Ski-mountaineering race Saturday

While most people will be riding the chairlifts this weekend, a few adventurous calorie-burners will be racing up the mountain old-fashioned style.

The second annual Whitefish Whiteout, a ski-mountaineering race in the European randonee tradition, will be held at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Competitors will skin up Big Mountain’s slopes and descend the most challenging terrain that conditions permit. The course will take competitors on an up-and-down route across the mountain.

The Whitefish Whiteout is part of the national U.S. Ski Mountaineering series and open to AT and telemark skiers or split board snowboarders, with two categories for each.

The Race category course will include 3-4 ascents and descents with about 4,200 feet vertical. The Recreation course will include at least two ascents and descents with about 3,000 feet of climbing.

The race will be held Jan. 25 if avalanche control work is needed on Jan. 24. Start time is 8:30 a.m. at the Chair 1 Plaza. All participants are required to wear a helmet and carry a beacon, shovel and probe.

Both courses take Toni Matt to the Summit, and finish with Connie’s Coulee, Glory Hole, Hell’s Traverse, an ascent of Purgatory and a run down Woodlot.

The longer Race course adds Inspiration to Faults to Haskill Slide, up MoeMentum and North Bowl Face, down East Rim to Whitey’s, a boot pack up the N.B.C. gully and a climb back to the summit where it rejoins the Recreation course.

Cary Smith won the race last year in an amazing time of 1 hour, 37 minutes.

Race updates and additional information will be available at www.USSMA.org or www.cosmicski.com. For more information, e-mail events@skiwhitefish.com or call 862-2900.