SkinTrack

Stano Faban

Ian Gale interview: Organizing the best skimo race in Canada, and Tips for other organizers

By 3 Comments

Ian Gale is the man behind the best run ski mountaineering race in Canada. And this year, his race got the recognition by being awarded the North American Continental Skimo Championships.
By winter, Ian is a senior ski patroller at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (near Golden, BC), and a forestry firefighter by summer. And now also a dad.
» Make sure to visit Ian’s blog for more info on the big race
Q: Ian, you are a skimo racer yourself, in fact with 2 bronze medals from the Canadian Champs and one World Champs appearance under your belt. Do you think it is important that an organizer and course designer have racing experience?

Ian Gale skimo racing.
Ian racing his own course.
It’s obviously not necessary but I think it’s a huge asset, really I just tried to help design a course that I would find fun if I was racing.
Whenever I go to another event I’m always paying attention to what works well and what doesn’t, because of that we’re always tweaking our event a little every year.
Q: When did you start racing? And what made you start/think of organizing yourself?
My first race was the Mountain Storm race in Fernie in 2008. I drove down with Reiner Thoni and our buddy Ken, and had a blast.
The idea for the Dogtooth Dash was born shortly after that. It was actually Ken’s idea and we just started brainstorming on a skin track one day touring.
Q: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is incredibly supportive of the skimo race you put on each year. In fact, they are an integral part of the whole thing. What is your job, and what other people do to make it all happen?
I think our greatest asset as event organizers is the “buy in” from the resort.
The Horse is known for its access to the backcountry and when I pitched the race to the events guy at the time, Jordan Petrovic, he was psyched on the concept.
I work as the “technical director”, basically everything to do with the course and the nuts and bolts of the race itself. Max Cretin is the Events Coordinator and he handles all things events related e.g. registration, sponsorship, the bigger picture stuff…
The Mountain Safety department puts in a huge amount of labour as well, mostly behind the scenes and without enough kudos, and we’re blessed with an awesome troop of volunteers, who come out and help with trail breaking, timing and course marshaling.
Q: The resort lets you use their best and most challenging terrain right in the middle of the day. How did you manage to get that?
Working as a patroller at the resort made it a bit easier to win over the managers and operation supervisors, convincing them this uphill touring stuff was safe to do with thousands of downhill skiers flying by.
The Events department has been really forward thinking with running the race in the middle of the day, smack dab front and center at the Gondola top.
Why put a bunch of energy into an event and then tuck it away in a lower corner of the mountain and start at an ungodly hour? Nobody will see it!
It was a no brainer for us that we wanted to grow the event into something big and showcase the sport, that’s the goal for every event that the hill runs, why would skimo be different?
Q: Your race is very unique as it starts at the very top of the mountain with a crazy running dash around the Eagle’s Eye restaurant. How did you get the idea to start there and not at the bottom like any other race?
The idea came from the Dachstein Xtreme Skimo race in Austria. I was nerding on the web and I came across a YouTube video of a crazy looking downhill start with hundreds of racers flying down a narrow run. It looked chaotic & awesome. It added the kind of unique animation we wanted for the Dash, so we made it happen.

Q: The Dogtooth Dash has lots of technical ascents and descents. Skin tracks are shoveled into the slope when it’s too steep. How long does it take to prepare all uphills?
It takes a crew of 10 a solid 10 hours at least. It’s a massive undertaking and I’m indebted to the friends, coworkers and racers who grab a shovel and pitch in.
Then 100% of the course is run again in the morning to make sure the trail is still broken and the race is as fair for the first person as the 10th.
Q: How many ascents and descents the race has? What is the total vertical?
6 ascents for the Elite course & the Enduro has 4. 6000 and 4000 feet respectively.
Q: How many bootpacks there are?
Lots 🙂 … 3 different sections with a lot of vert in each. Each bootpack gets you to the top of a peak and that’s what ski mountaineering is all about.
Q: Descents are true ski mountaineering. Is that terrain controlled by your ski patrol crew? Is it in-bounds or out?
The course is all in-bounds and controlled for avalanches.
We’ve been lucky with the weather for the last 4 years and haven’t had to change the course at all, but it’s been close for sure… again, I think kudos should go out to our patrol team who keep our terrain safe and open!

Q: For past two years the whole event took place over two days – the individual race for the Canadian Champion title on Saturday, then a more relaxed sprint-style relays on Sunday. Is it going to be the same format this year?
Definitely, we love the teams race on the second day. The vibe is awesome and laid back, and it’s a great way to introduce people to the sport, it’s a less intimidating race format and is perfect for spectating.
Q: From a racer perspective, what do you see as the biggest mistakes organizers make when designing and marking their race courses?
From a design standpoint I think the course should be interesting… It should feel like ski mountaineering, I don’t want to pay money to walk up a groomer at a ski resort.
The races should be viewed as events as well, they should be front and center at the resort not tucked away in no man’s land. A ski mountaineering event is fun for the resort guests to watch and adds to their day of skiing, it’s interesting!
And don’t even get me started on course marking… that’s my biggest pet peeve. The ISMF lays out ground rules and best practices on how to mark a course, a racer should never be unsure of where to go, it’s not an orienteering race:

  • Descents: RED flags, 15-30 m apart, closer on corners. (red is easy to see)
  • Ascents: GREEN flags, 5-15 m apart, PLACED WHILE SKINNING UP!

It’s very easy to poorly mark an ascent while skiing down, plus up-tracks are usually too steep when done that way.
Q: What is the usual yearly snowfall at KHMR? What is the snow like?
KHMR is in the Dogtooth Range of the Purcell Mountains. We usually have a 2 meter snowpack give or take, with the accumulated snow fall of 750cm.
Q: What are some mountain stats for KHMR? How steep/mellow the runs are?

Eagle's Eye restaurant at the top of KHMR.
Vertical drop: 1,260 metres (4,133 feet)
RUN TYPES:

  • 120+ Runs
  • Beginner – 20%
  • Intermediate – 20%
  • Advanced – 45%
  • Expert – 15%

SKIABLE ACREAGE:
2,800+ acres
Q: KHMR really keeps the costs down for people that enter the skimo race. What is the entry fee and what does it include?
$65.00 gets you entry into the Dogtooth Dash and also includes lift tickets for two days!
We also have accommodation packages available if racers are keen to stay on the resort.
I think it’s a great excuse to take a week and ski the Horse for a couple of days. I mean common, 2 lift tickets are included in race entry…, then take a few days and ski powder at Rogers Pass.
At the end of the interview Ian asked me to add this paragraph:
“Stano, thanks for the opportunity to talk about the Dogtooth Dash. I appreciate all you’ve done for skimo racing in Canada both through your dedication to years of racing, race organisation and operation of Skintrack.com. It’s time to resurrect the Mountain Storm Ski Mountianeering race again!”
Thank you for such kind words Ian, and yeah, it’s probably time to bring Mountain Storm back. 😉

Report: Whitefish Whiteout skimo race on Jan 19, 2013

By 2 Comments

Last Saturday, the up-hill traffic friendly ski resort above Whitefish, MT hosted its 6th annual ski mountaineering race. The last couple of editions were also USSMA sanctioned.
The weather was great and the turnout even greater: 71 racers set the participation record for this event!

Stano Faban with Ben Parsons at Whitefish 2013 skimo race
Skimo racing is simply a friendly sport! Photo by Larry Parsons.

Race course and weather

For about 3rd or 4th year now the course is the same:

  • 4 ascents
  • 3 descents
  • total of 4800 feet of climbing  (my watch measured 1430m which is 4690 feet)
  • finish at the very top

The first climb is about 600m up fairly steep groomers with the remaining three ascents being quite technical, including a 50m bootpack on the third one.
The descents are true skiing with lots of steeps and technical sections, with occasional very tight trees in the mix.
Weather was race perfect: clear skies, around -5 C (23 F), and soft snow.

How it all went down

On the start line, it was obvious that the home town favourite, Ben Parsons, was set to face some stiff competition from a well represented Canadian team. But no one was sure how stiff given Ben’s athletic caliber; after all, he owns couple of wins at this venue.
The 600m vertical “dash” to the top of the first hill is always interesting as $50 are at stake. Brad Schalles snatched that prize with Ben Parsons and Peter Knight following him about 30-40sec behind. I came up there at 4th with another minute back.
In the women’s race the first climb and $50 were won by Marg Fedyna, followed by Jenny Pierce and Katie French.
From there on, the order really shuffled in both men’s and women’s racing categories.
In the first descent, I was able to close the gap to Ben and Peter slightly, with Brad already skinning when I got to the bottom transition.
As we were climbing up the technical 2nd ascent Brad was slipping slowly back as he broke his ski pole basket. Ben took over the lead as I quickly closed the gap to Peter. By the top of the climb I was able to bridged up to Ben. From there on, everything became a bit of a blur.
Ben led me down the 2nd descent in a speedy fashion, further putting time into our chasers. I got out of the transition first and led us up the technical 3rd climb that also featured a bootpack. By this time, we were eyeing each other trying to figure out how to win. By the top of this climb Brad was able to bridge to Peter with a spare pole from a 2011 US skimo champ Brandon French.
With me feeling good I came up with a tactic that didn’t pay off at the end. I let Ben take the lead on the last descent with my hypoxia blurred brain convincing me I could take him down on the final 4th climb. Once out of the technical section Ben opened up a sprint that I could not match.
Third and fourth place went to Brad and Peter respectively, with fifth going to a strong Bozemanite, John Curry.

Results

» Whitefish Whiteout 2013 ski mountaineering race results (PDF)
Top 5 men, AT racing, long course:

  1. Ben Parsons – 1:26.57
  2. Stano Faban – 1:27.10
  3. Brad Schalles – 1:30.27
  4. Peter Knight – 1:31.00
  5. John Curry – 1:34.59

Top 5 women, AT racing, long course:

  1. Niki Kimball – 2:00.46
  2. Katie French – 2:02.15
  3. Martha Burley – 2:06.20
  4. Michelle Roberts – 2:15.18
  5. Jenny Pierce – 2:19.47

10 Quick Tips to Improve Your Skimo Racing

By 1 Comment

Uphill tips:

  1. Relax your shoulders, neck and face… or as much muscles as you can. Save your energy.
  2. Experiment with variety of strides on variety of angles.
  3. Good kick-turns technique allows for short moments of recovery. They add up.
  4. Have spare skins always handy, not in your backpack, at least one.
  5. If you estimate a race will take you more than 2h do not skip on fueling. Unless you feel like God that day.

Downhill tips:

  1. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just fast.
  2. Longer traverses between turns allow for more rest.
  3. Don’t just blindly follow racers in front of you. They might be skiing off course… and you with them.
  4. If you think you skied off the course immediately start traversing the slope in both directions and look for flags below as well as above.
  5. There is no shame in using a snow plow to get things done occasionally. After all, it is ski mountaineer’s best friend.

Bonus tip:

Some lessons need to be gained through personal experience; otherwise, they are highly underestimated 😉

Report: Castle Mountain Skimo Race on Jan 12, 2013

By 2 Comments

Last weekend, Castle Mountain became a new fantastic venue for one of Canadian Ski Mountaineering Cup races. The resort and its cozy village is nested in the Southwest corner of Alberta, at the end of a mountain road, off the beaten path.
The race was announced quite late yet many people responded with enthusiasm and showed up ready to go hard.

Race course and How it all went down

The women’s category race highlights are written in italics.
The gun went off at very friendly 10am and even the reported -14C or so didn’t feel too bad.
The race course pretty much followed the below planned routes to the letter with only few slight changes. My watch measured the long course at 1530m. The shorter rec version must have been maybe only 250-300m less.

Castle Mountain ski mountaineering race
Green line shows the competitive/elite course. Pink the recreational one. Both go counter clockwise.
Right off the start Peter Knight, this year’s addition to Canadian Skimo Team, proceeded to lead the race pack on fast skinning gentle groomers. The first 10min of the course were designed to give everyone space to jokey for positions before we headed onto a single skin track in the woods.
Just before the exit off the groomers I went hard to pass Peter for the lead. Behind, racers were quickly realizing what needs to be done before too much time is lost.
At this point, I believe the girls were pretty much together while the men started to spread out.
Next 20min were spent skinning up some 50 switchbacks through trees, alder, and bushes. But organizers did a very fine job of brushing this part for us.
After gaining a shoulder the trees opened up and some stunning views were all around us.
Rocky, fun, and long ridge-top bootpack brought us to the first real top transition. Here, Peter was able to caught up to me as I had to navigate my way up the ridge as all flags and tracks were blown off over night. I decided to set the bootpack up a more sketchy/steeper side of the ridge as that’s were there was less snow to break through.
The first descent (down Lone Star) was a true showcase piece of Castle’s terrain. A consistent 30-35 degree powder run plunging about 2000 feet to the valley bottom. For a second I thought I am in Rogers Pass but then a broken boot buckle reminded me I need to pay attention.
At this part of the race the top 4-5 girls were pretty much still together, however, Sheri Foster started to pull away a bit by showing off some great telemarking skills.
I had about 30 second lead on Peter out of the bottom transition which he amazingly closed in next 6-7min that climbed up a ski run to the top of Huckleberry chair. We spent the next 10min skinning together. Then I finally started to pull away again and quickly gained some good time as Peter paid for his earlier efforts.
From what I was told, this is were it started to be a full on fight between the girls. Sheri Foster pulled away for good. Michelle Roberts and Marg Fedyna were eyeing each other while a young 18 years old Katarina Kuba was trying to stay in contact. Christine Misseghers wasn’t far behind either.
The “nerve wracking” part came about 15min before what I thought would be the end of this final climb – I caught up to the volunteer who was breaking a skin track through powder to his check-point position. I went on to help out as he navigated me from behind. I couldn’t ski down without him showing me the route anyways. On the bright side, as Peter was closing on me again I had couple of moments to enjoy the views and rest my legs before the last amazing descent down cat skiing terrain!
Then onto a long traversing groomer to the finish at the base.
See you all next year!

Results

Long course (1530m vertical):
Castle Moutain ski mountaineering race 2013 results long
Short course (about 1200m vertical):
Castle Moutain ski mountaineering race 2013 results short
 

Report and suggestions on racing at altitude and more: 2013 US Skimo Nationals at Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee Skimo Classic

By 4 Comments

After posting an article with Eric Carter on minimizing effects of altitude on skimo racing performance 2 weeks before it was time to test some of its preaching first hand.

What we did to “fight” the altitude

Due to time constraints our small group of Canadians (and an adopted Seattleite) headed to Jackson only two days before the biggest US race. (Eric recommends at least 4-6 days before a competition.)
16 hours in the car in a single push isn’t ideal either, however, at least it’s easy to stay well hydrated and fed since there is nothing else to do.
The key points of minimizing the alti effect that all of us stuck to were:

  • come well rested
  • come healthy
  • stay hydrated and fed at all times
  • do a short and easy skimo session (1h) the day after arrival to stretch out shortened muscles

The 2013 US Ski Mountaineering Championships in Jackson Hole

On Jan 5th, 8am start time meant sub -20 Celsius temperatures and had everyone struggling to warm up.
In our group, we were trying to figure out the best strategy to deal with a course that was set between 2000 to 3200m, with majority of it above 2500.
All of us were more or less happy with their result at the end and none had much trouble breathing during the race. Only above 2800m the feeling we shared was: “everything felt normal yet I couldn’t spin the legs as usual.”
At the end, Brad Schalles and I had a fierce last minute battle for the top Canadian stop and we finished 2 seconds apart, 12th and 13th respectively. Eric Carter and Igor Bernas came couple of minutes later at 19th and 20th.
Brad and I covered this high altitude (by our standards), very technical, 2450m course in 2h 51m 42sec which even two years ago I would consider impossible as we live between 0 and 400m all year round.
One thing that stood out to me was how great I felt up the last climb after descending back to 2000m from the very top of the resort. Acclimatization during the race?
Overall, I was amazed at performances the top 7 guys produced – they all finished within 3min 20sec while beating the previous course record by couple of minutes! Last year champ, Luke Nelson, even concluded that this was a longer and more technical course than the year before.
Europeans watch out, the gap is closing!
To top all that, the winner of the day (in 2:30.09) was a young John Gaston that apparently has some Body Miller’s descending skills. For obvious reasons I never saw him ski but those that did were impressed. Jason Dorais and Luke Nelson rounded the podium and qualified for the 2013 US National Skimo Team.
The average climbing speed would be quite inaccurate to figure out for a race with so many transitions but see below for Targhee numbers!
» Full results for 2013 Skimo Champs at Jackson
» Photo galleries are here

The Grand Targhee Ski Mountaineering Classic

On Sunday, Jan 6th, pretty much the same spandex crew lined up on the other side of Grand Teton for 1580m of more racing. Since this was again a qualifying race for the National Team the poker faces were on.
John Gaston was able to repeat the double-win that Canada’s Reiner Thoni pulled off in 2011 and he won on Sunday too, in 1h 36min sharp. Again, that is very a fine time given the vertical gain, altitude, and the fact he raced full out the day before.
I would estimate John’s average climbing speed was close to around 1170m/h after subtracting 15min off his time for skiing and transitions.
Behind him the order changed only slightly compared to the previous day, with Thomas Goth and Marshall Thomson coming in about one and a half minutes behind.
Brad and I once again battled to the very end. And again he got the best of me, this time by 56 seconds. We finished 11th and 12th. Eric and Igor 15th and 17th.
» Full results are here (few times appear to be wrong)

Women’s races

Not much to report here as Janelle Smiley won both races pretty comfortably and is looking good before setting on her World Cup campaign. Second places were different each day but the bronze was claimed back-to-back by a local Meredith Edwards.

More blog reports

Other racers has shared the above race experiences from their perspective:
Andy Dorais reports: Jackson, Targhee (excellent write up from first row seats)
Scott Simmons: Jackson, Targhee
USSMA blog: Jackson and Targhee summary

Is too steep, too technical the way to grow skimo?

To my surprise, for the women’s elite categories/courses, only 6 lined up for the US Champs and only 5 the next day at Targhee!
I wonder whether the courses aren’t somewhat responsible for this as both races start with wicked steep 15-20min groomers, and in Jackson Hole pretty much all the climbs continue up steep, slippery moguls.
Such type of terrain requires either great skinning technique and/or lots of upper body strength. This is not to say our skimo girls aren’t strong but rather to point out that maybe (many) participants do not return in the future because even the recreation division race courses were as technical and steep as the elite ones, but shorter.
Personally, I think such courses are OK for the elite men, and elite women too if they are shorter. But they are likely a bit too much for someone that is just trying out skimo racing or is only a very recreational backcountry skier. I don’t believe those people signed up for a 3h battle up and down slippery moguls. Or no?
Also, if the rec courses are more “skinning friendly” maybe the North American skimo scene can finally enjoy some interest from teenagers. Or no?
😉

Nov 22 to Jan 2 – Few stats and how is ski touring in the Pass going

By 2 Comments

Happy New Year everyone!
Last spring I have decided that I would spend the 2012/13 winter skiing mostly the amazing Rogers Pass.
I desired that before but this time I finally made the move to Revelstoke which has become The backcountry ski town in the past couple of years. People usually talk about Chamonix, and rightfully so, but Revelstoke could be best argued for by Greg Hill’s answer in an interview couple months ago.
Greg was asked whether he might be planning to move to Europe to be closer to action. He smiled and said:”No, because the action seems to be here!” I think he is right but of course it depends what is one looking for.

My favorite view of the past couple of weeks - Sir Donald from Eagle Pk shoulder.
I moved here because of people I already know, and of course the amazing ski terrain that surrounds this little town. Metres of powder aside, you need great people to enjoy and share things with.

From Nov 22 to Jan 2 – few stats

I usually have an earlier start to a ski season by about 2 weeks than this year. But since Nov 22 I skied more days than any time before in such a short period. Also, for the first time in my life I decide to keep track of all days on skis – vertical, location, what skis, and with whom. I am not keeping track of other activities such as gym or xc skiing.
A bit of a quantitative summary reveals that I had three 3000m days (just short of 10,000 feet) and some quite close. All in all, 25 days on skis and about 43,000m (140,000 feet).

Getting slightly tired before the last climb of the day.
Some days were on my touring setup and some on racing gear, beautiful scenery at all times.
I did few days of solo backcountry missions which is not super safe but on those I try to keep the exposure to manageable minimum. Other days, with friends, we get more adventurous. I got to ski off couple of summits and down some wicked lines. If work and racing wouldn’t be getting in the way more epic trips can happen 🙂
Here are some more photos of the beauties I saw in the mountains the last couple of weeks. Training through adventure.
Our line off Eagle Pk. To the left is Avalanche Mountain and to the right is Sir Donald.
Our line off Eagle Pk. To the left is Avalanche Mountain and to the right is Sir Donald.
8812 peak
8812 and Ursus Major from Video Pk.


Trans Canada Highway winding up to Rogers Pass.
If only the touch screens could work with gloves on 🙂

 
Stay inspired. Keep progressing.
 

Jan 12, 2013: New skimo race in Canada, at Castle Mountain

By 2 Comments

On January 12th, Castle Mountain Resort in the SW corner of Alberta will host its first ever ski mountaineering race. (Google map)

Courses and Categories

Proposed route for the competitive category totals 5100 feet of climbing (1550m) over about 14kms.
The rec category course is planned to climb only slightly more than 4000 feet (1200m) over about 10kms.
Both courses will pretty much navigate the resort’s boundary in counter clockwise direction.

Fixed rope section

Organizers did a fine job and included a fixed rope section for both categories. Therefore, at least a light ski mountaineering harness and a lanyard (sling and a carabiner) will be required in your race kit on top of the usual (helmet, beacon, shovel, probe, survival blanket…)
There will be a couple of these available to borrow from the race organizer but if you want your own then something like this should do:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Climbing/SlingsWebbing/PRD~5015-866/beal-dynaconnexion.jsp

Castle Mountain ski mountaineering race
Green line shows the competitive/elite course. Pink the recreational one. Both go counter clockwise.

More details and Registration

More will be known soon but start time should be at 10am on Saturday, January 12, 2013 with possible late registration at 8am at Castle Mountain.
Online registration will be ready in the first week of January via the Alpine Club of Canada:
http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/skimo/index

Accommodation

Accommodations are available on hill and in surrounding communities. You can call 403.627.5121 or email  info@castlerental.ca for more info.

How to minimize effects of altitude on skimo racing performance – Tips for acclimatization for competition at altitude

By 3 Comments

When we sling on our pack for a ski traverse or strap down our boots for a ski mountaineering race we rarely think about the effect altitude will have on our body and our performance.
Altitude is a concern for Himalayan expeditions not for running around our home peaks, right?
Wrong! The International Olympic Committee (IOC) designates “Moderate Altitude” as between 1700 and 2900 metres above sea level.
Whether you are doing a multi-day traverse expedition or a two-hour skimo race, the altitude will affect you. The effect varies and can be minimized with proper education and preparation.

Usual skimo race elevations

Skimo races in the US and Canadian Rockies are routinely held between 1700 and 3000 metres (5500-10,000 feet) with some reaching as high as 3500m (11,500ft).
Specifically, the course of the American Skimo Championships in Jackson Hole, WY is between 2000 and 3200 metres (6500-10,500 feet). And Colorado races have their start lines already above 2700m (8900ft)!
For the Canadian Skimo Champs in Golden, BC the course travels between 1800 and 2600 metres (5900-8500 feet).

Jackson Hole ski mountaineering race 2012
Even though the sign at the back says “slow” the start at the US National Skimo Championships each year is especially vicious. Combine this with Jackson’s Hole course profile, between 6,311 and 10,450 feet (1924 – 3185m), and your body is going to overdrive if you are not used to the elevation.
» Photo credit goes to Mark Gocke and here you can see his full 2012 Jackson race photo gallery.

How does altitude affect our bodies?

With exposure to moderate altitude, our breathing rate increases, partially making up for lower oxygen availability.
Short-term exposure (hours to days) also causes loss of body water and sodium through increased urination. Decreases in body water lead to decreases in plasma volume (the fluid component of blood), which can potentially impair performance.
The altitude also affects your heart and lungs; impaired oxygen delivery to the muscles results in a 7% decrease in aerobic capacity (VO2max) for every 1000 metres above sea level (a relationship that is nearly linear; even at low altitude, we see a decrease).
Aerobic capacity is closely related to endurance performance. This decrement improves with a long-term stay at altitude but never completely recovers to sea-level values. One study at 2300 metres showed an initial 13% decrease in VO2max improving to only a 6% decrease after 14 days.
At altitude, our muscles also communicate fatigue differently. An athlete will self-select a slower speed than they would at sea level. It is possible that this is related to an increase in lactic acid production.
Lactic acid is produced as a byproduct in our working muscles and its accumulation during exercise is generally accepted as a factor leading to fatigue. Higher levels of lactic acid could mean earlier onset of fatigue compared to sea level.
During the night, waking up more than usual might easily be attributed to (or overshadowed by) pre-competition jitters, but research shows that sleep can be affected even by moderate altitude.
The first few nights at altitude might be marked by poor sleep. At higher altitude, this becomes more pronounced where breathing slows gradually until it stops altogether (called Cheyne-Stokes breathing). After a moment, you wake with a start, gasping as if you just crested the top of a steep bootpack.

How to minimize the “altitude effect”?

We can mitigate the effects of altitude prior to competition or a trip by using a few simple strategies:
It is advisable to allow for a 4-6 day acclimatization gap between travelling and competition. This allows your body to recover from some of the acute changes at altitude while hopefully not interrupting necessary pre-competition training too much.
Travel to altitude well rested, therefore, giving your body a chance to adapt as much as possible.
Training in the first few days at altitude should be restricted to low-intensity and minimal volume. This allows your body to recover from the combined stress of training and altitude.
A proper hydration strategy is important to combat water loss while maintaining a proper fluid and electrolyte balance.
The final component of competition at altitude for an athlete to be aware of is illness. Three main altitude illnesses are:

  • acute mountain sickness (AMS),
  • high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE),
  • high altitude cerebral edema (HACE).

At moderate altitude, it is unlikely anyone will experience HAPE or HACE – life-threatening accumulation of fluid in the lungs or brain.
It is possible that AMS could develop, especially after a quick ascent to the venue. Symptoms to watch out for include: headache, nausea, fatigue or weakness, lightheadedness or dizziness, and poor sleep.
While some of these symptoms may be difficult to differentiate from travel/jetlag or from hard training, grouped together, they may signal the onset of AMS and descent to a lower altitude should be considered.
Touring, training, and competition at moderate altitude are unavoidable for even a novice ski mountaineer. All those who participate in these activities should be aware of the acute affects of altitude and should take the necessary precautions to avoid altitude illness.

Summary – key points:

  • Many competitions take place at moderate altitude (1700-3000m or 5500-10,000ft)
  • Moderate altitude impairs performance through a variety of mechanisms
  • Mitigate the effect of altitude by:
    • travelling to competition venues 4-6 days early
    • ensuring adequate fluid and electrolyte levels
    • being well rested
  • Watch for signs of altitude illness

Canadian Skimo Racing Calendar for 2012-13 season

By Leave a Comment

This is a schedule of Canadian ski mountaineering races for this season.

Great news is that the calendar will see a completely new event at a new location – skimo race at Castle Mountain, Alberta on January 12th.
Dec 1, 2012:
Name: Vert 180
Location: COP, Calgary, AB (Google map)
Jan 12, 2013:
Name: TBD
Location: Castle Mountain, AB (Google map)

Feb 23, 2013:
Name: ROAM Randonnee Rally as part of Cold Smoke Powder Fest
Location: Whitewater Ski Resort, Nelson, BC (Google map)

Mar 16-17, 2013:
Name: Dogtooth Dash
Location: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden, BC (Google map)

Mar 23, 2013:
Name: Ken Jones Classic
Location: Lake Louise Ski Area, AB (Google map)

The ultimate race for fresh powder tracks: Time is (not) on our side

By 1 Comment

What if there is a place on Earth where the powder paradise lays exactly in the middle between two very powder-hungry communities? And what if one of those is cheating?

Whether we admit it or not, lots of times there is a race for fresh tracks between different groups when touring.  There is usually a race even within those groups!
Each location, each bowl, each secret stash witnesses such battles many times a season. This is a fact.
The game must be fair for all. Even Best Buy’s black Friday sale junkies have the same chance.
The powder paradise is the Canadian Rogers Pass and the two gangs fighting for it daily are from towns of Golden and Revelstoke.
Golden and Revelstoke are about 45min drive from the Pass each, however, Golden runs on Mountain Time and Revy on Pacific. Whoever put the time zone boundary between these two must have never shred any pow. Otherwise, he would have realized it can cause accidents on the Trans Canada Highway and bruised egos in the backcountry. Must have been a committee of amusement park designers.
On the other hand, maybe that’s why Golden was named golden, cause it has a first-tracks advantage.

Petition

If you care, you are welcome to sign a petition to switch Revelstoke to Mountain Time, or better to switch Golden to Pacific since it lays in BC anyways (border with Alberta is a bit east of Golden).
You can sign via comments below.

View Larger Map