Thanks to Leap Year, an inch of new snow arrived on the evening of February 29, and we did not have a snow-less month; but it was close. The snowpack has proved durable and resilient this season, and the Bear Valley Adventure Company has kept 30+ kilometers of trails open thanks to the hard work of the outside operations crew.
On February 8, the start line at the 47th Annual Bear Valley Bjornloppet XC Ski Race was buzzing with 65 racers from both near and far. In addition to a strong showing of local skiers, it was exciting to welcome two elite athletes, Kyle Bratrud, as the current XC National Champion, and Kelsey Phinney, a World Cup XC racer with impressive finishes in Europe, Asia, and North America. This would be Kyle's first-time skiing in California, the sun was out, and the course was fast. On your mark, get set … GO!
After the first lap, it was apparent that other strong skiers were racing. Most notable was Jacob Adicoff, who we learned at the banquet was a silver medalist at the 2018 PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games. Another impressive performance came from Matt Seline, who is now the U18 State Champion, and entered the Bjornloppet as his first 20K race. Matt broke a pole early on the course and had to do most of the first lap sans one pole until a replacement was available on the second lap. Now Matt is preparing for the XC Skiing Junior National Championship in Lake Tahoe on March 8th - 14th. Good luck Matt, and keep skiing fast!
Other notable local racers in the 20K distance were Paul Petersen, George Hall, and Vicky Johnson, all taking 1st place in their age category. Vicky also took 3rd Women's Overall. For a full race summary, pictures, and results, please visit our Adventure Blog at www.bvadventures.com/adventure-blog.
Although spring officially doesn't arrive until March 19, the recent dry and warm conditions highlight that ski maintenance and tuning make all the difference on the trails. Specifically, base cleaning and wax are critical. When the snow gets old (aka - long gaps between fresh snow), it accumulates pine needles, bark, and dirt. This mixture creates grime that sticks to the bottom of skis and hinders the glide. A good practice is to wipe down skis with a clean rag after each outing on the snow. If grime accumulates, a citrus-based cleaner can assit in cleaning. Once the skis are clean, it is essential to maintain a thin layer of wax. Feel free to bring your skis into the shop for an inspection and cleaning and waxing if needed.
Tom's race is coming up on April 4 and will be our last race of the season. This 5K or 10K event is open to stride skiers of all ages and abilities; sorry, no skate skiing in this race. This event is a memorial to Paul Tom Reichle, who was an avid Bear Valley skier. Tom was big and not very fast but didn't mind where he finished. Tom often won the party with his positive and welcoming demeanor.
Looking for a new, or lightly used, pair of cross country skis or snowshoes? Visit the store where last season's skis are marked down 30%. Plus, on April 1 (no joke), our rental skis and snowshoes will go on sale at even more significant discounts.
Other upcoming BVAC events:
March 22 - Try It & Like It with a discounted Intro. To XC Skiing Packages (stride & skate)
April 12 – Adventurous Easter Egg Hunt in the meadow
April 19 – Tour de Bear Valley & Season Pass Holders Appreciation Lunch
The Bear Valley Adventure Company looks forward to the second half of the winter season and seeing folks out enjoying the outdoors. Cheers!
This article was submitted for the March 2020 edition of Bear Valley’s Cub Reporter published by Eric Jung.
