Young guns, Caden Klein and George Back, both 15 years old, crushed the Power of Two with a winning time of 4:25:49.38. They were a full hour ahead of the next finishers. The Power of Two course follows the second and hardest half of the Power of Four: starting at Aspen Highlands Base Village, climbing Highlands Peak, descending Conga Trail, back up Midnight Mine Road for the final descent down Aspen Mountain. In a word: grueling.
We don’t report on many skimo races since often they don’t involve much backcountry skiing. Aspen’s Power of Four on the other hand continually impresses us. Race up and over four mountains: 24 miles, 11,000+ vertical feet and sanctioned by the United States Ski Mountaineering Assosciation (USSMA). Racers ski down rough backcountry terrain as well as travel across in-resort routes for spectators (thanks to Aspen Snowmass Skiing Company). All the finishers get a big gold star in our book. Race participants totaled 246, making this one of the largest ski mountaineering races in the U.S. Readers: do you know of any bigger?
Colorado locals did well. Despite 50-60 mile wind gusts on top Highlands Bowl and temps that went from cold to scorching, Max Taam and John Gaston (Team Strafe) shaved off 4 minutes of their previous course record to finish in 04:37:36.31. We are hoping that Bejing will change their minds and add Skimo to the 2022 Olympics. Quite a few Coloradans would surely make the team.
Photo gallery from race day:
While waiting for the finishers, we were serenaded by lovely alphorn melodies and the Colorado sun warming our bones. Life in paradise.
Top finishers, Max Taam and John Gaston, coming in hot.
Paul Hamillton and Cam Smith sailed into second place with time of 5:11:52.76.
Paul and his girlfriend, Anna Mae Flynn, spend the warmer months ultra running. This spring they’ll compete in Spain and France.
Local boys, Tyler Newton and Steve Denny, celebrating 8th place, time 5:56:28:00.
First place women, Lindsay Plant and Nikki Laroche, both Colorado moms, time: 6:09:59.45.
Doug Stenclik (right) is proof you can do it all. Business owner, hard worker, community advocate, and overall nice guy, he and partner Jamie Hosack (left) came in 13th with time of 6:37:06:28.
The Cripple Creekers ?
WildSnow Girl, Lisa Dawson, is the luckiest girl in the world. Also known as Mrs. WildSnow.com, she tests whatever gear she wants. She gives the WildSnow family of websites the feminine voice.
