Snow conditions look good for the first major cross-country skiing event to be staged in the LaSal Mountains, organizers say.
A week in advance of the First Annual LaSal Overland Ski Race, about 54 inches of snow was measured near the Geyser Pass trailhead, said Pat Spahr, Moab Ranger District forester."It'll be good conditions, because they're groomed ski tracks. No one will be breaking trail and it'll be a smooth surface, so you can either kick and glide, or use the skating style," said race coordinator Tom Shellenberger, of LaSal Adventures Inc., sponsoring organization.
The 20-kilometer open-class loop race from Geyser Pass over the eastern mountain slopes and back is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 3.
Registration is at 9 a.m. at Rim Cyclery in Moab. Participants will take their own vehicles to the race site.
The $25 entry fee includes a T-shirt and buffet dinner afterward at Pack Creek Ranch and Inn. Registration the day of the event is $30.
Shellenberger said first- through third-place winners will be awarded Nordic ski trophies.
"We're trying to make it a fun race. We don't want people intimidated or scared off by the term race. Everybody's just going to have a good time," he said.