The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Costumes, heavy-hitters and fun for all
by Laura Puckett Daniels
The 34th Annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon is Saturday, February 1 and has something for everyone. Here’s a list of helpful hints and suggestions for both participants and spectators. By the way, there’s still time to join us as a participant, volunteer or spectator. Learn more at cbnordic.org/event/the-alley-loop.
Where to register and get your bib: Walk-up registration is available at the Queen of All Saints Parish Hall on Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m.
Bib pick-up is the same: Queen of All Saints Parish Hall on Friday, 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 7 to 10 a.m. Additional 1K and 3K bib pick-up is available Saturday, 11 a.m. to noon at the Nordic Center.
Where to cheer: Anywhere along Elk Avenue makes for a good view of the start/finish, but the best spectating is often on the dodgy corners. We suggest 1st and Elk (where racers come off of Old Kebler Road) or 3rd and Elk.
9 to 9:40 a.m.—Race wave starts: 42k, 21k, collegiate, 10k, 5k
12:15 p.m.—Race wave starts: 1k and 3k
Where to celebrate: Alley Loop Finish Expo—10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Second and Elk
Alley Loop Awards—3 p.m. at the Mallardi Theater
Crafted—2 to 7 p.m. at the Elevation Hotel in Mt. Crested Butte
What to wear: We’ve polled some of our resident costume gurus and compiled this list to help you put together the bestest and brightest festive outfit for Saturday.
Tip 1: Squad Up. Veteran Alley Loop skiers universally recommend having a group costume. Not only is it way more fun, but also a group generates more good ideas for both the theme and how to pull it off. “Creativity spirals up in a group,” says local skier Sonda Donovan. But, veterans caution, be careful of costumes where you’re linked together. They’re harder to ski in, and, when you fall it can have a domino effect, bringing the whole ship crashing down.
Tip 2: Ski It Out. It may seem like common sense, but your costume for a SKI race needs to allow you to SKI. Some great ideas are very un-skiable! For example, Sonda tells us, “It’s really hard to ski in an inner tube!” Who knew? Sonda recommends, “Consider your distance: if you’re skiing the 42K, keep it simple. If you’re doing the 5K, go big!” Fun tights and headwear are a good route if you’re racing seriously, whereas bigger cardboard structures can be fun for recreational skiers. Kate Seeley, local artist and mastermind behind many memorable Alley Loop costumes, reminisced about when she and a friend were dressed up as people in an outhouse: “We realized that if we fell we would have blocked the course on the bridges and been in the way of serious competitors.” When in doubt, ski it out!
Tip 3: Not for the Paint of Heart. Body paint is a great way to spice up a costume in no time. Kate Seeley says, “Paint is effective because it isn’t heavy or hard to lug around, but you can make your face unrecognizable.” She recommends Snazaroo face paint, but has also had great success with generic acrylic paint. But, be careful, she says: paint can get warm. If you use acrylic, it’s made of plastic and won’t let your skin breathe, so it’s not good for competitors. To get acrylic paint off, dip your face in a sink of water to loosen it and it’ll just peel off.
Tip 4: Plan Your Escape. Plan how you’re going to use the bathroom in your costume. If you’re skiing the Alley Loop recreationally, you may need to make a pit stop, or at the very least go beforehand. Be sure your costume allows for you to get out when you need to!
Tip 5: Stick to It. One Alley Loop veteran recommends cardboard and a hot-glue gun as the best way to build a structural costume, though his costumes usually do require a couple weeks of work in the garage before the event. Another veteran skier recommends duct tape, tying and zip ties as more secure and less likely to fail in the cold. “It’s far more entertaining for the ones skiing and the onlookers to have cumbersome and clever costumes. It inspires the paparazzi in the masses.”
Where and when to rent skis: Equipment rental is available at the Nordic Center starting Friday at 3 p.m. You CAN keep your gear overnight, but it must be returned by 5 p.m. on Saturday. Season pass holders do not get free rentals this weekend, but they can rent gear for 50 percent off ($10). Kids still get to rent for free! No reservations of equipment.
Where NOT to park or drive: Remember to check our website, for the streets in town will be impacted by this event. Some streets have no parking; some will be closed to all traffic. cbnordic.org.
