7 Ways to Leap into March This Weekend
Here are 7 ways to leap into March this weekend, from snowshoe ultramarathons to fatbike slaloms and epic skimo races.
Feb. 28 | The Headlamp Hustle Snowshoe Shuffle, St. Johnsbury
See how many laps you can snowshoe in two hours on a one-mile loop built by the Caledonia Trail Collaborative on Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital land. This is a night event, starting at 6 p.m. so headlamps are needed. campscui.active.com
Feb. 28-March 1 | Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival, Newport
Choose your distance and stroke for this cold weather and cold water swimming festival in a lap lane carved out of Northeast Kingdom ice. Distances range from 25m to 200m. kingdomgames.co
Feb. 29 | Abe-BERM-Ham’s Fatbike Slalom, Suicide Six
A fatbike banked slalom three-quarter-mile downhill race that is on a course mellow enough for groms but challenging enough for experienced riders. Celebrate afterwards with an outdoor beer garden and food. The race will feature Men’s and Ladies’ Open and Masters divisions, Youth and Grom categories. Don’t have a fatbike? You can register to rent one from Suicide Six or check out some of the onsite demo options.
For more about this ride and others you won’t want to miss this spring, see “8 Fatbike Weekends Not to Miss.”
Feb. 29 | Sugarhouse 1.5-Mile or 5K, Shelburne
Head to Shelburne Sugarworks and Four-Season Outdoor Center for a hilly, beautiful run. If snow is on the ground, this will be a snowshoe race. racevermont.com
Feb. 29 | RASTA Skimo Race, Brandon
Head to the Rochester Area Sports Trail Alliance Backcountry Ski Area off of Brandon Gap for this USSMA-sanctioned race. The fifth in the NE Rando Race Series, the full competitive course features three circuits of climbing and descent and the shorter recreational course skips the bootpack. nerandorance.blogspot.com
For more about the rise of skimo racing in Vermont, where to rent and buy gear and why you should give it a try, check out “Going Uphill Fast.”
March 1 | Nor’easter Merck Forest Ultra, Rupert
The second annual Merck Forest Snowshoe Ultra: Run or walk a 25K or 50K snowshoe course at Merck Forest. Not an event for the faint of heart. netrailruns.com
March 1 | Jack Jump World Championships, Mount Snow
Dual slalom race for the best time. Speed, great racing and great crashes await those brave enough to race down the slopes on homemade sleds. And if you’re still wondering what jack jumping is, check out this story from our March/April 2019 issue. mountsnow.com
Featured Photo: Jack jumpers cruise down Mt. Philo in Charlotte, VT. Photo by Oliver Parini
