We put on our cross country ski clothes every day of the event. I wish we could say that we actually went skiing as many days as we dressed for the activity but the weather worked against us more often than not.
The all volunteer crew who made the event happen were responsible for a favorable outcome and a safe event in spite of all weather related situations that I’m about to outline. They were outstanding servants to all attendees and their actions were always in the best interest of both guides and skiers.
Day 1: Donned ski clothing and went to the mountain! We got on the practice tracks and skied around something less than a mile and then took a break for lunch. It was our first day out and we wanted to find our “ski legs” again. After lunch, I went out alone to find the actual 2.5 kilometer course which we would execute twice in order to make a full 5 kilometer rally. Only one problem. I didn’t have a map. I stopped several guides on the in-field portion of the course to inquire if they had been on the larger portion of the 2.5 k and they all said they had not been able to follow the markers successfully. I thought my sense of direction was pretty good but I was unprepared and unwilling to become lost on a circuit in below-freezing temps. So I returned to the warming tent which contained two propane heaters, picnic tables, and a straw floor. I found my bride and there we waited for the bus to go back down the mountain.
By this time there should have been three buses waiting near the tent but I counted only two. I thought I somehow missed the first bus back. But with two buses still available, I wasn’t worried.
Inside the tent, word circulated that the *third* bus had never arrived. It slid into a snow bank on its way UP the mountain! No injuries. (Well, no injuries beyond the ego of one flustered tour-bus driver.) While that was sad news for the skiers on bus 3, we early birds were ready to return to the hotel. But there was a problem. In order to pull a tour bus out of a snow bank, the authorities needed to use the entire width of the widest part of the switchback turn to maneuver the heavy equipment and massive heavy-duty tow truck.
The SFL leadership and local guides made some quick phone calls for assistance. Answering the calls were the helpful townspeople of Casper! They drove their SUV’s to the scene, picked up as many skiers as they could safely fit in their vehicles, and shuttled them down the mountain. They could not get past the tour bus stuck in the snowbank, so drivers from beyond the crash brought skiers down as far as the blockage, then disembarked their skiers who then walked around the blockage and heavy equipment on the road. This worked for about 20 or so skiers but the sheriff put a stop to the shuttle operation. The traffic of people and SUVs were slowing the recovery effort. Big machines and pedestrians was NOT a good mix. (Not to mention that most of those on foot were not able to see well enough to avoid sudden and immediate danger if something went awry.) The sheriff did the right thing.
Some hours later, we made our way down the hill in a four-wheeled-drive school bus (!!!) from the county. The sheriff had it all worked out. A big shoutout to the fine people of Casper for their kindness and willingness to help the Ski For Light visitors. And a special thanks to Officer Sheets for his leadership and coordination of the eventual “rescue buses” from the county. Dinner was late but the hotel saved it for all 180 or so of us. Just a minor inconvenience after all.
Day 2: Donned ski clothing and *started* to the mountain! Then Marilee reported that she was hearing a strange “flapping” noise in the hallway as we were walking to the buses. So we stopped to see what bit of clothing or clip or whatever was making an odd sound on our backpacks. It wasn’t a backpack. It was her boot. The binding (also part of the boot sole) had separated from the bottom of the foot enclosure. Not good. No skiing today while we figured out how to fix this.
Instead of running around in a borrowed car, we made an appointment with a local outfitter for the next morning and spent the rest of the day enjoying an “alternate” activity. We visited a small museum in Casper. I played narrator for Marilee and we enjoyed learning new things about the area that we would have never encountered otherwise. Click the link to see what we saw. http://www.fortcasparwyoming.com/fort_caspar_exhibits
Day 3: First thing after breakfast the hotel shuttle drove us into downtown Casper for our appointment at the Mountain Sports Center. We purchased new boots, called for our ride, and rushed back to the hotel.
At the hotel (and you’ve heard this before), we donned ski clothing and *started* to the mountain! Hurrying as fast as we dared, we rounded the corner of the loading area expecting to see the bus filling with eager skiers and guides. Instead, we found skiers and guides sitting at tables and NOT filling the bus. The road to the mountain was closed again due to high winds and heavy snow.
Day 4: Donned ski clothing and went to the mountain! We got on the practice tracks and skied around something less than a mile and then took a break for lunch. Yes, you’ve seen that before in the Day 1 report. Getting to the mountain had become a major milestone. Getting back to the hotel was the other major milestone. Those two events made it a good day. Skiing was sorta relegated to a “nice-to-have” by-product of being up there.
Day 5: This was to be the day when race and rally participants would put the finishing touches on their technique and dial in their little adjustments to their timing strategy. But the weather did cooperate in any way shape or form. It was brutally cold and the windchill factor took the temperature well into the danger zone. Sure it might be survivable but we’re engaging in recreational cross country skiing, not endurance trials or rescue operations like ski patrol professionals. And the road was closed anyway, so the decision was out of SFL leadership’s hands.
From a northern vantage point near the hotel, the view is south. In the foreground lies the city of Casper extending to a snowy plain from which Casper Mountain rises. On the north facing slope of the mountain, the road to the summit can be seen as a white ribbon traversing to and fro from left to right in a tight pattern. That is the road on which we traveled if it was clear of snow and the winds were not too high.
Therefore, day 5 became “Friday Funday.” Participants, guides, SFL leadership folks, and local Casper attendees teamed up for a variety of inclusive activities. Some simply went shopping. Others visited the museums dedicated to the confluence of trails used by the 19th century emigrants who traveled west. Still others participated in biathlon shooting practice (indoors, no less!!), “speed friending,” and another small group signed up for a class in Kick Boxing. (No injuries were reported.)
Day 6: For the entire event, the situation was binary (go or no-go) and determined by outside forces and events — prevailing road conditions, weather, equipment failure. But today was perfect! We arrived on the mountain to warm sun, mild temperatures (high 20’s Fahrenheit), and low wind (only 10 mph with no gusts). The in-field tracks had been expanded to accommodate many skiers who had not the opportunity to practice on the 2.5 kilometer course. We did about 3 kilometers. It may have been boring to some degree but it felt good to have control of one’s progress along the track without worrying about going up or down hills especially when we had not practiced the circuit even once during our visit.
Overall, it was a satisfying experience. We’ll catch up on all the technique work next time.
You can learn more about Ski For Light (SFL) at their website. Click the link to get the full story on the SFL programs. sfl.org. We always have openings for guides.
No experience necessary. You will be introduced to the sport if you haven’t been on cross country skis and experienced SFL guide trainers will work with you on the guiding process used. There is also a program for the mobility impaired. Visit the website and discover your interest.
