Wy’Easter Skimo Race

Saturday, March 30th 2024 (Vertical)
Sunday, March 31st 2024 (Individual)

presented in partnership with:
Mt. Hood SkiBowl and Timberline Ski Area

Overview

We are pleased to announce Wy’easter 2024 will be a USA Skimo National Cup event! The National Cup Series showcases 4 - 6 races across the nation and participants accumulate points. At the end of the season, the top 3 podium positions are awarded medals for the Individual, Sprint, and Vertical races. We are pleased to host the only National Cup race along the West Coast.

An exciting and beautiful set of courses at one of the most iconic peaks in the Pacific Northwest, our very own Wy’east! The uphill grind for the downhill party, this grassroots skimo race is designed to create a fun, positive, and inclusive atmosphere to test your skills, build community, and introduce you to this fast and light endurance sport. Portland’s Mountain Shop has been hosting skimo racing on Hood for years now and we are excited to bring it to the next level with SnowGoat Skimo.

The Wy’easter Skimo Series will be offering 3 courses over two-days where you will skin, ski/splitboard, and bootpack (or some combination of these) your way to the finish line. Sign up for one race or the whole series! Whether you are a hardcore skimo athlete in spandex, a newer skier/splitboarder, or a recreational backcountry skiing/splitboarding/telemark enthusiast there is a race and place for you!

USA Skimo governs competitive skimo racing in the US and organizes a national point, Cup, and Championship Series. As a sanctioned race, Wy’easter will qualify all racers in the Full Division to compete for the national points series. A USA Skimo membership is required for all racers competing in the Full Distance (day and season memberships available).

Vertical course

Timberline Ski Area

This race is held on the traditional homelands of the Siletz, Cascades, and the Confederate Tribes of Grand Ronde. The name Wy’East comes from the Multnomah tribe who resided on the banks of the Columbia. We encourage you to learn more about these tribes, their land, and their history, and pay proper respect as we travel through the snow and trees.

Timberline Summit Pass to Timberline Ski Area, uphill only.

Not much of a skier/splitboarder? No problem! Never tried skimo before? This would be a great first race! Like moving fast uphill? This race is for you to really shine!!

This is an uphill only “vertical” race starting at Timberline Summit Pass in Government Camp, OR and ending up at Timberline Lodge with awards and post-race party at Timberline. The race will take place on Alpine Trail and move up through inbounds areas of Timberline Ski Area ending at the lodge. Participants will be responsible for getting themselves back to Timberline Summit Pass in Government Camp after the race festivities either via ski down or arranging a ride from Timberline Lodge. Climbing skins are required on your skis or splitboard and we can bring a drop bag with warm clothes up to the lodge for you for the post-race festivities (you’ll need to get your gear back down after the race)!

This is a sustained climb with a vertical gain of about 2,000ft over 3.5 miles with an estimated duration between 40 minutes and 2 hours. The race ends at the Timberline Lodge and does not include a ski descent. The course will be marked with flagging and there will not be aid stations. Racers will be responsible to descend from Timberline Lodge - by skis/snowboard or car.

Individual Course

Mt. Hood Skibowl

Caltopo Course

Long Course

Randonee style (race that includes skinning uphill, bootpacking while carrying your skis on your pack, and skiing downhill) race starting at Ski Bowl base area. The long course is for you vert lovers and steep skiing enthusiasts! The course will be marked with flagging and there will not be aid stations. The vertical gain is about 5,000ft and estimated duration ranges from 2 to 4 hours.

Click image for higher resolution. Gain roughly 2,300’

Recreational Course

Our Recreational course is perfect for newer uphill skiers or people looking for a shorter effort. All of our Recreational Course will remain in the ski area boundary and racers will not be required to carry avalanche safety equipment. The course will descend a black ski run. The course will be marked with flagging and there will not be aid stations.

Schedule

Thursday, March 28th
1800 -1900 | Bib Pickup - Mountain Shop
Friday, March 29th
1800 - 2000 | Bib Pickup - Ratskeller (Government Camp)
Saturday, March 30th (Vertical only at Timberline)
0700 | Check In opens
0730 | Cutoff to have your drop bag shuttled up to Timberline Lodge
0750 | Line up at Start Line
0800 | Race Start!
1000 | Awards Ceremony at Timberline Lodge Day Lodge

Required Gear

For the Full Distance, follow the USA Skimo Mandatory Gear List.

**New for 2024: Notably, dual skiing/climbing helmets (EN 1077 and EN12492/UIAA 106) are required. A ski retention system is also required. Brakes are recommended, but just for the 2024 transitional year, leashes will be allowed.

For the Recreational Distance, please have the following:
-Beacon, shovel, and probe (only for Long Individual Race)
-Helmet must be worn the entire race (skimo, skiing, climbing, or bike helmets allowed)
-Eye protection
-Skis or snowboard with metal edges and retention system, minimum length 160cm for men, 150cm for women for skis.
-Climbing skins
-Pack that can carry skis (only for Individual Race, both Long and Rec Courses)
-Windproof upper body layer
-Water bladder or bottle

Register

Click here to register

Vertical Race (Saturday, March 30): $35
Long Course Race (Sunday, March 31): $75
Recreation Course Race (Sunday, March 31): $40
$15 discount to register for both races at the same time
50% discount for Youth <18 (use code “Youth” at checkout)
Price increases $10 on January 1st.
Prices increase $20 on March 17th.
Prices increase $30 for registration morning of the event. Online Registration closes Friday at Noon. If you register after Wednesday at 8pm, your bib will not be at bib pickup. If the race fees are unaffordable for you, please see our Financial Hardship policy.

Category Breakdown

Vertical: Open, Heavy Mettle, Splitmo, Youth
Recreation Distance: Open, Splitmo, Youth
Long Distance: Open, Heavy Mettle, Splitmo

The Heavy Mettle category we are adjusting the criteria for to open it up to more “general ski tourers”. The Heavy Mettle will consist of splitboarder, tele, and AT Skiers with skis 86mm and wider underfoot.

For the Recreation Distance, the day is more focused on fun than on the racing. We have taken out the division between the Open/Heavy Mettle, since anyone on race specific gear should be doing the Long distance.

Regardless, it will be posted in the results what general type of equipment you will be racing on. You will be able to look over the results and compare your results to others on a similar type of gear.

USA Skimo Membership

For all racers entering the Full Distance, you must first register for a USA Skimo Membership. Annual membership is $40 and a weekend membership is $15. Once a member, a skimo racer will be able to compete for national points within the USA Skimo sanctioned races, among other benefits. Your member ID will be required during race registration on Webscorer. No membership is needed for the Recreational Distance, unless you intend to compete for Youth USA Skimo Points.

AWARDS

Awards will be given to the full podium Women/Men/Non Binary for the Vertical Open and Individual Long Open, and to the 1st Place Women/Men/Non Binary in the Vertical Heavy Mettle, Vertical Splitmo, Vertical Youth, Individual Rec Open, Individual Rec Youth, Individual Long Heavy Mettle, Individual Long Splitmo. To decrease waste, categories with no entrants two weeks prior to the race will not have an award be created.

Volunteer

Please see our Volunteer page to sign up or learn about all the perks of volunteering!

Lodging

There are a number of lodging options in Government Camp and the surrounding area. Here are a couple of options we recommend:

Best Western Mt. Hood Inn - Located in Government Camp, this no-frills hotel does the trick and is smack dab between the starting locations for Saturday’s and Sunday’s races.

Collins Lake Resort - Also located in Government Camp, Collins Lake Resort offers condos in varying sizes. Use code SUMMERSKI for 10% off your reservation.

Rhododendron and Welches are 15-20 minutes down the mountain towards the West and offer a few more options that would limit the drive from Portland.

driving directions

Timberline Summit Pass is located immediately east of Government Camp off Highway 26.

Skibowl is located just west of Government Camp on Highway 26.

general rules

The race staff reserves the right to delay, alter, or cancel the start based on snow, weather, and safety conditions.

Race takes place at an operational ski resort. All racers will yield to resort guests and adhere to the skier Responsibility Code. Racers will comply with any directions issued by the ski area staff or race officials.

Racers are required to stay within 5' of the established skin track on the uphill portions. During downhill portions, racers will stay with 30' of course markings.

Transitions must occur within the marked off transition area.

Racers agree to equipment checks before, during, and after the event.

If opt to not finish the race, you MUST check in with the timing staff to know you've left the course. Otherwise we will begin calling your emergency contacts and worrying them!

Any transgression of a rule will result in a time penalty or DQ at the discretion of the race staff.

Racers should be prepared for variable weather including but not limited to snow, high winds and cold temperatures as well as rain and above freezing temperatures. A second pair of backup skins is not a bad idea if they wet out.