Dominic Giampaolo (left) and Aaron Miller race up Mount. Washington during the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds event on Sunday. A record 181 fatbike riders competed. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Amanda Quinlan of Manchester was the fastest snowshoeing female on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. She conquered Mount Washington in1:05:27. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Erik Nelson of Intervale was the third-fastest fatbiker on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. He conquered Mount Washington in 50:33. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Alice Hotopp of Orono, Maine, who competed against Olympian Jessie Diggins in a 10K race at the 2012 U.S. Cross-Country Championships, won the Nordic division coming in a full 25 minutes ahead of any other competitor in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
ABOVE: Tristan Williams of Chocorua was the fastest skier on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. He conquered Mount Washington in 50:33. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Dominic Giampaolo (left) and Aaron Miller race up Mount. Washington during the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds event on Sunday. A record 181 fatbike riders competed. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Amanda Quinlan of Manchester was the fastest snowshoeing female on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. She conquered Mount Washington in1:05:27. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Erik Nelson of Intervale was the third-fastest fatbiker on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. He conquered Mount Washington in 50:33. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
Alice Hotopp of Orono, Maine, who competed against Olympian Jessie Diggins in a 10K race at the 2012 U.S. Cross-Country Championships, won the Nordic division coming in a full 25 minutes ahead of any other competitor in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
ABOVE: Tristan Williams of Chocorua was the fastest skier on Sunday in the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds race. He conquered Mount Washington in 50:33. (JOE VIGER PHOTO)
PINKHAM NOTCH — A record number of racers battled blustery winds and blowing snow on Mount Washington at the annual Ski, Shoe and Fatbike to the Clouds event on Sunday, Feb. 27.
A sold-out roster of 300 participants registered for the event: 26 Nordic skiers, 93 snowshoers and a staggering 181 in the fatbike category.
Conditions of the trails and Auto Road were nearly perfect for the race, thanks to the goods from a timely snowstorm on Friday, Feb 25. Great Glen Trails grooming staff worked hard to pack the snow to create a solid packed powder base for all participants.
This event has truly become one of New Hampshire’s most iconic winter sporting events. First held in 1997 as Ski to the Clouds, the race became regarded as “North America’s Toughest 10K” as the final 6 kilometers on the Mt. Washington Auto Road gain 2,200 vertical feet.
Race organizers at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center added snowshoe and fatbike categories in the past decade, which rejuvenated the race and demonstrated the burgeoning popularity of fatbiking and snowshoe running.
Fatbikers in particular are thrilled at the challenge, but not only for the climb — there’s no other day in the calendar year that bikers are allowed to ride down the Mt. Washington Auto Road. One rider remarked, “that’s the reward for the incredible work it takes to get up!”
The fastest time was recorded by fatbiker Brett Danderson of State 9 Racing from Lee, who covered the course in a blazing time of 47 minutes and 39 seconds.
Tristan Williams had the second fastest time of 50 minutes and 33 seconds and placed first in the Nordic skiing category. Tristan participates in many other events at Great Glen including the weekly running series and Nordic Meister series.
The fastest snowshoe time was 56 minutes and 36 seconds put up by Jacob Wormald, a Gate City Strider from Nashua who bested his first place finish time from last year’s race by over six minutes.
Other local racers included Theo Castonguay, who had the lead in the Nordic skiing division after the first 4 kilometers on the Great Glen trail system, and came in a close second behind Williams; Eric Nelson, fatbiker from Intervale; Colin Pogue, Ford Sayer, Nordic skiers from Bartlett; and Madeline Ryan, snowshoe racer from Glen.
After racers tackled the infamously steep course, they were able to retrieve a warm clothes bag transported to the finish line by the Mt. Washington SnowCoaches.
After skiing, snowshoeing or fatbiking down the Auto Road, participants were welcomed by warm soup or macaroni and cheese provided by The Butcher’s Daughter food truck. The Butcher’s Daughter owners also operate a store in Gorham.
Whether on skis, snowshoes or fatbikes, this year’s race lived up to its reputation, testing the athletes as only Mount Washington can. The winners of each division were:
Women’s Nordic: Alice Hotopp (Orono, Maine), 1:09:56
Men’s Nordic: Tristan Williams (Chocorua), 50:33
Women’s Fatbike: Angie Defilippi (Colchester, Vt.), 1:13:02
Men’s Fatbike: Brett Danderson (Lee), 47:39
Women’s Snowshoe: Amanda Quinlan (Manchester), 1:05:27
Men’s Snowshoe: Jacob Wormald (Goffstown), 56:36
Results are posted on the Bart Timing website.
Racers can browse and purchase official event photos on Joe Viger’s website.
A big “thank you” went out to all the event volunteers who also had to brave the wind and cold during parking, bib pick-up, and at the finish line.
Sponsored included the Glen House Hotel, Dion Snowshoes, Moat Mountain Brewing Co., Swix, Salomon, Friends of Tuckerman Ravine and the Mount Washington Observatory.
More race details and information on the Great Glen Trails website: greatglentrails.com/ski-shoe-fatbike.
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