Marie Boisvert climbs Mt. Ripinsky with Giselle Miller following close behind. (Photo by Henry Leasia)
The Haines Alpine Touring Society hosted the fourth annual Kat to Koot Alpine Adventure Race over the weekend.
59 people from Haines, Juneau, Haines Junction and Whitehorse competed. Participants raced on skis, snowboards, splitboards and snowshoes.
The course usually runs from the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds over the summit of Mt. Ripinsky and down the back side to Lutak Inlet. Whiteout conditions and considerable avalanche risk near the summit prompted organizers to cut the route short this year. Racers climbed up the Piedad Trail to an elevation of about 2,500 feet before turning around and heading to the starting line at the fairgrounds.
Whitehorse skiers, Colin Abbot and Caelan McLean finished the race first with a time of 1:49:06. This is the second year in a row that Abbot has finished first.
Haines local Erik Stevens, and Haines Junction residents Jonny and Leslie Cromwell finished second with a time of 1:55:45. Their team used a mix of splitboards and skis.
Results
First overall, first skis, first men: 1:49:06
Caelan McLean and Colin Abbott, Whitehorse
First mixed gear, mixed gender, second overall: 1:55:45
Erik Stevens, Haines
Leslie Cromwell and Jonny Cromwell, Haines Junction
First snowshoe, first women, fifth overall: 2:22:34
Josie Allen and Genevieve Bell, Haines
First snowboard, 18 overall: 4:11:48
Ruth O’Beirne and Timothé Lamoureux, Whitehorse
First Telemark skis, first family team: 2:29:29
Lizi Wirak and Tracy Wirak, Haines
Youngest team: 3:25:43
Dalton Henry, Arik Miller and Leo Wald, Haines
Best dressed: 4:34:20
Henry Leasia, Marie Boisvert, and Matthew Jillson, Haines
Youngest team member: 5:42:01
Zephyr Sincerny, Lylith Widmer, and Aven Sincerny (7 months), Haines
City cup (average time of the racers from each community)
Haines Junction 2:48:09 (3 racers)
Whitehorse 3:07:07 (22 racers)
Haines 3:49:08 (30 racers)
Juneau 3:51:37 (1 racer)
