The little max in 3space known as "Black Mountain" is along the course of a footrace that has been held annually for over two decades, though its route and its organizers have changed several times. McKay Edwards (first ski descent of Wickersham Wall on Denali) conceived and organized the first Wahsatch Steeplechase in 1980. (Note the "h" in "Wahsatch.") There were originally three divisions: the 8 mile "Twin Peaks Derby" (that's the Avenues Twin Peaks), the 15.5 mile "Black Mountain Classic", and the 26.2 mile "Wahsatch Crest Marathon," which went right over Lookout Peak before descending to City Creek Pass and down City Creek Canyon to the start at Memory Grove. The 1984 Wahsatch Steeplechase dropped the short Twin Peaks Division and welcomed Wasatch Touring as a co-sponsor. Shortly thereafter Wasatch Touring took over management of the race entirely and the Marathon division was dropped, leaving the Black Mountain division (which they now call 17 miles) as the one and only Wahsatch Steeplechase. From a hand full of participants in the first few years, the race has grown to about 300 last year, and has yet a third management entity. Many Utah runners have got their first taste of trail running (and drawn their first blood) on the limestone crags of Black Mountain.
mtn runr - Apr 11, 2006 12:26 am - Hasn't voted
Steeped in traditionThe little max in 3space known as "Black Mountain" is along the course of a footrace that has been held annually for over two decades, though its route and its organizers have changed several times. McKay Edwards (first ski descent of Wickersham Wall on Denali) conceived and organized the first Wahsatch Steeplechase in 1980. (Note the "h" in "Wahsatch.") There were originally three divisions: the 8 mile "Twin Peaks Derby" (that's the Avenues Twin Peaks), the 15.5 mile "Black Mountain Classic", and the 26.2 mile "Wahsatch Crest Marathon," which went right over Lookout Peak before descending to City Creek Pass and down City Creek Canyon to the start at Memory Grove. The 1984 Wahsatch Steeplechase dropped the short Twin Peaks Division and welcomed Wasatch Touring as a co-sponsor. Shortly thereafter Wasatch Touring took over management of the race entirely and the Marathon division was dropped, leaving the Black Mountain division (which they now call 17 miles) as the one and only Wahsatch Steeplechase. From a hand full of participants in the first few years, the race has grown to about 300 last year, and has yet a third management entity. Many Utah runners have got their first taste of trail running (and drawn their first blood) on the limestone crags of Black Mountain.