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Women on the University of Idaho campus have a new way to get involved in outdoor recreation.
The UI Women’s Outdoor Program plans to enter the Ski to Sea race taking place on May 25 in Bellingham, Wash. The race is an 84 mile, seven-leg outdoor event beginning on Mt. Baker and ending in Bellingham Bay. The legs of the event include cross-country skiing, downhill skiing or snowboarding, biking, running, canoeing, mountain biking and kayaking. Each team will have one person for each leg.
Rachel Todd, a member of the Women’s Outdoor Program, said she hopes to field as many teams as possible for the Memorial Day event.
“We’re not looking for people just to win,” Todd said. “We just want women to commit to the date and have a great time competing.”
The annual event is open for anyone and is divided into categories based on age, men’s, women’s, mixed, recreational, corporate and Whatcom County divisions.
According to the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce, the first Ski to Sea, known then as the Mt. Baker Marathon, was held from 1911 to 1913.
The idea for the marathon began as a conservation effort to include the North Cascades into the National Park system.
The marathon was canceled in 1913 but was started again in 1973 and named the Ski to Sea Race. In 2005, the race was broadcast on Fox Sports Northwest.
The Women’s Outdoor Program plans to participate in more than Ski to Sea this semester. Todd said they plan on taking cross-country ski, climbing, sea kayaking and backpacking trips this spring.
Todd said the goal of the program is more than Ski to Sea or the trips.
“We understand it can be an intimidating atmosphere in the outdoor center to ask to try new things,” Todd said. “We want to provide a comfortable environment for women to try new things.”
Todd said the Women’s Outdoor Program is making every attempt to try and break onto campus in the residence halls and Greek houses.
“It’s something that is really important, not even just the ski to sea but the Women’s Outdoor Program,” Todd said.
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