February 5th in Big Bear Lake, Calif. was the site of the 4th Annual Snowshoe the Bear 5K and 10K race. Despite the lack of winter weather, the race went smoothly and, this year, will be remembered as the anything-goes-except-skis snowshoe race. And with good reason.
One of the challenges for snowshoe racing in Southern California is you never know what winter will bring. In 2010, five feet of snow blanketed Big Bear Lake, home of Snowshoe the Bear, in weeks leading up to the race only to have solid sheets of rain douse racers as they scrambled to complete the course. This year it wasn’t rain that challenged racers, it was sun. Beautiful, glaring February sun and temps pushing 60.
Prior to the 10:00 am start, the town completely sold out of all spiked and steel-coiled implements to help racers gain traction on a course that was a combination of pavement, mud, dirt, ice and snow. City officials stepped in and dumped enough of the white stuff on Village Drive in downtown Big Bear Lake to cover the first 100 meters of the route and promote the vibe that this was a snowshoe race.
Pre-race buzz centered on footwear strategy. Race co-producer Paul Romero broadcasted instruction that asked racers to maintain a sense of adventure while Karen Lundgren took time to answer questions. “[Snowshoe the Bear] depends a lot on Mother Nature but since we can’t control her, we just make the best of it,” said Lundgren. “People are getting used to the idea that the event will go off not matter what.” In fact, not a single competitor in the 10K donned snowshoes, while about 25% of 5K racers deemed snowshoes beneficial for their course.
In the end a total of 215 racers braved the unlikely winter weather to compete in the 5K, 10K and Kid’s Fun Run. Participants age 6 to 80 took up the challenge. While Snowshoe the Bear is a relative new race, it is developing a good reputation according to Rick Bates, Director of Big Bear Lake’s Event Resource Office and adventure race series Open Air Big Bear. “Snowshoe the Bear is unique to Southern California; we have top flight athletes out there competing and others putting on snowshoes for the very first time,” adds Bates. This year professional and amateur athletes traveled from as far away as Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Mexico to compete.
10K
The first wave of racers tackled the 10K route. In the first mile the course climbs 1,000 feet with grades as high as 12 percent. Beyond mile two, the route mellows to a mostly flat course out to a turnaround point deep in the woods. Men’s 10K first place finisher and Atlas Snowshoe Company athlete Jesse Haynes, 38, described the course overall as “a straight up climb and tough like it should be but easier than Colorado races.” Haynes added, “The course was beautiful if you could take your eyes off your footing long enough to look.”
Haynes chose to compete in Snowshoe the Bear this year based on proximity – it’s only two-hours from his home base in Vista, California – and a chance to practice for upcoming Jeremy Wright Snowshoe Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado. (Hayne’s winning strategy for footwear: Saucony running shoes sans coiled implements.)
Rounding out the men’s 10K podium included a second place finish awarded to a prior Snowshoe the Bear men’s 10K winner Ted Devito, 27. Devito trailed Haynes by four minutes and wore Kahtoola MICROspikes. Another Big Bear local, Matt Smith, took third place tailing 13 minutes behind the leader.
For the women, local adventure race Heather Devito, 35, took first followed by Kristine Keever, 42. Rachel Grist, 27, finished third.
5K
As 10K racers neared the top of the initial climb; a field of more than 160 pushed off from the start for the 5K course.
The initial elevation gain is 450 feet and makes the first mile of the 5K challenging before it settles to a gentle, rolling out-and-back. Ninety percent of the 5K route contained snow according to Jim Dooley, 59, 5K competitor and owner of North Shore Trading Company, a local outfitter. Dooley described the snow’s surface as “like giant golf ball dimples.” He adds, “I’ve never had that kind of pain in my feet from stepping into a 10 inch dimple.”
Many racers chose to stay toward the side of the main route to avoid the divots. Dooley was initially tempted to use golf spikes for the race but settled on YakTrax for traction. The consensus: 5K racers that donned snowshoes had a much easier go of it.
The men’s 5K results showed a fairly close race between Andrew Mayer, 22, who finished 38 seconds ahead of Chris Morris, 22. Bruce Farouk, 26, trailed Morris by less than a minute and took 3rd. The first place overall finisher for the women was Candace McMullen, 26. In a pleasant surprise to spectators, 10-year-old Ellie Williams emerged from the forest in second place overall for the women but was awarded first place for the Junior division (16 & under). Following Williams was Libbey Smith, 24, with the official 2nd place finish in the Women’s 5K while Sarah Matusek, 34, finished in 3rd.
Those on the podium received medals and a gift bag that contained a variety of items, such as a set of Atlas snowshoes, eyewear from Smith Sport Optics, a pair of Sof Sol Footbeds, Elemental Herb products, active hydration from Nuun, and Keen socks and footwear.
Moving Forward
As Snowshoe the Bear continues to gain momentum, snowshoers can count on it taking place in Big Bear Lake on the first Saturday of February every year. And, as to inconsistency when it comes to snow condition, Romero is optimistic. “It won’t be remembered for 5-star snow.” This is true. “But instead a super fun vibe, where everyone is just having a good day, snow soft, music going,” Romero adds as DJ George spins another 70s tune for those that chose to linger in the 60 degree weather.
