Home > Trip Reports > February 8, 2014, Patrol Race Snoqualmie to Meany

February 8, 2014, Patrol Race Snoqualmie to Meany

2/8/14
WA Snoqualmie Pass
10226
15
Posted by silaswild on 2/9/14 5:59am
Cold crisp breezy blue sky weather and six inches of light powder well bonded to a firm base prevailed for the start of the first edition of the Patrol Race since 1941.   Nine three man teams, one three woman team, and one two man team started at ten minute intervals from Summit West between 6 and 8AM.  After noon clouds and light snow arrived.  Seven of the three man teams finished plus one woman and the two man team.  Meany Lodge welcomed them with cheers, awards, hearty dinner, and a warm night's sleep after race temperatures and winds in the teens.

Thanks to Pro Ski and Guiding for two course sweepers, Cascade Backcountry Ski Patrol for two sweepers, four snowmobile volunteers, four checkpoint greeters, and most of all to Nigel Steere for reviving the race with inspiration from his grandparents, original Meany Lodge members.  Hopefully this inaugural rerun of the Patrol Race went smoothly enough to encourage another one next year with even more participants.

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington
M/D  Hour   Tmp  Wind Wind 
          PST     F     Avg   Max 
                3010' 3760' 3760'
   2 8   800     12    15    20   
   2 8   700     11    14    17 
   2 8   600     11    15    23   

STAMPEDE PASS SNOTEL
County:  KITTITAS     State:  WA
Elevation:  3860 (feet)     Latitude:  47 16' 59"   Longitude:   121 19' 59"
  Temperature
   (degrees F)
02/08/2014 1600 14.9
02/08/2014 1500 15.6
02/08/2014 1400 16.2
02/08/2014 1300 16.7
02/08/2014 1200 16.3

Pics from Stampede Pass checkpoint:
real nice stuff silas! glad to see the pics.
b

Thanks for the report. Results?



Skiing across Mirror Lake in beautiful powder snow.


Many of the race participants (and most of the organizers) stayed overnight at Meany after the race. I'm hoping that Nigel will distribute the results when he gets back in town. I came home after the dinner and awards and I don't trust my memory of the finishing order and times.

Brandon and I raced as an unofficial team after our third member (Seth) was injured racing City League slalom on Friday night.

We had been lobbying Nigel to run the Patrol Race over the Modern Start, because we think it's more fun, but he chose to stick to the Historic Start this year. Since we were disqualified anyway, Brandon and I decided to do the Modern Start. We left Summit West at 7:33 a.m. and skinned through an inch of the lightest imaginable powder up the groomed slopes to Summit Central. The skiing must have been wonderful for the first lift skiers on Saturday.

Entering the Nordic trail system, we schussed down Silver Streak and Ripsaw to the low point of the Mount Catherine Loop road. Here we caught up with the first race team just emerging from the Historic Start. We headed out in front and skinned to Windy Pass on the groomed road, with just a bit of new snow. The new snow actually made things faster, due to better glide.

The trail from Windy Pass to Tinkham Pass had some new snow blown onto it, but the trail that Nigel and I set on Wednesday was still in place, and the trail breaking was minor. We reached Tinkham Pass at 2:15 from our start, a little slower than Brandon was hoping, but faster than I've ever gone before.

The route was in great condition from Mirror Lake to the Meadow Creek and Dandy Creek roads. At Baldy Pass we got confused trying to find the ski trail due to wind-blown snow and a maze of snowmobile tracks. We eventually reached Stampede Pass and were directed by Silas and the other volunteers onto the Crest Trail. (I've always stayed on the roads in this section, since no trailbreaking is required.) Eventually we reached the final power lines and descended to Meany, arriving at 1:12 p.m. (5 hours, 39 minutes from the start). Our time didn't count, and we're sure it can be improved with good conditions.

The Meany folks welcomed us with great food and hospitality. Lynn Hyde, Wolf Bauer's friend and biographer, was at the lodge and we all signed a note wishing Wolf the best on his upcoming 102nd birthday. Lynn said that Wolf was eager to hear whether his 78-year-old record of 4 hours, 37 minutes had been broken. It still stands!

It's hard to compare Wolf's record to today's times, because he started near Lodge Lake and we were starting at Snoqualmie Pass (at least 1.6 miles and 500 feet of climbing farther). A time of 5 hours from the Summit seems like the gold standard to shoot for.

author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=30687.msg128393#msg128393 date=1391998918]Brandon and I raced as an unofficial team after our third member (Seth) was injured racing City League slalom on Friday night.


Bummer. I was wondering about the "twoguys" caption in Silas' picture. Great work on the part of all the participants, though.

Bummer to hear that Seth was hurt Fri night. I was working that night and we were quite busy w/ city league injuries but I didn't see Seth. Heal up quick Seth!

Lowell, Brandon and Seth would certainly be a tough team to beat!

Great shot of Brandon crossing Mirror Lake Lowell.

JK

Results:
Cody Lourie   7:09
Jed Yeiser   
Luke Shy   
     
Jason Hummel   7:29
Kyle Miller   
Oliver Lazenby   
     
Doug   Bardsley   8:11
Brian   Finerow   
Roy Peterson   
     
Colin   Johnson   9:15
Adam Frey   
Steve Moenaert   
     
Bruce Jahnke   9:18
Patrick Stanton   
name? name?   
     
Jason Kuo   9:56
Rob Stephenson   
Gavin Woody   
     
Andy Dappen   9:57
Tom Janisch   
Jamie Tackman   
     
Anne   Brink  (10:57 for Anne, other two DNF)
Jamshid Khajavi   
Eileen Jackson   
     
Kaleva Liikane   DNF
Grady Steere   
Steve Cooke   
     
Jay Brazier   DNF
Scott Henderson   
Ryan Megenity   
     
Lowell Skoog   DNS (5:39)
Brandon Kern

Awesome event.  Jamie told me how great the lodge is.  Sounds like a good place to take my family.  I hope this race is held again next year.  I missed it this year, but I'd love to be part of it.

So cool that Wolf is still alive and interested to hear the results, and to think about he did the race himself at about the age many of us are now, on equipment he would have considered modern at the  time, like the equipment we consider modern now.

Very cool. Thanks for the report. I'm in for next year!

Thanks for the awesome trip report - I shared it on the Mountaineers Facebook Page.

I am also in for next year! #teamtutu

Thanks for posting the results Silas.

I just want to make a correction to our team which consisted of myself, Jed Yeiser and Luke Shy who was a last minuet substitute for Nick Middleton. Thanks for stepping up Luke!

Great race everyone,

Cody

Amazing work racers!

We had a fantastic time, and a huge thanks to everyone that helped make the race a success.  The lodge was wonderful place, and I highly recommend  a stay if you have not had the pleasure,  a snippet of the kinship of skiing. 

author=Garth_Ferber link=topic=30687.msg128430#msg128430 date=1392054086]
So cool that Wolf is still alive and interested to hear the results, and to think about he did the race himself at about the age many of us are now, on equipment he would have considered modern at the  time, like the equipment we consider modern now.


Our birthday wishes to Wolf Bauer prompted me to dig into my audio files and pull out the recording I made of his talk in 2006. I edited the recording to include just the Patrol Race portion and I added it to my web story of the race. You can find it on the following page (look for the audio control below Wolf's portrait, in the Epilogue):

http://alpenglow.org/skiing/patrol-race-2004/index.html

If you've never heard Wolf Bauer speak before, I think you will enjoy this genuine voice from Northwest skiing's past.

The Easterners may be slow, but they sure had fun!  http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/post/The-Patrol-Race-Revisited
Oh by the way, that "attractive blonde" is Nigel's wife Sarah.  :)

Funnest moments of the day for me at Checkpoint 2, sharing conversation with "my people," the old geezers, male and female.  Congratulations, well done.

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2014-02-09 13:59:02