268 trail runners and off season Nordic Skiers turned out on a hot sunny summer morning for the annual Elephant’s Perch Backcountry Run(10 miles/16.5 miles), north of Ketchum. The runners traversed from Hulen Meadows through Adams Gulch on a trail with many steep climbs and long descents, mostly single track.

Many SVSEF skiers were among the racers. Mike Sinnott, SVSEF ODT, won the Men’s 10 mile race, posting a time of 57.29, more than 3 and a half minutes ahead of 2nd place finisher Simi Hamilton (SVSEF ODT; 1:01:05); Reid Pletcher was 5th (1:20:11); SVSEF J1 Boys included Danny Sundali (8th/1:04:31), Andrew Pfeiffer (13th/1:08:00) and Torin Tucker (24th/1:12:43); and SVSEF Comp Team Coach Chris Mallory (22nd/1:12:25).
Morgan Arritola (SVSEF ODT/USST) won the Women’s 10 mile event (1:07:05), SVSEF ODT skier Alexa Turzian placed 3rd (1:09:27), Kate Whitcomb was 7th (1:14:15), and Maggie Williams, SVSEF J2, was 42 (1:30:10).

The Men’s 16.5 mile event included a loop through Fox Creek, where a bear demolished the Gatoraid at aid station number 4. Taylor Sundali, SVSEF/Middlebury College, placed 3rd (1:58:21). William Spiller, SVSEF J1, was 10th (2:22:15).

The race drew entrants from Boise, Twin Falls, McCall, Salt Lake City as well as the Wood River Valley.

Mike Sinnott, SVSEF ODT, out in front , approaching mile 9.

Torin Tucker, SVSEF J1, ahead of SVSEF Comp Team Coach Chris Mallory, approaching mile 9 (Photo: Kathryn Tucker)