Canadian Ski Marathon

[prino]

I wasn't sure if I should post this trip here as it's a little outside of the general hiking North East topics, but it was such a great event I thought I'd share it with you anyway.

The Canadian Ski Marathon celebrated it's 40th Aniversary last weekend. It started out as a three day cross-country ski adventure founded in 1967 by former Canadian National Ski team member, Don MacLeod, the first "marathon ski tour" was designed to be the longest in the world, promoting a spirit of fitness, friendship and fun.
Read more here... CSM

Back then it started out at Fairview shopping Mall on the West end of Montreal island and ended in downtown Ottawa. I don't remember the exact number of participants but it was around a 100 or so.

This last weekend there were 2,250 entries, which although it sounds a lot of people to share the wilderness with.... they soon get spread out over 100 miles of trail.

I should point out that although it's called a "Marathon" it is not a race and the aim of the whole thing is just to challenge yourself to do as many "sections" as you can.There are 10 sections... 5 on Saturday and 5 on Sunday each one varying in length from 8 to 12 miles.

I was entered with my 17 year old son William and his friend Matthew and Mat's Dad, Peter. We entered as a touring team of 4 men and dressed ourselves up with crazy looking hats to hopefully get an extra 5 sections added to our team tally.

Saturday we hopped on the school shuttlebus in Montebello where the largest log cabin in the world happens to be located. These shuttlebus rides are a big part of the marathon experience...If you can survive the bonerattleing ride to the start line the rest is easy.

We set off at 8-00am two hours after the "Coureur de Bois" had left for their attempt to complete all 10 sections.... The "Golds" camp out on the Saturday night carrying all their own gear for a night in the bush. The temperature at the start was about 0°f rising to about 20°f later in the day.

Well it was a wonderful day of skiing. The tracks were superbly groomed and considering how icy it had been were easy to manage even on the downhills.

Both the Saturday and Sunday were sunny and we all came home with a good tan having skied a total of 24 sections between the four of us. My total mileage for the two days was just under 70 miles.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.
CSM pics

 

[coldfeet]

Very cool Phil, nice pics....looked like a clear beautiful day...wish i could bend my knees like you did waxing the skis!...take care ..

 

[king tut]

That sounds pretty cool. I am still thinking of doing a smaller marathon than this sometime this winter, if i ever get into shape. Looks like it was an awful long ski. Did they have a guinness station every 5 miles to refuel the skiiers? Was there a post marathon party on Rue de Ste Catherine?

 

[prino]

Looks like it was an awful long ski. Did they have a guinness station every 5 miles to refuel the skiiers? Was there a post marathon party on Rue de Ste Catherine?

Guinness AND Porridge every 5 miles .... Party was in Lachute,Quebec but 2,000 + x-c skiers taking over St Catherines street would be quite a sight!

David... My knees weren't the only part of me bending afterwards....

 

[DougPaul]

There is a nice trip report from the CSM over on rec.skiing.nordic:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec....f60a3/89bf118d3b4e7e9d?hl=en#89bf118d3b4e7e9d

Doug

 

[prino]

Thanks for the link Doug. That Parham guy certainly knows how to write a good story.
I did the Gold "Coureur de bois" 15 years ago but prefer to enjoy the ski without the huge backpack required for camping out nowadays.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Thanks for the link Doug. That Parham guy certainly knows how to write a good story.

he's my 'neighbor'. Years ago, I was giving him advice about the CSM. But he's been doing it regularly, so these days, I'd ask him for advaice.

I did the Gold "Coureur de bois" 15 years ago but prefer to enjoy the ski without the huge backpack required for camping out nowadays.

Dunno. There's something about siking 100 miles with a full pack... waking up at 4:00AM at -30, and having to get out of the sleeping bag, and start skiing. You don't miss that ?????

On the down side, it takes a lot of time for training, and for me, that means no time in the mountains. I think I should become independantly wealthy, so that I don't have to work. Then I'll have time to do the things I want. Or maybe I should just retire.

 

[Neil]

There used to be ski trip organized across Baffin Island. Were you ever in on that Pete?

 

[prino]

Dunno. There's something about siking 100 miles with a full pack... waking up at 4:00AM at -30, and having to get out of the sleeping bag, and start skiing. You don't miss that ?????

Yeh! I guess I do miss that part of it...... Like a hole in the head!

I think that was about the toughest part back in '95 when I woke up at 3-00am to do my duty. I found someone's mini-thermometer on the floor of the Johnny-on- the-spot... It was reading -18°c.

 

[Jay H]

OMG Snow!!!!! Thanks for the pictures of some snow. I didn't know if I would ever see snow this winter....

Those are some skinny skis...

Jay