Kimball best competition as Bridger Bowl crowns 2012 King and Queen of the Ridge
This Saturday marked the 10th annual King and Queen of the Ridge competition at Bridger Bowl. From 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. skiers challenged themselves against the mountain, some hiking more than 10,000 vertical feet to earn the title of “King” and “Queen.”
Nikki Kimball of Bozeman bested the competition, logging a new women’s record with 27 laps. Eric Knoff and Nathan Opp split the title of “King,” hiking the ridge 26 times.
The King and Queen of the Ridge acts as a fundraiser for the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. Since 2003, the event has raised more than $89,000. Those funds go directly to educating the public on the risks of avalanches — and how to avoid them.
“What the avalanche center does is helps people make decisions,” said avalanche specialist Mark Staples. “When people are in the backcountry skiing or snowmobiling, there is no one there telling them what to do. We are just providing information so they can make informed decisions to stay alive.
“Events like this are how we provide that education.”
The King and Queen of the Ridge grew from Bridger Bowl’s abundance of backcountry terrain and the desire of skiers to experience it, accord to Doug Wales, marketing director for Bridger Bowl.
“There has always been a certain status to say how many laps you could do in a day up the Ridge,” Wales said Tuesday. “That has always been a badge of honor. When we put this event together that was the challenge — to see how many times they could get up and back down.”
With the opening of Schlasman’s Lift in 2008, the ski area expanded access to the Ridge.
But that expansion came with a caveat for skiers — be prepared by carrying proper avalanche gear, be aware of the risks and ski within your limits.
“Avalanche education is such an important part of what we do, especially with the interest in out-of-bounds skiing,” Wales said. “Doug Chabot and all those guys (at GNFAC) do a great job in putting together a good forecast for the area and educational programs for people. If you are interested in backcountry skiing, it is highly advisable to take one of those classes.”
Skiers on Saturday began their treks above the Bridger chairlift. They hiked 400 vertical feet to the Ridge and skied down the Sluice Box trail to start the hike anew.
Not for the faint of heart, King and Queen of the Ridge competitors tend to be a hardy bunch.
“The top finishers, they are doing laps — taking skis off, getting a drink of water, hiking and putting their gear back on again — in less than 10 minutes,” Wales said. “They are doing that over and over for 5 hours. It’s pretty amazing what they do.”
Related posts:
- Bridger Bowl to hold lottery for 175 red Riblet chairs from recently retired lifts
- Going out with a bang: Bridger chair lift’s last day one to remember
- Bucket List 2012: New Year’s resolutions (and destinations) for the active Montanan
- Bridger Ski Foundation seeks trail pass donations to support grooming efforts
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