Organizations and businesses around town are scrambling to prepare for the Freeride World Tour, with event staff scheduled to begin arriving in Haines on Saturday, March 12.
The international ski and snowboard competition is returning to Haines, despite last year’s frustrating weather that kept athletes grounded for 10 days. This year’s weather window is March 17-25.
Thirty-three competitors will be among 80 people here for the event, including athletes, media and staff, said Haines Borough tourism director Leslie Ross.
Ross, who is facilitating the event and helping organize sponsors, said she is trying to push more integration between the out-of-towners and locals. “They brought a lot of business into town and this year they are going to try to do a little bit more interaction with the public,” she said.
For example, Ross is trying to set up times to show ski movies at local bars around town. They are also limiting the post-celebration awards banquet to dinner only, then sending people downtown, instead of including a band and after-dinner party at Harriett Hall.
“Hopefully we can have more celebration downtown after the event,” Ross said.
Bamboo Room and Pioneer Bar owner Christy Tengs Fowler is in favor of that plan. Tengs Fowler obtained a temporary permit to cater the “Athletes’ Lounge” at the Captain’s Choice, and has scheduled a band to play at the Pioneer Bar.
“Ten days of Freeride made all the difference last year,” Tengs Fowler said. “This is a tough time of the year and we really appreciate their business.”
Tengs Fowler’s son Marty, a photographer, will be working with the Freeride production crew again this year. After the Haines competition, Christy and Marty will travel to Switzerland for the final competition in Verbier, which Marty will also intern at.
Fogcutter Bar owner Kelly Jessup said he would like to see more events like Freeride brought to Haines, and is glad to see the borough participating in marketing the competition. “I think we need more events like that in town. As slow a winter as we are having this year, I think everyone probably feels that way,” Jessup said.
Tourism director Ross has about $5,000 in her events budget for Freeride. The event is a tricky one to market for several reasons. “It is a very difficult event to plan things around. It’s difficult to invite people to come to, because they can’t go up and see it, and we don’t know exactly what day it will be,” she said.
Ross is encouraging businesses to be open on March 15 and 16, the two days everyone will be in town but not yet competing. A welcome reception is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Sheldon Museum.
“It’s a time people can come in and meet the athletes and get autographs if they want,” Ross said.
Snow conditions are looking pretty stellar, Ross said. “Last report I got from Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures was that they had some of the best snow that they’ve ever seen,” she said.
SEABA is Freeride’s contract guide for the competition.
Backcountry skier and Haines Avalanche Information Center director Erik Stevens did a fly-over Tuesday to examine conditions. “Honestly, it looks really great right now,” he said.
Coverage is pretty good this year above the tree line, with soft, powdery snow. “It hasn’t been too wet or icy,” Stevens said.
The worst thing that could happen would be a rainstorm at mountaintop level, but based on weather forecast models he has looked at, Stevens doesn’t believe that is in the cards.
“It’s hard to say for certain that far away, but I haven’t seen any indication it’s going to be that warm of a March,” he said.
Freeride has identified eight potential areas for the competition, including two areas outside the borough-approved heli-skiing map that the assembly agreed to open in December. “As soon as the organizers get here, they’ll start scoping out the areas and they’ll make a decision,” Ross said.
Participants include 21 skiers (14 men and seven women) and 12 snowboarders (seven men and five women).