March 1, 2021: I had to read Mike W’s late night trip report twice before it registered with me that he had just skied 100K on Goat Creek/Spray River.
Mike W (file photo)
Starting at 7 a.m from Goat Creek trailhead, he did two round trips to Banff, then finished his epic trip as follows…
Mike W skied across the Goat Creek bridge 6 times today.
“After another rewax and refuel at Goat Creek trailhead, I headed out for my last lap, as far as the Spray East/West junction. By now, the trail was deserted. I had to pull out my headlamp for the final Goat Creek section. This turned out to be a great psychological boost, as skiing by headlamp gives you the sensation of moving at a tremendous speed. Now I know how MAAD does his epic night trips!
About 3km from the end, I saw headlights from the other direction that looked like the groomer was coming my way, but it was two fat bikers. Back at the trailhead, I was the only car left in the lot, the wind had died down, and stars were out with a nearly-full moon. I can now last a week without skiing until the cold weather and snow hopefully returns!”
Congrats Mike, that’s incredible!
Heard about your trip from your family and it blew my mind away 🙂 Way to go!
Thanks. Whoever you are!
Way to persevere Mike. That’s 20km more than I’ve done continuously so can attest that the last lap must’ve been a grind. There is a decade old 100km ski tradition that happens every New Years(ish) in PLPP -double round the works including blueberry that you’d be well fitted for! Hope to cross paths one day 😉
Thanks Jeremy. My previous longest day was also 80km, in the Canadian Ski Marathon when I was less than half my current age. I’d never heard of the New Year’s 100km PLPP ski, but I found a few links to it on the web. However the whole point of my 100km ski was to never have to do it again!
Wow that’s incredible! Well done!
I would guess the other cars might have been hikers hoping to catch sunrise on Ha Ling
Perhaps, but they would have been disappointed. The sun didn’t come out of the clouds until about 11am. And the wind on Ha Ling would have been horrendous!
Mike W must be training for the longest race, 220 km above the Arctic Circle, in Sweden, https://www.nordenskioldsloppet.se/en/
last year the best times were just below 12hrs
Unfortunately, they won’t let me compete. “The competition honors the FIS rules … control of pole length is done at the start.” I use 160cm poles but the FIS max pole length for me would be 143cm! 😉
Height discrimination!
It is nice to know I still inspire people. I just wish it was with Making Alberta A (Real) Democracy rather than night skiing!
My secret is out on how to make mileage on skis! Ski at night fast with the headlamp so the Panthers and Griz don’t get you and get that rush effect of the trees going by real fast in the periphery vision.
Skiing at night allows you to go full throttle on the hills cause you know no one else is on the trail- unless they are skiing without a headlamp turned on. It does happen once in a Blue Moon. Be careful skiing on the Blue Moons.
It is always strange coming back to an empty parking lot. I never get over that feeling- where did everyone go?
What do you use for 100k ski fuel?
Hi MAAD. Since I was doing laps, I only had to carry enough food and fluid for 37km, and also ate and drank in the car while I was waiting for my glide wax reapplication to dry. Sort of like a loppet feed station. For food on each lap I carried a wrap and a muffin. For fluid I had about 700ml of water with ice tea mix added (primarily for the sugar content) and a pinch of salt substitute (potassium chloride) for electrolyte replacement. Everything home-made – no fancy bars, gels, or electrolytes. I often had short stops to adjust clothing so that I was always skiing slightly cool, to minimize fluid loss and keep my clothes dry.
It did feel strange coming back to the empty parking lot at night. It was like the world had ended and I missed the memo. I still can’t figure out the 8 cars in the parking lot when I drove in at 0630 Sunday morning. Did a bunch a people ski one-way Goat Creek to Banff Saturday afternoon and didn’t plan to pick up their cars until Sunday?
Thanks Bob, my second time on the front page in just over a week! – http://skierbob.ca/2021/02/sunday-morning-update-20/. Not in costume this time though!