Skiers crest the top of Rice Ridge in the annual OSCR 50K. This year, a 25K course will be marked Jan. 30 and Jan. 31. Skiers are invited to time themselves and ski the course unsupported.
SEELEY LAKE - Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the annual cross country skiing races Skiesta and the Biathlon have been postponed to next year while the 25k and 50k OSCR will take place unsupported.
Seeley Lake Nordic Club organizes the Biathlon and OSCR while Seeley Lake Elementary organizes Skiesta. Lynn Carey, club vice president and race director, said the Biathlon had to be canceled because it required every shooting station to have a handler which would be impossible with social distancing. He said the club is not the main force behind Skiesta.
Skiesta Race Director Bridget Laird said their decision to cancel the event was based on COVID-19 and the state and county requirements involved in hosting an event with over 25 people.
"I felt there was no way, even after going to the extra effort to meet these requirements, that race volunteers could control spectator grouping and I didn't want to be responsible for hosting a super spreader event with athletes and families from all over western Montana and Idaho," Laird said in an email. "At first we thought since a ski race is an outdoor event, it would be easy to retrofit, but then we started going through the requirements and decided it would be too much. ... I feel 100% confident that we made the right decision. We're still offering the Nordic Ski Team program. ... Next winter, we will be back and better than ever."
According to Carey, the only way organizers could hold the OSCR was unsupported because they were unable to get insurance and subsequently a service permit for the event. He said the insurance company did not want to be involved because of COVID-19 especially with large groups like races where it would be difficult to meet all of the guidelines.
As an alternative, they decided to mark the course, provide a clock and have individual skiers time themselves by providing start and end times on a notebook posted at the starting point. Participants are encouraged to begin somewhere between 8 - 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30 or Sunday, Jan. 31 so they can complete the course before nightfall.
The notebook will likely be removed at 4 p.m. on Jan 31. The results will be compiled into a spreadsheet and will be posted on https://www.seeleylakenordic.org most likely under the News tab instead of OSCR according to Carey. No registration or fees will be charged.
The course starting point is in front of the yurt at the Seeley Creek Nordic Trails, one mile up Morrell Creek Road. While participants can start whenever they want to, they will still have to follow the outlined course. One loop around the course is 25 kilometers and two is 50 kilometers.
Organizers will provide a table where participants can leave their water bottle, snacks or other supplies when 50 kilometer participants go on their second loop. While club members will be involved in the event and will be carrying cell phones in case of emergency, they will not be staffing aid stations or providing water.
Racers are encouraged to wear a mask when they are not skiing.
"We couldn't see canceling the OSCR after all these years, but we didn't want to stage a super spreader event, either," the club's website stated. "This is our solution." Carey does not believe this year's event will have an effect on future iterations.
"Our hands were just tired this year, you know, between the insurance and the permit," he said. "And then the county has so many hoops you have to jump through ... as far as how many people are going to be there. It's what we could do without totally canceling it."
The OSCR is the largest fundraiser for the Seeley Lake Nordic Club. Those interested can still donate online at seeleylakenordic.org or in-person at the trailhead in the metal ranger by the Forest Service kiosk. Funding will go towards grooming efforts.
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