Wy’Easter Skimo Race
Saturday, March 29th 2025 (Individual)
Sunday, March 30th 2025 (Sprint)
presented in partnership with:
Mt. Hood SkiBowl and Timberline Ski Area
Overview
We are pleased to announce Wy’easter 2024 will be a USA Skimo National Cup event! The National Cup Series showcases 4 - 6 races across the nation and participants accumulate points. At the end of the season, the top 3 podium positions are awarded medals for the Individual, Sprint, and Vertical races. We are pleased to host the only National Cup race along the West Coast.
An exciting and beautiful set of courses at one of the most iconic peaks in the Pacific Northwest, our very own Wy’east! The uphill grind for the downhill party, this grassroots skimo race is designed to create a fun, positive, and inclusive atmosphere to test your skills, build community, and introduce you to this fast and light endurance sport. Portland’s Mountain Shop has been hosting skimo racing on Hood for years now and we are excited to bring it to the next level with SnowGoat Skimo.
The Wy’easter Skimo Series will be offering 3 courses over two-days where you will skin, ski/splitboard, and bootpack (or some combination of these) your way to the finish line. Sign up for one race or the whole series! Whether you are a hardcore skimo athlete in spandex, a newer skier/splitboarder, or a recreational backcountry skiing/splitboarding/telemark enthusiast there is a race and place for you!
USA Skimo governs competitive skimo racing in the US and organizes a national point, Cup, and Championship Series. As a sanctioned race, Wy’easter will qualify all racers in the Full Division to compete for the national points series. A USA Skimo membership is required for all racers competing in the Full Distance (day and season memberships available).
This race is held on the traditional homelands of the Siletz, Cascades, and the Confederate Tribes of Grand Ronde. The name Wy’East comes from the Multnomah tribe who resided on the banks of the Columbia. We encourage you to learn more about these tribes, their land, and their history, and pay proper respect as we travel through the snow and trees.
Click on image for higher resolution.
Long Course
Randonee style (race that includes skinning uphill, bootpacking while carrying your skis on your pack, and skiing downhill) race starting at Ski Bowl base area. The long course is for you vert lovers and steep skiing enthusiasts! The course will be marked with flagging and there will not be aid stations. The vertical gain is about 5,000ft and estimated duration ranges from 2 to 4 hours.
Click image for higher resolution. Gain roughly 2,300’
Short Course
Our short course is perfect for recreational uphill skiers or people looking for a shorter effort. All of our Short Course will remain in the ski area boundary and racers will not be required to carry avalanche safety equipment. The course will descend a black ski run. The course will be marked with flagging and there will not be aid stations.
Sprint course
Mt. Hood Skibowl
The sprint race is a high-intensity, short-distance event that includes three main sections: a skinning ascent, a bootpack climb, and a marked downhill course through gates.
True to its name, this is a fast-paced competition designed to be completed in roughly three minutes by the quickest participants. The course involves a total elevation gain and loss of around 100 meters, with racers beginning and ending at nearly the same location. The event kicks off with an individual qualifying round, where participants start 20 seconds apart. Those who advance compete head-to-head in heats of six racers.
While the uphill sections are often on packed snow, the downhill portion is crafted for excitement, featuring off-piste elements, gates, and occasional small jumps. Sprint races typically progress through multiple stages, including qualifying rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final heat, with each heat accommodating up to six competitors.
Schedule
Thursday, March 27th
1800 -1900 | Bib Pickup - Mountain Shop
Friday, March 28th
1800 - 2000 | Bib Pickup - Ratskeller (Government Camp)
Saturday, March 29th (Individual)
Timeline will be posted closer to race date and will be included in racer packet.
Sunday, March 31st (Sprint)
Timeline will be posted closer to race date and will be included in racer packet.
Required Gear
For the Full Distance, follow the USA Skimo Mandatory Gear List.
**New for 2025: Notably, dual skiing/climbing helmets (EN 1077 and EN12492/UIAA 106) are required. A ski retention system is also required.
For those who are racing recreationally, please have the following:
-Beacon, shovel, and probe (only for Long Individual Race)
-Helmet must be worn the entire race (skimo, skiing, climbing, or bike helmets allowed)
-Eye protection
-Skis or snowboard with metal edges and retention system, minimum length 160cm for men, 150cm for women for skis.
-Climbing skins
-Pack that can carry skis (only for Individual Race, both Long and Short Courses)
-Windproof upper body layer
-Water bladder or bottle
Register
Sprint Race (Saturday, March 29): $55
Long Course Race (Sunday, March 30): $105
Short Course Race (Sunday, March 30): $70
$15 discount to register for both races at the same time
50% discount for Youth <18 (use code “Youth” at checkout)
Price increases $10 on January 28th.
Prices increase $20 on March 14th.
Prices increase $30 for registration morning of the event. Online Registration closes Friday at Noon. If you register after Wednesday at 8pm, your bib will not be at bib pickup. If the race fees are unaffordable for you, please see our Financial Hardship policy.
Category Breakdown
USA Skimo Categories: Participants will compete in the same categories recognized by USA Skimo:
U14 – Ages 14 and under (shortened race course)
U16 – Ages 15-16 (shortened race course)
U18 – Ages 17-18 (shortened race course)
U20 – Ages 19-20 (full distance)
U23 – Ages 21-23 (full distance)
Senior – Open (ages 24-44, full distance)
Masters – Ages 45+ (full distance)
For those who prefer a less competitive experience, we’re offering a recreation category for both the long and the short course. This is perfect for participants who want to enjoy the race environment without becoming a member of USA Skimo or the pressure of competing for points. Please note: racers in this category are not eligible for the National Points Series.The race descends double black diamond and off-piste runs, so race participants need to be comfortable navigating this terrain.
USA Skimo Membership
For all racers entering and wanting to gain points, you must first register for a USA Skimo Membership. Once a member, a skimo racer will be able to compete for national points within the USA Skimo sanctioned races, among other benefits. Your member ID will be required during race registration on Webscorer. No membership is needed for the Recreational Distance, unless you intend to compete for Youth USA Skimo Points.
AWARDS
Awards will be given to the full podium Women/Men/Non Binary for the Vertical Open and Individual Long Open, and to the 1st Place Women/Men/Non Binary in the Vertical Heavy Mettle, Vertical Splitmo, Vertical Youth, Individual Rec Open, Individual Rec Youth, Individual Long Heavy Mettle, Individual Long Splitmo. To decrease waste, categories with no entrants two weeks prior to the race will not have an award be created.
Volunteer
Please see our Volunteer page to sign up or learn about all the perks of volunteering!
Lodging
There are a number of lodging options in Government Camp and the surrounding area. Here are a couple of options we recommend:
Best Western Mt. Hood Inn - Located in Government Camp, this no-frills hotel does the trick and is smack dab between the starting locations for Saturday’s and Sunday’s races.
Collins Lake Resort - Also located in Government Camp, Collins Lake Resort offers condos in varying sizes. Use code SUMMERSKI for 10% off your reservation.
Rhododendron and Welches are 15-20 minutes down the mountain towards the West and offer a few more options that would limit the drive from Portland.
driving directions
Skibowl is located just west of Government Camp on Highway 26.
general rules
The race staff reserves the right to delay, alter, or cancel the start based on snow, weather, and safety conditions.
Race takes place at an operational ski resort. All racers will yield to resort guests and adhere to the skier Responsibility Code. Racers will comply with any directions issued by the ski area staff or race officials.
Racers are required to stay within 5' of the established skin track on the uphill portions. During downhill portions, racers will stay with 30' of course markings.
Transitions must occur within the marked off transition area.
Racers agree to equipment checks before, during, and after the event.
If opt to not finish the race, you MUST check in with the timing staff to know you've left the course. Otherwise we will begin calling your emergency contacts and worrying them!
Any transgression of a rule will result in a time penalty or DQ at the discretion of the race staff.
Racers should be prepared for variable weather including but not limited to snow, high winds and cold temperatures as well as rain and above freezing temperatures. A second pair of backup skins is not a bad idea if they wet out.
