Fifty years ago on the first Saturday in March, 1970, a group of stalwarts set out on an extended ski tour which began at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and the road to Hampton. They followed the old gravel highway over the hills, twists and turns on the west side of Birchy Lake which by then had been abandoned to snowmobilers in favour of the present day paved route on the east side of the lake, and re-joined the highway at the north-east end of Birchy some 35 kilometers from the start point. There a yellow school bus was waiting and the group were transported to Springdale, hosted to a supper of rabbit pie and a night’s rest, taken back to a point near where they had ended the day before and then, following some old woods roads, skied back to the Springdale junction for a total of another 12 or so kilometers. Thus ended the first of what we now know as the Newfoundland and Labrador Cross-country Ski Marathon.
On March 7, 2020 Whaleback Nordic Ski Club will host the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Marathon with the Outfitters as the principal sponsor. So far we know of TWO persons who participated in that original tour/marathon in 1970 who plan to participate in the 2020 event. If you know of anybody in your club, or even in your community, who may be still an active skier and who plans to participate in 2020 could you let us know? If you have any contact information for them all the better. We would like to be able to recognize these individuals at our closing banquet.
Please contact me at: dougfowlow@persona.ca or 709-643-9540 (home) or 709-649-0008 (cell).
Doug Fowlow, Event Chair and Chief of Race
2020 Outfitters NL X-C Marathon
