Black Diamond's Powder Keg #6 lives up to its name - 15" of fresh snow forces course changes

Men's Race Division Winners: Pete Swenson (2nd), Brandon French (winner), Cary Smith (3rd) Photo by Craig Dostie courtesy Olympus E-510

Heading up Patsy Marley Ridge Photo by Jamie Starr

Alta, Utah — North America’s largest randonnée rally, the Powder Keg, saw 110 backcountry skiers skinning and skiing the slopes of Alta last Saturday, March 15th. Brandon French won the men’s race division with a time of 1:52:20 to climb and ski over 5200 vertical feet.

Due to a fresh coat of over 15 inches of powder the day before, the courses for the Race and Recreational divisions were modified, effectively reducing the total vertical from 5500 to 5200 feet for the race division, and from 3400 to 3100 vertical feet for the recreational division. Besides eliminating the last 300 vertical feet up Patsy Marley ridge, due to potential avalanche danger on the descent, the boot section from the in-bounds portion of the race to the ridge was also cut out.

The start of the race was also delayed due to Alta imposing an interlodge lock down between 6:15 am and 7:30 am to perform avalanche control work. Few lamented the changes, and the reason, too much fresh snow, was enjoyed by every racer on every descent.

The first leg of the Race course was a climb up to the top of the Collin’s lift, followed by a traverse out to Gunsight, and then rocketing downhill to the base of Patsy Marly ridge. From there the Recreational and Race courses were the same, skinning up a cat track to Michigan City, then up and on to the ridge to within 300 vertical feet of the summit of Patsy Marly. In succession the course then dropped to the base of Black Bess, up to its summit, down to Michigan City, and then up to the last summit of Davenport, the last climb of the course. From there is was all downhill, back to Michigan City, on to the cat track at the base of Patsy Marly, and then a final schuss-cum-skate to finish at the base of Alta.

Unlike most randonnée rally’s, the Powder Keg is one of the few races that is held in and out of bounds. In addition, it was also the first American event sanctioned as a World Cup event for randonnée racing. Due to conflicts with scheduling the Powder Keg was not a World Cup event this year, resulting in European contenders being notably absent from this year’s race. That made for a race that had the feel of a local event.

Skeptics usually point to the lack of backcountry-esqe conditions for mocking randonnée racing. With 15 inches of trademark Alta light fluff that argument was completely lacking for Powder Keg #6. The smile on every participants face at the end of the race was similar to the kind backcountry skiers wear, with the added satisfaction of having logged a full day of turn earning before noon.

Mens Race AT/Snowboard Division (4 legs, ~5200')

Women's Race AT/Snowboard Division (4 legs, ~5200')

Approaching Gunsight, Alta, UT. First part of the first downhill leg of the race division.

Men's Race Telemark Division (4 legs, ~5200')

Women's Race Telemark Division (4 legs, ~5200')

Heading up from the flats to Patsy Marley ridge on the first leg of the Recreational course, 2nd climb of the Race division. Photo by Craig Dostie

Men's Recreational AT/Snowboard Division (3 legs, ~3100')

Women's Recreational AT/Snowboard Division (3 legs, ~3100')

Men's Recreational Telemark Division (3 legs, ~3100')

Women's Recreational Telemark Division (3 legs, ~3100')