Three individual courses are offered at STEEP DREAMS. More details below, but first some pictures!
The Open course is a spectacular race through KHMR's best terrain, featuring Skiduro descent timing. The course will meet ISMF spec and is one of four races on the Canada Cup circuit, allowing competitors to gain points towards their national ranking. There will be no groomed descents!
A shorter version of the Open course will be available for Junior and Recreational competitors - the same great runs, just not as many of them for a shorter day out.
The Skiduro category will reward the fastest downhill skiers by ignoring all that pesky uphill and simply combining descent times. Bring your heaviest metal and get ready to let er rip!
See below for more details.
A shorter version of the Open course will be available for Junior and Recreational competitors - the same great runs, just not as many of them for a shorter day out.
The Skiduro category will reward the fastest downhill skiers by ignoring all that pesky uphill and simply combining descent times. Bring your heaviest metal and get ready to let er rip!
See below for more details.
OPEN COURSE
The open course is a mass start ski mountaineering course designed to match ISMF criteria for an individual race. The course will involve multiple ascents and descents, mandatory bootpack sections, and awesome skiing. Expect approximately 1600m of vertical gain with 5 climbs, 3 bootpacks and 4 expert-level descents for the open course.
There will be course marshals located at various points, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. You will be in the mountains. It will be winter. You will be sweaty and you may be wearing spandex. Please plan accordingly. See the rules section for details on required equipment.
Check out the map below for detailed route information. Please be aware that while we will do our best to stick to this course, hill conditions may force a reroute or delayed start.
There will be course marshals located at various points, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. You will be in the mountains. It will be winter. You will be sweaty and you may be wearing spandex. Please plan accordingly. See the rules section for details on required equipment.
Check out the map below for detailed route information. Please be aware that while we will do our best to stick to this course, hill conditions may force a reroute or delayed start.
For more details on prizing, see here.
JUNIOR/RECREATIONAL COURSE
The junior and recreational course uses the same mass start as the open course, but with a smaller objective for the day. The course includes ascents, descents (with skiduro prizing), 2 mandatory bootpacks, and awesome skiing. Expect approximately 1000m of vertical with 2 expert-level runs for these courses.
There will be course marshals located at various points, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. You will be in the mountains. It will be winter. You will be sweaty and you may be wearing spandex. Please plan accordingly. See the rules section for details on required equipment.
Check out the map below for detailed route information. Please be aware that while we will do our best to stick to this course, hill conditions may force a reroute or delayed start.
There will be course marshals located at various points, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. You will be in the mountains. It will be winter. You will be sweaty and you may be wearing spandex. Please plan accordingly. See the rules section for details on required equipment.
Check out the map below for detailed route information. Please be aware that while we will do our best to stick to this course, hill conditions may force a reroute or delayed start.
For more details on prizing, see here.
SKIDURO
The Skiduro category will reward the fastest downhill skiers by ignoring all that pesky uphill and simply combining descent times. There are two timed descents, which are included in both the Recreational and Open courses. Any competitor that completes their full course will be eligible for the Skiduro podium and prizing. Bring your heaviest metal and get ready to let er rip! Believe it or not, this category is usually won on skimo gear! The only way to make sure that doesn't happen this year is to sign up today!
There will be course marshals located at various points along the course, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. Please see the rules section for details on required equipment.
See the Open and Rec courses for route details.
There will be course marshals located at various points along the course, but racers must plan to be entirely self sufficient throughout their race. Please see the rules section for details on required equipment.
See the Open and Rec courses for route details.
RACE BRIEFING
START LOCATION - The race starts and finishes at the Stairway to Heaven Yurt. You will need to ride the Gondola up and then ski down to the yurt. You will be able to warm up and stash gear at the yurt, so head up as soon as possible.
EQUIPMENT - standard ISMF skimo equipment - see rules section for more details.
INSTRUCTIONS - race number on right thigh. Timing chip on right lower leg. Be nice to the volunteers!
START LINE - The front of the corral is reserved for national team members. Men on the left half, women on the right, position in this zone is first come first served. All other competitors will be in the second part of the start corral, position also determined by order of arrival.
TIMING: we are using electronic timing, which requires you to ski over the loops which are buried in the snow. Pay special attention to the volunteers and signage at the top and bottom of the first two climbs and descents, these are the runs that count towards the DownTime.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Stats:
~1600m ascent/descent
~15km
Max elevation 2450m
Min elevation 1820m
~150m bootpacking
Climb 1: +380m
- 360m Skinning
- 20m Bootpacking
- Cloud Nine > Stairway to Heaven Bootpack
- Bootpack starts on the “Stairway to Heaven” and continues to the top of Whitewall. This bootpack is public.
Transition 1 - Whitewall: Boot-Ski at the top of Whitewall.
Descent 1 - Whitewall: -610m
- Whitewall (Certainty or Bear Chute depending on conditions) > Feuz Ski Out > It’s a Ten
- Watch out for the huck to flat on Reudi’s cat track! About halfway through the bowl, between patches of trees, there is a cat track. The groomers like to make a steep drop on the uphill side (~1m). The flagging will take you around this drop, but if you cut the corner, you will find out about the drop the hard way.
Transition 2 - Pioneer: Ski-Skin at the top unload of the Pioneer Chair
Climb 2 - Tunnel Vision: 490m
- 440m Skinning
- 50m Bootpacking
- Magic Carpet Ride Bike Trail (ish) > Tail Spin > Lone Ranger > Northern Lights > Tunnel Vision > Tunnel Vision Bootpack
- Tunnel Vision bootpack is steep and may be rocky at the top. Use caution.
Transition 3 - Tunnel Vision: Boot-Ski at the top of Tunnel Vision
Descent 2 - Marlie’s: -350m
- Craigellachie/Marlie’s > Tail Spin > Bubbly
- From the transition, follow the ridge for a just a few meters before dropping into the very next chute. This area will be roped off, do not exit the ropeline.
- Watch for rocks near the ridge.
Recreational/junior athletes ski to the finish to complete their race! You are responsible for going to the finish and not continuing down Bubbly!
Transition 4 - Bubbly: Skier’s right of Bubbly, at the intersection with the It’s a Ten cat track. DO NOT CONTINUE BELOW THE CAT TRACK CROSSING!
Climb 3 - Terminator: +450m
- 370m Skinning
- 80m Bootpacking
- Bubbly Trees > It’s a Ten > Sluiceway > Bowl Over > Milly Goat Traverse > Terminator 1 Bootpack
- Bootpack is shared with the public and is very obvious. Go to the summit!
Transition 5 - Terminator: Boot-Ski at the summit of Terminator 1
- Be very careful not to drop a ski here. If you do, you will likely spend the rest of your day getting it back.
Descent 3 - Truth: -350m
- Truth > Bowl Over > Knee Deep
- Ski carefully along the ridge to reach the Truth couloir. There are a few rocks to avoid and small cliffs below!
- Once in the bowl, on the flats, look for a well marked left turn to a small uphill skate on a cat track. This will return you to Knee Deep. WATCH CAREFULLY FOR FLAGS AND SIGNAGE!
Transition 6 - Bowl Over: Ski-Skin in Bowl Over
- Climb 4: +250m
- All skinning
Transition 7 Eagle’s Eye: Skin-Ski at Eagle’s Eye
Descent 4 Crystal Bowl: -260m
- Crystal Bowl > Huckleberry > Finish!
- Once you exit the Huckleberry gully, head straight to the finish.
- Control your speed! There are public here, and you will need to navigate a sharp turn through the finish corral.
You are responsible for staying in control! Remember, crashing is slow and apologizing is even slower!
