Here's an article about the 2010 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic race in the Fairbanks newspaper.
Rookie Racer from Fairbanks . . .
Also, take a look at this video by Luc Mehl about his Classic experience in this year's race.
Biking the Classic
Showing posts with label 2009 Route. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Route. Show all posts
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
2010 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic Race Report
I'm posting the official 2010 race report below. It sounds like this year was a doozy. Really nasty hypothermia inducing weather forced the majority of the entrants to drop out. Eighteen people started the race and six people finished.
If you survived the race, congratulations on finishing or on making a wise choice to drop out. If you didn't do the race this year, you should probably be glad you didn't. Happy reading.
The problems began early for this year’s trouble-plagued Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic. This year’s race, the 29th annual event, ran from the Gerstle river crossing of Highway 2 to McKinley Village, which is something like 120 miles away across the Alaska Range as the crow flies, and up to 180 miles depending on the route chosen. Even before the starting cry of “OK, let’s go!” on Sunday morning June 20th, problems began for race coordinator and racer Michael Martin when his partner (and son) awoke with fever and nausea, forcing a scratch only hours before the race. This left Martin scrambling to re-pack for a solo approach.
19 racers registered for this year’s event, including a higher than usual percentage of racers from outside. Racers came from Washington, Colorado, Utah and Florida. With one scratch at the start, 18 set out Sunday morning to navigate over or around the Granite Mountains between Highway 2 and the Donnelly Creek campground checkpoint on Highway 4. From there they would choose between any number of routes to reach McKinley Village.
As usual in the Classic, racers showed real creativity in routes and methods of travel chosen. The rules state that all travel must be self-contained and self-propelled. Racers are not allowed to add or leave anything once the race has begun. No help from non-racers. Luc Mehl and Eric Parsons had perhaps the most unusual approach, showing up with custom “tundra bikes” outfitted with a series of frame and other bags designed by pro-designer Eric (Revelate Designs®) which held their pack rafts, skis and other gear. They planned to ride the ATV trails around the Granite mountains, then ski (towing their gear and bikes in their inflated pack rafts), boat, ride and hike to the finish.
“Chunk” Bernard and partner Tyler Johnson planned a southerly route following the checkpoint at the Donnelley campground. They would walk south to Black Rapids, cross the Delta, ski up the Black Rapids glacier and follow a glacier route to the Nenana. They would then packraft the Nenana to the finish.
Most others chose to race along the north side of the range, crossing the Trident, Hayes and Gillam glaciers in various combinations and at various points. Most would float or walk the Wood river and float the Yannert, getting off before the Yannert enters a gorge near Denali Park, and walking into the finish near McKinley Village.
A team composed of 2009 Classic winners, Bobby Schnell and Chris Robertson was joined by Todd Kasteler. They planned to jog the first section to the checkpoint, and were accompanied by newcomer Danny Powers and the team of Chunk Bernard and Tyler Johnson, reaching the checkpoint in just over 13 hours. But the weather was not going to cooperate this year, and by the time even the fastest racers had reached the Donnelley checkpoint, most racers were hypothermic from sleet and rain, and many had been significantly slowed by fog and extremely wet conditions making travel across even good tundra “mushy”.
The “G Force” team of Jeff and Greg Gedney, joined by Floridian Jason Speigel found themselves overwhelmed by freezing rain and fog in the Granite mountains, not finding the Richardson Highway (and Donnelly checkpoint) for 36 hours. Speigel had a badly hurt knee by that time, and that combined with hypothermia caused the team to scratch at the checkpoint. Peter Calvin and partner Susannah Pratt originally made the checkpoint in good shape and crossed the Delta only to find that the weather was even further deteriorating in the high ground between the Delta and the Trident glacier, and returned to the Donnelley checkpoint where they left the race. In fact, by Monday evening 10 of the 18 starters had abandoned the race at or near the Donnelly Campground because of hypothermia, weather and/or injury. This included rookie Travis Carbough, who had made good time over the Granite mountains, but succumbed to the same weather challenges as many others.
Chunk Bernard and Tyler Johnson, having made it as far as Black Rapids on Monday, spent several hours evaluating the weather and making tough decisions about going on over the long glaciated route. They report that the peaks and glacier were completely socked in, and with regret, they also decided to drop out.
From the point of view of race director Martin, the language expressed in the AMWC application “Responsible racers will make timely decisions about whether to drop out or attempt to finish when difficulties present themselves….there is always another race.” is key at times like this. The Classic is perhaps the toughest cross-country race around, but it is meant to provide a challenge, not irreversible consequences. And in the 29 years of the race there has never been such a problem, largely due to the intelligent decisions of the participants at times like this.
The team of Rob Kehrer and Matt Reardon and solo racers John Lapkass and Michael Martin all eventually found their way to the Donnelley campground at various times on Monday, and began to consider whether to drop out or go on.
Each made a decision to spend the night at the checkpoint, assay the weather in the morning, and decide whether to continue. Because the weather seemed to be improving, all continued, crossing the Delta in the morning and heading for the high ground to cross the Trident. By this time, Martin’s original partner, Michael Peñuelas, was feeling better, and joined him for the second section.
In the meantime, the weather, although seemingly locally improving, continued to deteriorate, with thunderstorms, hail and sleet dogging the racers all along the route. The group of Bobby Schnell, Chris Robertson, Todd Kastener and Danny Powers, leading the remaining racers by a huge margin, themselves ended up hypothermic and needing an 11 hour layover in the mid-section of the second part of the course to warm up and regroup. Nevertheless, their finish time of 4 days and 48 minutes indicates that had the weather cooperated, they would have handily beat the record of 3 days, 17 hours and 54 minutes.
Martin and (at that point non-competitor) partner Peñuelas had the astonishing luck to film a wolverine crossing the center of the Trident moraine. They later scratched from a tiny airstrip on the Little Delta, realizing they would not make another exit point in a reasonable time, but were awed by the beauty and challenge of the route, and left the race in good shape. The same could not be said of veteran Classic racer John Lapkass of Anchorage, who suffered a medical emergency and was extracted by helicopter from the last-third section of the route, proving definitively the value of the required satellite phones for all racers. From his hospital bed, Lapkass expressed deep regret because he had been in great shape at that point, and poised for a satisfying finish at McKinley Village.
The only other finishers, sharing second place this year were Rob Kehrer and Matt Reardon, finishing in great shape (except for Matt’s impressively damaged feet) in a time of 6 days, 9 hours and 22 minutes.
According to Martin, who has participated in Classics since 1993, and served as race director for 5 of those years, this Classic was as “classic” as the race gets…a widely varied group of competitors, wildly imaginative routes, weather of every variety, and challenges at every step. This year also boasts the lowest finish ratio in memory, and emphasizes that this race is extremely tough and unpredictable, and that the objective hazard of the weather can make all the difference. According to Dick Griffith, holder of the record for the most Classic finishes, in reference to this years race, “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
If you survived the race, congratulations on finishing or on making a wise choice to drop out. If you didn't do the race this year, you should probably be glad you didn't. Happy reading.
2010 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic Race Report
The problems began early for this year’s trouble-plagued Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic. This year’s race, the 29th annual event, ran from the Gerstle river crossing of Highway 2 to McKinley Village, which is something like 120 miles away across the Alaska Range as the crow flies, and up to 180 miles depending on the route chosen. Even before the starting cry of “OK, let’s go!” on Sunday morning June 20th, problems began for race coordinator and racer Michael Martin when his partner (and son) awoke with fever and nausea, forcing a scratch only hours before the race. This left Martin scrambling to re-pack for a solo approach.
19 racers registered for this year’s event, including a higher than usual percentage of racers from outside. Racers came from Washington, Colorado, Utah and Florida. With one scratch at the start, 18 set out Sunday morning to navigate over or around the Granite Mountains between Highway 2 and the Donnelly Creek campground checkpoint on Highway 4. From there they would choose between any number of routes to reach McKinley Village.
As usual in the Classic, racers showed real creativity in routes and methods of travel chosen. The rules state that all travel must be self-contained and self-propelled. Racers are not allowed to add or leave anything once the race has begun. No help from non-racers. Luc Mehl and Eric Parsons had perhaps the most unusual approach, showing up with custom “tundra bikes” outfitted with a series of frame and other bags designed by pro-designer Eric (Revelate Designs®) which held their pack rafts, skis and other gear. They planned to ride the ATV trails around the Granite mountains, then ski (towing their gear and bikes in their inflated pack rafts), boat, ride and hike to the finish.
“Chunk” Bernard and partner Tyler Johnson planned a southerly route following the checkpoint at the Donnelley campground. They would walk south to Black Rapids, cross the Delta, ski up the Black Rapids glacier and follow a glacier route to the Nenana. They would then packraft the Nenana to the finish.
Most others chose to race along the north side of the range, crossing the Trident, Hayes and Gillam glaciers in various combinations and at various points. Most would float or walk the Wood river and float the Yannert, getting off before the Yannert enters a gorge near Denali Park, and walking into the finish near McKinley Village.
A team composed of 2009 Classic winners, Bobby Schnell and Chris Robertson was joined by Todd Kasteler. They planned to jog the first section to the checkpoint, and were accompanied by newcomer Danny Powers and the team of Chunk Bernard and Tyler Johnson, reaching the checkpoint in just over 13 hours. But the weather was not going to cooperate this year, and by the time even the fastest racers had reached the Donnelley checkpoint, most racers were hypothermic from sleet and rain, and many had been significantly slowed by fog and extremely wet conditions making travel across even good tundra “mushy”.
The “G Force” team of Jeff and Greg Gedney, joined by Floridian Jason Speigel found themselves overwhelmed by freezing rain and fog in the Granite mountains, not finding the Richardson Highway (and Donnelly checkpoint) for 36 hours. Speigel had a badly hurt knee by that time, and that combined with hypothermia caused the team to scratch at the checkpoint. Peter Calvin and partner Susannah Pratt originally made the checkpoint in good shape and crossed the Delta only to find that the weather was even further deteriorating in the high ground between the Delta and the Trident glacier, and returned to the Donnelley checkpoint where they left the race. In fact, by Monday evening 10 of the 18 starters had abandoned the race at or near the Donnelly Campground because of hypothermia, weather and/or injury. This included rookie Travis Carbough, who had made good time over the Granite mountains, but succumbed to the same weather challenges as many others.
Chunk Bernard and Tyler Johnson, having made it as far as Black Rapids on Monday, spent several hours evaluating the weather and making tough decisions about going on over the long glaciated route. They report that the peaks and glacier were completely socked in, and with regret, they also decided to drop out.
From the point of view of race director Martin, the language expressed in the AMWC application “Responsible racers will make timely decisions about whether to drop out or attempt to finish when difficulties present themselves….there is always another race.” is key at times like this. The Classic is perhaps the toughest cross-country race around, but it is meant to provide a challenge, not irreversible consequences. And in the 29 years of the race there has never been such a problem, largely due to the intelligent decisions of the participants at times like this.
The team of Rob Kehrer and Matt Reardon and solo racers John Lapkass and Michael Martin all eventually found their way to the Donnelley campground at various times on Monday, and began to consider whether to drop out or go on.
Each made a decision to spend the night at the checkpoint, assay the weather in the morning, and decide whether to continue. Because the weather seemed to be improving, all continued, crossing the Delta in the morning and heading for the high ground to cross the Trident. By this time, Martin’s original partner, Michael Peñuelas, was feeling better, and joined him for the second section.
In the meantime, the weather, although seemingly locally improving, continued to deteriorate, with thunderstorms, hail and sleet dogging the racers all along the route. The group of Bobby Schnell, Chris Robertson, Todd Kastener and Danny Powers, leading the remaining racers by a huge margin, themselves ended up hypothermic and needing an 11 hour layover in the mid-section of the second part of the course to warm up and regroup. Nevertheless, their finish time of 4 days and 48 minutes indicates that had the weather cooperated, they would have handily beat the record of 3 days, 17 hours and 54 minutes.
Martin and (at that point non-competitor) partner Peñuelas had the astonishing luck to film a wolverine crossing the center of the Trident moraine. They later scratched from a tiny airstrip on the Little Delta, realizing they would not make another exit point in a reasonable time, but were awed by the beauty and challenge of the route, and left the race in good shape. The same could not be said of veteran Classic racer John Lapkass of Anchorage, who suffered a medical emergency and was extracted by helicopter from the last-third section of the route, proving definitively the value of the required satellite phones for all racers. From his hospital bed, Lapkass expressed deep regret because he had been in great shape at that point, and poised for a satisfying finish at McKinley Village.
The only other finishers, sharing second place this year were Rob Kehrer and Matt Reardon, finishing in great shape (except for Matt’s impressively damaged feet) in a time of 6 days, 9 hours and 22 minutes.
According to Martin, who has participated in Classics since 1993, and served as race director for 5 of those years, this Classic was as “classic” as the race gets…a widely varied group of competitors, wildly imaginative routes, weather of every variety, and challenges at every step. This year also boasts the lowest finish ratio in memory, and emphasizes that this race is extremely tough and unpredictable, and that the objective hazard of the weather can make all the difference. According to Dick Griffith, holder of the record for the most Classic finishes, in reference to this years race, “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
Sunday, June 27, 2010
2010 - No more info yet.
I don't have any more recent race finishing info yet other than the comment someone posted this morning about Rob Kehrer and Matt Reardon finishing on Saturday night at 7:40 p.m.
By my count, that's six people who have finished the race and six people who have dropped out. That leaves potentially five people who are still on the course.
More info as soon as I get it.
By my count, that's six people who have finished the race and six people who have dropped out. That leaves potentially five people who are still on the course.
More info as soon as I get it.
Friday, June 25, 2010
2010 Preliminary Race Results
Here's a quick update on The Race.
17 people started the race this year.
Chris Robertson, Bobby Schnell, Todd ?? and Dan Powers won the race.
Pete Calvin and Suzanne dropped out at Donnelly.
Luc Mehl and his travel partner dropped out at Donnelly with a broken bicycle.
Craig (Chunk) and his travel partner dropped out at Black Rapids.
As far as I know, Michael Martin and John Lapkass were still in the race.
That's all the info I have now. Updates as soon as I find out more.
17 people started the race this year.
Chris Robertson, Bobby Schnell, Todd ?? and Dan Powers won the race.
Pete Calvin and Suzanne dropped out at Donnelly.
Luc Mehl and his travel partner dropped out at Donnelly with a broken bicycle.
Craig (Chunk) and his travel partner dropped out at Black Rapids.
As far as I know, Michael Martin and John Lapkass were still in the race.
That's all the info I have now. Updates as soon as I find out more.
Friday, June 18, 2010
2010 Race and Paddle to Seattle
If you are doing the Classic this year, hopefully you are ready because it starts in just a couple days! Here are a couple of links to webcams and weather info at different places along the typical route.
Black Rapids
Maclaren Lodge
Cantwell
Also, you can now order your DVD of the Alaskan adventure film Paddle to Seattle on AlaskaeBooks.
Black Rapids
Maclaren Lodge
Cantwell
Also, you can now order your DVD of the Alaskan adventure film Paddle to Seattle on AlaskaeBooks.
Friday, January 22, 2010
1987 Race
Many thank you's to Roman Dial for access to this stuff!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
1995 Anchorage Daily News Article
This article was first printed in the Anchorage Daily News on August 15, 1995. It's about the Black Rapids to Mckinley Village route. Reprinted in full with explicit permission from the Anchorage Daily News.
Anchorage Daily News (AK) - Tuesday, August 15, 1995
Author: CRAIG MEDRED Daily News outdoors editor ; Staff
After a 21/2-day-long game of cat and mouse through the wilds on the north side of the Alaska Range, Clark Saunders of Girdwood emerged at McKinley Village last week to claim victory in the 14th running of the 130-mile Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic.
Only two hours back, having encountered problems with a recalcitrant brown bear, were runners-up Kevin Donley and Marten Martensen, both of Anchorage. Martensen, a threetime winner of the Seward Mount Marathon, and Donley, a 35-minute 10-K road runner and seasoned mountain runner, stalked Saunders for 130 miles but failed to catch him.
The 36-year-old Saunders credited his past experience on the route along with rafting skills for his narrow victory over the two men in their mid-20s.
''It was sort of the tortoise and the hares,'' Saunders said.
Donley and Martensen were faster hikers, particularly on the uphills, Saunders said, but they lost some time trying to find the fastest routes into and out of several mountain passes. They also had to walk around rapids on the Yanert River. Martensen and Donley also had a little run-in with a grizzly bear in the dark, and that turned to Saunders advantage. The incident, Saunders said, came just after he was passed in the night about halfway through the race.
Saunders was by then sitting next to a fire, exhausted and hoping to lure the younger men into taking a break with the promise of warmth on a cold night. They resisted the trap, but went only a little farther before running into the grizzly bear in a creek bottom.
That brought them back seeking advice. Saunders said he didn't know what to do and didn't really care because all he wanted to do was sleep. ''They ended up going about 300 yards away and camping and building a big fire and drying out,'' Saunders said.
The bear stayed, too, however. '
'Somewhere around 1:30 or so, I hear some rustle, rustle, crack, crack,'' Saunders said. ''I see this large, hairy mass. I could see it was a bear, but it wasn't a huge bear. But I could see by its head it was a grizzly.
''It was on all fours sniffing under the tree-slash-bush where my food was. I was just thinking, 'I'm too tired for this."''
Saunders thought about yelling at the bear but decided that might scare it into charging. He wasn't, however, going to let it have his food. So, he said, he decided to run his fingers over the nylon on his 2-foot-high, one-man tent to produce a subtle but totally unnatural sound.
The bear heard it, got visibly nervous, ''and swayed on out of there,'' Saunders said.
He went back to sleep in seconds -- only to oversleep. When he woke at 4:45 a.m., Martensen and Donley were gone.
They didn't have much of a lead, however, and Saunders caught them when they struggled in thick brush he knew to avoid. He briefly gave the lead up one more time, but led the race down the Yanert River and sealed the victory there.
An experienced paddler, Saunders ran the Yanert River rapids in his tiny, one-man inflatable raft. Most other competitors decided to portage, and one of the handful of others who ran the big water ended up complaining this year's race was too easy.
For the first time in the history of the race, everyone who started finished. Twenty-six men and women entered.
''We need to move the course,'' former champ Brant McGee of Anchorage said. Traditionally, the classic has lasted no more than three years on any one course. The idea from the beginning was to move the race periodically to keep the route-finding aspect challenging, said organizer Roman Dial.
The race began as a 150-mile Hope to Homer race across the Andy Simons Wilderness Area of the Kenai Peninsula in 1982. It moved to a 245-mile course on the north side of the Alaska Range from Mentasta to McKinley in 1985.
From there it was on to the Wrangell Mountains and a 145-mile route from Nabesna to McCarthy in 1988 through 1990. In 1991, with McGee organizing the always informal competition, the race went north to the Brooks Range.
Last year, for the first time, it settled into the 130-mile, largely brush-free route across the north side of the Alaska Range from Donnelly to McKinley.
The route requires competitors to cross two glaciers, climb over a 6,000 foot pass, and float about 25 miles of river in little rubber rafts, and 26 people this year proved they could do that.
''It's not a wilderness race if everybody finishes,'' McGee said. ''It should be damn difficult to finish. The achievement should be in finishing. If everybody finishes, that diminishes the achievement.''
McGee finished third this year about two hours behind Martensen and Donley. As usual, Alaskans dominated the competition, but for the first time people from Outside the state faired well.Racers from Seattle; Boise; Reno, Nev.; Hanover, N.H.; and San Diego all managed to follow the unmarked, wilderness route from start to finish.
ALASKA MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS CLASSIC
1) Clark Saunders, Girdwood, 2 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes
2 & 3) Kevin Donley and Marten Martensen, Anchorage, 2:14:21
4) Brant McGee, Anchorage, 2:16:10
5 & 6) Roman and Peggy Dial, Anchorage, 3:09:03
7) Michael Martin, Seattle, 3:09:49
8) Dave Lucey, Anchorage, 3:10:15
9) Jeff Mailloux, Boise, Idaho
10,11,12,13,14) Skip Kula, Steve Daigle, Mike Wayt, Brent Widenhouse and Shane Metcalf of Anchorage, 3:15:43
15) John Lapkass, Anchorage, 3:19:15
16 & 17) Greg Tibbetts and Eric Sachs, Anchorage, 3:23:05
18) Mark Ross, Fairbanks, 4:02:10
19 & 20) Jeff Gedney, Reno, Nev., and John Sisson, Hanover, N.H., 4:04:37
21,22,23,24,25,26) Dick, Barney and Bobbie Sue Griffith of Anchorage, Brian Hall of Anchorage, Sue Ellen Christiansen of Fritz Creek and Tim Gillis of San Diego, 5:09:25.
TORTOISE OUTRUNS HARES - SAUNDERS CAPTURES
WILDERNESS CLASSIC
Anchorage Daily News (AK) - Tuesday, August 15, 1995
Author: CRAIG MEDRED Daily News outdoors editor ; Staff
After a 21/2-day-long game of cat and mouse through the wilds on the north side of the Alaska Range, Clark Saunders of Girdwood emerged at McKinley Village last week to claim victory in the 14th running of the 130-mile Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic.
Only two hours back, having encountered problems with a recalcitrant brown bear, were runners-up Kevin Donley and Marten Martensen, both of Anchorage. Martensen, a threetime winner of the Seward Mount Marathon, and Donley, a 35-minute 10-K road runner and seasoned mountain runner, stalked Saunders for 130 miles but failed to catch him.
The 36-year-old Saunders credited his past experience on the route along with rafting skills for his narrow victory over the two men in their mid-20s.
''It was sort of the tortoise and the hares,'' Saunders said.
Donley and Martensen were faster hikers, particularly on the uphills, Saunders said, but they lost some time trying to find the fastest routes into and out of several mountain passes. They also had to walk around rapids on the Yanert River. Martensen and Donley also had a little run-in with a grizzly bear in the dark, and that turned to Saunders advantage. The incident, Saunders said, came just after he was passed in the night about halfway through the race.
Saunders was by then sitting next to a fire, exhausted and hoping to lure the younger men into taking a break with the promise of warmth on a cold night. They resisted the trap, but went only a little farther before running into the grizzly bear in a creek bottom.
That brought them back seeking advice. Saunders said he didn't know what to do and didn't really care because all he wanted to do was sleep. ''They ended up going about 300 yards away and camping and building a big fire and drying out,'' Saunders said.
The bear stayed, too, however. '
'Somewhere around 1:30 or so, I hear some rustle, rustle, crack, crack,'' Saunders said. ''I see this large, hairy mass. I could see it was a bear, but it wasn't a huge bear. But I could see by its head it was a grizzly.
''It was on all fours sniffing under the tree-slash-bush where my food was. I was just thinking, 'I'm too tired for this."''
Saunders thought about yelling at the bear but decided that might scare it into charging. He wasn't, however, going to let it have his food. So, he said, he decided to run his fingers over the nylon on his 2-foot-high, one-man tent to produce a subtle but totally unnatural sound.
The bear heard it, got visibly nervous, ''and swayed on out of there,'' Saunders said.
He went back to sleep in seconds -- only to oversleep. When he woke at 4:45 a.m., Martensen and Donley were gone.
They didn't have much of a lead, however, and Saunders caught them when they struggled in thick brush he knew to avoid. He briefly gave the lead up one more time, but led the race down the Yanert River and sealed the victory there.
An experienced paddler, Saunders ran the Yanert River rapids in his tiny, one-man inflatable raft. Most other competitors decided to portage, and one of the handful of others who ran the big water ended up complaining this year's race was too easy.
For the first time in the history of the race, everyone who started finished. Twenty-six men and women entered.
''We need to move the course,'' former champ Brant McGee of Anchorage said. Traditionally, the classic has lasted no more than three years on any one course. The idea from the beginning was to move the race periodically to keep the route-finding aspect challenging, said organizer Roman Dial.
The race began as a 150-mile Hope to Homer race across the Andy Simons Wilderness Area of the Kenai Peninsula in 1982. It moved to a 245-mile course on the north side of the Alaska Range from Mentasta to McKinley in 1985.
From there it was on to the Wrangell Mountains and a 145-mile route from Nabesna to McCarthy in 1988 through 1990. In 1991, with McGee organizing the always informal competition, the race went north to the Brooks Range.
Last year, for the first time, it settled into the 130-mile, largely brush-free route across the north side of the Alaska Range from Donnelly to McKinley.
The route requires competitors to cross two glaciers, climb over a 6,000 foot pass, and float about 25 miles of river in little rubber rafts, and 26 people this year proved they could do that.
''It's not a wilderness race if everybody finishes,'' McGee said. ''It should be damn difficult to finish. The achievement should be in finishing. If everybody finishes, that diminishes the achievement.''
McGee finished third this year about two hours behind Martensen and Donley. As usual, Alaskans dominated the competition, but for the first time people from Outside the state faired well.Racers from Seattle; Boise; Reno, Nev.; Hanover, N.H.; and San Diego all managed to follow the unmarked, wilderness route from start to finish.
ALASKA MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS CLASSIC
1) Clark Saunders, Girdwood, 2 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes
2 & 3) Kevin Donley and Marten Martensen, Anchorage, 2:14:21
4) Brant McGee, Anchorage, 2:16:10
5 & 6) Roman and Peggy Dial, Anchorage, 3:09:03
7) Michael Martin, Seattle, 3:09:49
8) Dave Lucey, Anchorage, 3:10:15
9) Jeff Mailloux, Boise, Idaho
10,11,12,13,14) Skip Kula, Steve Daigle, Mike Wayt, Brent Widenhouse and Shane Metcalf of Anchorage, 3:15:43
15) John Lapkass, Anchorage, 3:19:15
16 & 17) Greg Tibbetts and Eric Sachs, Anchorage, 3:23:05
18) Mark Ross, Fairbanks, 4:02:10
19 & 20) Jeff Gedney, Reno, Nev., and John Sisson, Hanover, N.H., 4:04:37
21,22,23,24,25,26) Dick, Barney and Bobbie Sue Griffith of Anchorage, Brian Hall of Anchorage, Sue Ellen Christiansen of Fritz Creek and Tim Gillis of San Diego, 5:09:25.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
2009 Race Results Addendum
Take a look at the 2009 Race Results again. Luc Mehl came in fourth place but was accidently left out of the original results. Sorry about the ommission Luc, and congratulations on finishing the race. The results should be correct now.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
2009 Alaska Mountain Wildereness Classic Race Results
Here's a good article about Forrest Karr and Steve Taylor from the Fairbanks Daily News Miner that includes the full results of this year's race. Congratulations Forrest and Steve on a respectable rookie finish. Race Results and Article.
1. Bobby Schnell, Chris Robertson and Andrew Skurka — 3 days, 17 hours, 54 minutes
2. Roman Dial and Forrest McCarthy, 4 days, 8 hours, 41 minutes
3. Eben Sargent and Brad Marden, 4 days, 14 hours, 11 minutes
4. Luc Mehl, 4 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes.
5. Stephen Taylor, Forrest Karr and Rob Kehrer, 7 days, 5 hours, 42 minutes
6. John Lapkass, 8 days, 22 hours, 22 minutes.
Scratches — Kyle Amstadter and Jesse Bernwald; Craig “Chunk” Bernard and Jordan Manley; Michael Martin and Michael Penuelas; Donna Kleck; Don Moden and Scott Wilk; Christopher Bernshoof and George Feree; Mark Ross; William and Clay Collins.
1. Bobby Schnell, Chris Robertson and Andrew Skurka — 3 days, 17 hours, 54 minutes
2. Roman Dial and Forrest McCarthy, 4 days, 8 hours, 41 minutes
3. Eben Sargent and Brad Marden, 4 days, 14 hours, 11 minutes
4. Luc Mehl, 4 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes.
5. Stephen Taylor, Forrest Karr and Rob Kehrer, 7 days, 5 hours, 42 minutes
6. John Lapkass, 8 days, 22 hours, 22 minutes.
Scratches — Kyle Amstadter and Jesse Bernwald; Craig “Chunk” Bernard and Jordan Manley; Michael Martin and Michael Penuelas; Donna Kleck; Don Moden and Scott Wilk; Christopher Bernshoof and George Feree; Mark Ross; William and Clay Collins.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Video from 2009 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic
Here's a great video made by the team who won the 2009 race. Congratulations Chris, Bobby and Andrew!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
More Classic Info
Roman keeps posting great stuff about the Classic on his blog. I should probably put a permanent link on my opening page but until I get around to doing that, check out his page here.
Also, here's another cool site with some great Alaskan adventures and great cycling gear.
And yet another tidbit of Classic beta: a brief article in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner about this year's Classic.
Also, here's another cool site with some great Alaskan adventures and great cycling gear.
And yet another tidbit of Classic beta: a brief article in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner about this year's Classic.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
And the winners are . . .
The winners of the 2009 Classic are Chris Robertson, Bobby Schnell and Andrew Skurka, all finishing together. Roman Dial and his partner Forrest McCarthy finished second. Roman has a nice summary of the race with more information on his blog. http://packrafting.blogspot.com/ Roman's summary also has a great picture of "Wilderness Classic Foot" that is a must-see. Or not, if you happen to have a weak stomach.
It sounds like it was a great race with a fair number of people dropping out at the first checkpoint and many people surviving excessive hardship. I'm sure there are a lot of great stories about the race and it'll be fun hearing them as they come out.
It sounds like it was a great race with a fair number of people dropping out at the first checkpoint and many people surviving excessive hardship. I'm sure there are a lot of great stories about the race and it'll be fun hearing them as they come out.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
1995 Race Results
Black Rapids to McKinley Village
26 people started and 26 finished.
Clark Saunders, winner
Marten Martensen
Kevin Donley
Brant McGee
Roman Dial
Peggy Dial
Michael Martin
Dave Lucey
Jeff Mailloux
Skip Kula
Steve Daigle
Mike Wayt
Brent Widenhouse
Shane Metcalf
John Lapkass
Gregg Tibbetts
Eric Sachs
Mark Ross
Jeff Gedney
John Sisson
Dick Griffith
Barney Griffith
Bobbie Sue Griffith
Brian Hall
Sue Ellen Christiansen
Tom Gillis
26 people started and 26 finished.
Clark Saunders, winner
Marten Martensen
Kevin Donley
Brant McGee
Roman Dial
Peggy Dial
Michael Martin
Dave Lucey
Jeff Mailloux
Skip Kula
Steve Daigle
Mike Wayt
Brent Widenhouse
Shane Metcalf
John Lapkass
Gregg Tibbetts
Eric Sachs
Mark Ross
Jeff Gedney
John Sisson
Dick Griffith
Barney Griffith
Bobbie Sue Griffith
Brian Hall
Sue Ellen Christiansen
Tom Gillis
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
1994 Race Results
Black Rapids to McKinley Village
22 people started, 16 finished.
Frazier Miller - 2 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes, winner.
Clark Saunders
Randy Melton
Dave Dixon
Stephen Rising
Dave Kramer
Roark Williams
Jeff Sands
Dave Lucey
John Gartiez
Jeff Mallox
Dick Griffith
Barney Griffith
Jim Renkert
John Lapkass
Robin Beebee
22 people started, 16 finished.
Frazier Miller - 2 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes, winner.
Clark Saunders
Randy Melton
Dave Dixon
Stephen Rising
Dave Kramer
Roark Williams
Jeff Sands
Dave Lucey
John Gartiez
Jeff Mallox
Dick Griffith
Barney Griffith
Jim Renkert
John Lapkass
Robin Beebee
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
2009 Course
The course for the 2009 Wilderness Classic looks like it'll be a great one. It's the same route that was used in 1994-1996 for the Donnelly to McKinley Village route and then it also covers some of the same ground as the Mentasta to McKinley Village route in 1985-1987. The Mentasta to McKinley Village route was so long and hard on the feet that everyone agreed it shouldn't be done again.
It seemed like the standard Donnelly to McKinley Village course was too short and easy at 140 miles so this year 40-50 miles was added by making the start of the race at the Gerstle River, where it crosses the Alcan Highway. This will definitely make it more difficult and since there's a mandatory checkpoint at Black Rapids where it crosses the Richardson Highway, the temptation to drop out will be very strong.
Imagine that you've just covered the first 45 miles of the race over mountains and through boggy forest in 24 hours, you've only had 2 hours of sleep and you stagger to the Black Rapids checkpoint where people are car camping and drinking beer around a campfire. You're not really going to want to cross the freezing cold Delta River in your packraft and continue another 140 miles through the wilderness. The pull of a warm sleeping bag and cold beer will be strong.
I'll write more about this route in a bit, but in the meantime, here's a link with some great information on the route.
http://kellieokonek.blogspot.com/2008/07/627-7408-donnelly-to-mckinley-village.html
It seemed like the standard Donnelly to McKinley Village course was too short and easy at 140 miles so this year 40-50 miles was added by making the start of the race at the Gerstle River, where it crosses the Alcan Highway. This will definitely make it more difficult and since there's a mandatory checkpoint at Black Rapids where it crosses the Richardson Highway, the temptation to drop out will be very strong.
Imagine that you've just covered the first 45 miles of the race over mountains and through boggy forest in 24 hours, you've only had 2 hours of sleep and you stagger to the Black Rapids checkpoint where people are car camping and drinking beer around a campfire. You're not really going to want to cross the freezing cold Delta River in your packraft and continue another 140 miles through the wilderness. The pull of a warm sleeping bag and cold beer will be strong.
I'll write more about this route in a bit, but in the meantime, here's a link with some great information on the route.
http://kellieokonek.blogspot.com/2008/07/627-7408-donnelly-to-mckinley-village.html
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