The Tahoe Rim Tour and Race

There is something special about skiing a point-to-point race. It often feels like more of an accomplishment to arrive somewhere different than where you started after skiing hard for 5, 10, or even 30 kilometers. Point to point races can make you feel like an explorer, an adventurer—someone who is really going places in this world!

Far West Nordic has teamed up with Northstar Resort and Tahoe XC to create “The Tahoe Rim Tour,” a new 30 kilometer Race and Tour to debut on Sunday, January 27th, 2008. This event is open for everyone from serious racers to tourers who want to take their time and enjoy the spectacular route across the Tahoe Rim. There will be an aid station near the mid-way point providing water, energy drink, and snacks to help fuel the participants through to the finish.

The race will begin at the North Tahoe High School in Tahoe City and will cruise through parts of the Tahoe XC Touring Center before climbing up the “Fiberboard Freeway” over 7,700 ft. Starratt Pass. After the top of the pass, the race will veer off from the familiar course of the Great Ski Race and will instead head east along the Tahoe Rim before connecting into the trail system of Northstar Cross Country. The course will finish by following the rolling terrain of the Northstar trails to the finish line at the Cross Country Center at Northstar. It’s a challenging 30 kilometers of skiing with approximately 2000 feet of climbing, similar in difficulty to the Great Ski Race. After reaching the finish, participants can celebrate their accomplishment at the post race party: hot food, drinks, raffle prizes and more will take place right at the finish area and buses will be waiting to take finishers back to Tahoe City.

There are three great options for entrants in the Tahoe Rim Tour: you can choose between classic style skiing, skate skiing, or snowshoeing. The classic skiers will start first at 8:30 AM to take advantage of the fresh groomed tracks and the (hopefully) good waxing conditions. The skate wave will start at 9:00 AM and the snowshoers will start immediately after the skaters. The course will be groomed with classic tracks on the right and a wide skating lane on the left. There should be plenty of room for everyone. Prizes will be awarded for age group winners in each of the three categories: Stride, Skate, and Shoe.

A special emphasis will be placed on the classic portion of the race as these results will count for points in the Fisher Cup Race Series, the Sierra Ski Chase, and in the Masters team qualifying series. The Tahoe Rim Tour is the only long classic race in the Far West division. This is your chance to see how your striding skills hold up over 30 kilometers!

The Tahoe Rim Tour will be a fund raiser for the Far West/Auburn Ski Club Junior Nordic programs. Northstar Resort and Tahoe Cross Country are generously donating their services to make this tour an incredible winter experience and to help raise money for Tahoe’s young skiers. It is a win, win, win event giving people a chance to challenge themselves on a new course, with three different choices of style, and all of the proceeds going to junior skiers. Come join us for the first Annual Tahoe Rim Tour!