Two Squamish athletes are quickly becoming noticed in the ski mountaineering world.
Eric Carter and Nick Elson skied the Spearhead Traverse in a blistering three hours and 10 minutes and crushed the previously held FKT (fastest known time).聽 The Spearhead Traverse is the high alpine, horseshoe-shaped traverse that travels across the glaciers of the backcountry from Blackcomb to Whistler. 聽
A little bit of background: The first-ever completed traverse took nine days in 1964.聽
Carter, 28, and Elson, 30, have made Squamish their home to live and train in the Coast Mountains. As legendary as some of their athletic achievements are, both are humble, understated personalities who just go about doing what they do in the mountains 鈥� doing it quietly and without fanfare. 聽
While out exploring and enjoying the mountains, they鈥檝e left previous speed records shattered in their wake. Speed records on the Stawamus Chief, Black Tusk, Garibaldi Neve Traverse, Sky Pilot, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker have fallen to one or the other, or to both as a team.
This winter they intend to test their talents on an international stage at the ISMF World Cup Circuit and at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships. 聽 Ski Mountaineering racing or 鈥淪kimo,鈥� involves self-propelled ascending and descending of a set course in mountainous terrain on light-weight backcountry type ski gear. It is becoming increasing popular as a winter cross-over sport amongst the trail/mountain running community. 聽 While there is a circuit of Skimo races in North America, interest in the sport and talent is significantly more in Europe.聽
鈥淚 want to see how the Euros do ski mountaineering and hopefully make my own mark there in some little way or at least find out how I stack up,鈥� Carter said.
Some of the races in Europe will be solo efforts while others, like the renowned 鈥淧ierra Menta鈥� will be as a team. Carter and Elson have a partnership that works in part because of a comparable level of fitness, although Carter notes, 鈥淣ick is a crazy strong alpine climber and I struggle to follow him on technical ground 鈥� he definitely pulls the team there.聽
鈥淲e both have a fairly similar threshold for risk and discomfort. Some partnerships tend to push into dangerous terrain because either individual is unwilling to seem weak.聽
鈥淲e rarely have that problem. If one of us is particularly cold, tired, or scared, it is pretty easy to speak up and likely the other with confirm the feeling.鈥�
The mountain achievements of Carter and Elson have been a motivational force for a lot of local people in Squamish. 鈥淚 try to give back to the knowledge base for skiers looking to get into racing,鈥� Carter said.聽
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it helps the sport to keep training ideas and ski routes a secret.聽 The more people we can get stoked, the more the sport will grow.鈥� 聽
Carter has been a race organizer for the Dogtooth Dash race at Kicking Horse Resort and is one of the primary contributors to Skintrack.com.
The Ski Mountaineering World Cup Series kicks off in late January with notable races being the World Championships in Verbier Feb. 5 to 12 and the Pierra Menta long distance team stage race at Ar锚ches-Beaufort March 11 to 14.聽 聽
And about their speed record on the Spearhead, Carter said, 鈥淚t would be great to see someone else go out there and try to snatch it so we have a reason to get back and try it again.鈥�
You can follow Carter and Elson鈥檚 2015 Skimo race season through various social media links on their fundraising site:聽 .
