Last weekend, I was lucky enough to compete in the inaugural Know the Snow Rando Race at Purgatory Resort, and I had a great time! It was a brisk, beautiful, alpine glow-bathed morning. The race started with fireworks and ended in smiles, laughter and beer.
I’ve been around skiing for 30-odd years, and last weekend’s race had a lot in common with a few that were formative to my youth in Crested Butte – the Al Johnson Uphill/Downhill, the Prater Cup and the Alley Loop
The Know the Snow Rando Race is a fundraiser for the Joe Philpott and Peter Carver Avalanche Scholarship Fund. The fund is increasing the accessibility of avalanche awareness and education. A lot of us racing last weekend didn’t get to know Joe and Peter as well as the folks who put on this race. But, we got to learn a little more about those two by watching all the effort and care that was put into holding the race. There was a lot of work and attention put into Sunday, and it felt really well done; seamless to the competitor.
To Jim, Nate, Travis, Jeremy, Erin, Jamie, MJ, Friends of the San Juans, Pineneedle Mountaineering, Purgatory Resort and everyone else involved in putting on the inaugural Know the Snow Rando Race, thank you for the great ski race!
Yours with genuine gratitude and admiration,
Clint Jacobsen
