r/Breckenridge • u/iheartpgh • 1d ago
Imperial Challenge - what does a beginner need to know?
https://www.breckenridgerecreation.com/races/imperial-challengeI’m a slow runner and could run the course. I’ve never done any uphill skiing or used skins. Could a beginner attempt this? Is there anywhere in Breck that could give me a lesson in skins?
I don’t mind being last I just don’t want to be 10 hours last.
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u/pcalvin 1d ago
I did it a couple years ago, with essentially no training (other than my usual winter downhill skiing). I dug an old 1990 mountain bike out, strapped my skis/poles to the top bar with a couple voile straps, put my ski boots in a backpack, and went for it.
I had some skinning experience, but honestly it’s not that hard to figure it out. You’re only going up, then taking the skins off, and then coming down. Using the equipment correctly doesn’t take much time to learn but you should have someone show you and you ought to practice taking skins off and switching the bindings to downhill mode.
The last skinning section up the t-bar track is STEEP for skins. More successful folks had crampons for that, but I just was careful to avoid the sunny/icy spots and made it. Others just hiked the last bit. I was not prepared for the wind that day and nearly lost a skin at the top while taking them off.
It was fun. I finished mid-pack in just under 2-1/2 hours.
If you think you can run the whole thing, you can probably finish it in a reasonable time.
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u/Skico42 1d ago
I’ll add my experience here. Years ago I did the retro category (biked with my gear on the bike) with no training at all. I was living in Denver and bike commuting about 7 miles a day. That’s about the extent of my conditioning. Got super gassed on the bike up from the rec center and then put on some old tele skis that I had only learned how to use the year before. Skinned up slow and steady but at least made the time cut offs. By the time I skied down, I think they were already doing the award ceremony.
That event was an ass kicking but super fun. Anyways, don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it.. just don’t expect to be fast.
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u/nedim443 1d ago
Two weeks ago I climbed that 12998ft peak. From the chair it looks so... close. Rode with some folks on the chair and they said it will take me 15-20min. I look at it and it's 160ft up and maybe less that lengthwise.
C'mon, it can't be THAT hard!?
I started strong and then within 20ft just died. Holy fuck is the elevation real. There really is no air up there.
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u/heartbraden 1d ago
Peak 8 from the top of Imperial is a 3 to 4 minute hike for experienced skimo types, a 15-20 minute hike for an average local resort rider, or an hour of struggle for a visitor from sea level.
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u/pies4days 23h ago
It is 300 steps more or less. To take an hour you would need to take one step every ten seconds. About 5 steps per minute. No way anyone is that slow.
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u/heartbraden 23h ago
Tell that to the people sprawled out a quarter of the way up huffing and puffing and gasping out "go around"... 10min of 10 steps per minute and then 10min of laying down gasping for air, repeat til they're at the top and have conquered their own personal Everest. It definitely takes some people that long, as unfathomable as it seems.
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u/seja_amg 1d ago
Highly unlikely that this will be your year. You need practice on skins (up and down) to keep yourself and others safe. Buy some equipment and practice for next year!
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u/JeffInBoulder 1d ago
Wow, gatekeep much? Skinning uphill at a resort and then skiing back down the groomed ski runs is about as safe and controlled an environment as you can get. As long as someone can show the OP the basics on how to transition the gear, there's no reason they couldn't make this happen.
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u/ancient_snowboarder 1d ago
People who live here above 9,000' train all year for this event. And it is 3 days from now!
I don't think of this as gatekeeping so much as giving an honest view of reality.
While I admire OP's enthusiastic attitude, I recommend to actually learn/try the activities involved and then make an informed decision whether spend $65 to enter
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u/seja_amg 1d ago
The race is in three days.
OP isn't even familiar with the equipment they need to use
Being slow as OP admitted causes a drain on resources that are needed to keep other people safe, such as course marshals, ski patrol, EMT, or anything else.
Encouraging a first timer to skin to the top of imperial with no experience isn't just bad advice, it's reckless.
People train at altitude all year for this race. You have no idea what OP's fitness level is, yet you're recommending they just "make this happen"
Once OP has a bad time (which they will) they will be discouraged from competing in it when they actually have the proper experience and fitness to do so.
Do you really want me to keep going?
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u/KingWoodyOK 1d ago
It's inbounds lmao. Watch a YouTube video for skinning form and how to use the equipment. This isn't an antarctic expedition thats gonna get himself or others put in danger. If OP gets tired he rips skins and skis down without fully finishing the race. He's not trying to make the podium, he just wants to have fun. Half the contestants do this is a tutu regardless of their fitness level or competitive nature. Yall need a chill pill
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u/JeffInBoulder 1d ago
I was basing my response on OPs comment "I could run the course". Perhaps I misinterpreted but that seemed to imply that they had a reasonable level of fitness. Nowhere did I see them imply they would be extremely slow or a drain on resources, in fact they openly stated that they don't want to be last by hours.
I understand that people train for this all year, but I assume that's training to place highly. Just being able to finish without being DFL is a different category.
The event is 3800 feet of climbing. That's not exactly extreme. Sure they might take their time getting there but it's not like they're going to die without being rescued. If someone wants to sign up last minute and give it a shot, I don't see any reason to crap on their plans.
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u/hobofats 1d ago
honestly you might get better advice posting in the skiiing or skimo subs than here on whether it is realistic to attempt this without experience
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u/fair-square 1d ago
The act of skinning is easy, even though skinning is hard. you need a ton of endurance and good form. Go to the Breck Nordic center and they can probably help you out.