Great Glen to Bretton Woods x-c

[SAR-EMT40]

Thanks everyone for the information. I guess we will have to see what happens.

Keith

 

[slowandsteady]

I went up there this weekend hoping to ski. I ended up hiking instead.

Me too.

Weather forecast this week is for flurries but so far no accumulation. Trails at Jackson with the exception of Prospect Farm are ice. They are trying to make snow out of ice on Ellis and Hall and they do a good job at that but conditions made me worry about a fall so I went hiking instead.

 

[LarryD]

According to the event web site (www.greatglentobrettonwoods.com) the event has been cancelled due to lack of snow.

 

[king tut]

That's too bad. The website says that the entry fees are non-refundable. Each person gets 4 day passes to ski. Seems like that's a good chunk of change to eat for those people from away that signed up. I'm glad i didn't.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Thanks. I was getting ready to start asking some questions from the race orginizers. I was out this weekend and while there was 4 inches of beautiful powder Sat night. The conditions were horrendous. Tons of ice with many exposed rocks. It was only suitable for crampons, not skis.

Keith

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Seems like that's a good chunk of change to eat for those people from away that signed up. I'm glad i didn't.

I agree. I would be furious and would let them know it in no uncertain terms. Granted it is in writing but that doesn't make it right. I would also suggest to anyone I know to not sign up next year. I have several freinds that just barely dodged this bullet waiting for the conditions. I would have felt terrible if they had actually paid and then didn't get a refund. I also will not do support as a volunteer either and I will let them know why. Don't think it will make much of a difference but at least I will have said something.

Keith

 

[LarryD]

I agree with King Tut. I am close enough to use the passes (assuming they don't expire in the very near future) but many are not. I think that adhering to their "no refund" policy under these circumstances is short-sighted. I am sure it will hurt their advance registration next year. I for, one, will wait as late as possible to decide whether to register for next year.

 

[trailbiscuit]

Um...I signed up (as I always do), and I knew I wouldn't get a refund. And, I'm supposed to be angry because of the weather conditions? It's not anyone's fault that the raced needed to be cancelled. It has just been that kind of winter. And, I understand why I don't get a refund: a lot of work had already gone into making the event happen. For an event like this, the work on race day is just the tip of iceberg. And, since it was cancelled this year, I'm definitely going to sign up early next year to show my support for the people that run the race and all the volunteers who so graciously give up their time to feed me fig newtons while I snot on myself. So, don't blame the organizers, blame the weather. Then again, this probably isn't the forum for this discussion...

 

[teleskier]

Well, I signed up and ate the $$ too, but I can see both sides of it. It's true that a lot of work has already been done, and a lot of money already spent. But, if you cancelled (for any reason) before Feb 19th, they would've given you all but $25 back. Seems like there could be some compromise... even so, I want to give it a try next year.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

The point is that they haven't done anything except collect the money. The aid stations are manned by volunteers. The communications are manned by volunteers. Your correct that the snow isn't under their control but again they didn't expend any effort to make that happen either. So I am trying to figure out where all the overhead and outlay that they did was and why they couldn't give refunds. I am not trying to start a war and this is probably walking the dangerous off topic line but personally I would mention it to the NH Attorney General if I had spent the money to register. I had 8 friends that I almost convinced to do this race save for conditions. I would have felt embarrased to be part of something that would have treated them like that.

Just my .02
Keith

 

[king tut]

Buyer Be Ware. If you spent the money, the website said it was non-refundable, so no surprise there. Having been involved in similar events before, there are some expenses that they had to eat, i.e. prizes, bibs, food,electronic timing equipment, advertising money, and on and on. That being said, a lot of the people working it would have been volunteers and i don't think that they would have ordered too much food or other stuff that would spoil and become a complete loss. But.. i don't like the idea of them making money on an event that was cancelled. It would be nice to at least see a partial refund. Theoretically, i would rather get 1/2 the money back then get 4 vouchers. But the vouchers guarantees they keep the money. So... i wouldn't blame anybody. It is what it is.

 

[king tut]

I've been convinced to do the Rangeley Loppet race on saturday. So, if anyone was going to do the great glen race, it might be worth their while to come a little further east to maine. I talked to someone there today, and the race is definitely going to happen.

 

[king tut]

I did the 50k loppet today in Rangeley, and it was a real nice event. The course was in very good shape and the volunteers did a real great job. If anyone is thinking about doing it next year, i would recommend it.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I will post this with no comment save this. I received this from a representative of the race. I just thought it only fair that I post this as a rebutal to things said, including opinions expressed by myself. I am never in favor of only one side of the story being represented. I will not comment further on the content and the user is free at this point to decide what they will.

Keith

Greetings,

This is a classic no win situation for everyone. There is no money in the end since the expenses incurred for the Nordic Adventure during the year of planning, permitting, land owner contacts, brush cutting on power lines and trails and so forth far out weigh the income for this event. As is the case with most large point to point events, the expenses are up front and covered prior to the actual event itself. The break even point for the Nordic Adventure is around 400 to 450 participants depending on when they enter and what category they enter in. This year as last we were well below that number and Great Glen and Bretton Woods both will have to absorb this loss of income. Normally we can chalk it up to marketing since we would normally get some media attention by simply having this event successfully contested; this year we not only get no publicity, we also get to incur the financial loss and now from a small number of potential entrants we also incur the wrath of looking like all we did was collect the entry money and run.

In the end no one is happy or satisfied with the outcome. The same story has been played out many times before in other large events that have had to be cancelled, that is why you will normally see in no uncertain terms the fact that there will be no refunds on the occasion of the event being cancelled.

Howie Wemyss, General Manager

Mt Washington Auto Road

Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center

Perhaps the events you have worked on have had a different policy, but many of the major ski marathons in this country have the same cancellation policy as ours does, for similiar reasons. ---Sue