit weird. Some people have to feed their ego and/or very goal oriented, some people just like the hanging out with fellow geeks/similar minds, other people....well I don't know.

Similarly, people who do speed climbing/running/hiking peaks are missing the whole point of being tin the mountains. I know this is not a popular view, but I'll say it anyways: humans making every peak into a contest is the farthest away from being the moment that you can be. Compete compete compete...that's not what life is about.

[PNWbrit]

Making something as cool as skinning up, being in the mountains and skiing down a competitive experience is a bit weird. Some people have to feed their ego and/or very goal oriented, some people just like the hanging out with fellow geeks/similar minds, other people....well I don't know.

Similarly, people who do speed climbing/running/hiking peaks are missing the whole point of being tin the mountains. I know this is not a popular view, but I'll say it anyways: humans making every peak into a contest is the farthest away from being the moment that you can be. Compete compete compete...that's not what life is about.

Well fucking said.

[Norseman]

Amen.

[AKbruin]

I wish people would stop having fun and enjoying the mountains in a manner that is different than how I have fun and enjoy the mountains, which is on monoski in a giant cowboy hat and jeans a with a Miller High Life in each hand.