Annual Big Mountain Run racers brave the heat

One hundred forty runners toed the line at 9:30 a.m. to race up to the summit of Big Mountain on the Danny On Trail Saturday, braving blistering temperatures for the 42nd annual Big Mountain Run. Hosted by the Glacier Nordic Club, the event has a rich history dating back to 1983, before mountain running in the US was trendy and high tech. 

Local legend Ryan Skotnicki took the 2024 King of the Mountain by over 4 minutes, in a time of 35:17. Skotnicki recently got 16th in the U.S. Mountain Running Championships. Brett Winegar raced to a second place finish with a time of 39:40, and Micah Drew came across the line in 40:34. 

Queen of the Mountain was Scarlet Kaplan, an ex-professional triathlete and certified trainer at the Wave, in a time of 44:30. Kaplan took a minute off her 2023 time. Second place went to the new Glacier Nordic Club Comp Team Coach, Olivia Skillings, who ran a time of 49:20. 

In an extremely impressive showing for the day, third place overall female was also the first junior female, 11-year-old Samantha Rucker, who ran a time of 49:32. The third-place adult female was Jessica Craig, running a 49:40. 

The speedy 13-year-old Boden Dezzani, a Glacier Nordic Ski Team athlete, won first in the boys  junior division. His time was 45:25. Peter Schram, who is on the comp team, ran in 53:11, and 12-year-old Luke Bork placed third with a time of just over an hour in 1:00:19. 

In the girls junior division, Samantha Rucker earned first place with a time of 49:32. Glacier Nordic athlete Findley Dezzani ran in 53:44, taking three minutes off her 2023 time. In third was 11-year-old Hannah Bork who ran a blazing time of 53:36.     

This year, 13 runners made the Birthday Club, including Vonda Garcia, Linda Grady, Kim Ides, Carolyn Lisle, Ryan Skotnicki, Brett Winegar, Franz Ingelfinger, Jay Shaver, Art Souverein, Flint Stearns, Brian Miller, Scott Bales and David Grady.     

Athletes and organizers express appreciation for the local mountain and Whitefish Mountain Resort for supplying a training and race venue. This year’s event was also sponsored by Logan Health, Tailwaggers, Natural Grocers, Rocky Mountain Outfitters, Sweet Peaks, Bonk Breaker, and Enjoy Winter.  

    Runners celebrate the Birthday Club with cupcakes at the 42nd annual Big Mountain Run. (Photo provided by Jennie Bender)
  

    The top three male finishers in the 42nd annual Big Mountain Run were Ryan Skotnicki, Brett Winegar and Drew Coco. (Photo provided by Jennie Bender)