Last Saturday, February 9th, 2013, Alpenglow Sports and Dynafit hosted the 2nd annual Nachtspektakel event for the Tahoe area. Over 90 people showed up to skin to Squaw’s High Camp as the sun set below the Sierra Crest. This was nearly double the number of people from the inaugural event. According to Jason Telford, Dynafit representative, this was the largest event of its kind in the United States.
About half the hundred or so gather for a group shot before heading up to Squaw’s High Camp to party!
As predicted, the skin up from Squaw’s Village to High Camp began at 3pm TST (Tahoe Sharp Time) with nearly a 100 pairs of skins final gripping snow and making tracks up the summer access road around 3:45pm. It took about 2-1/2 hours for all the skinners to make the 1800 vertical foot journey to High Camp. The fastest skinner of the group, a tall lad dressed in green, charged ahead with a pair of Fritschi Freerides, perhaps to show the dynafiddle crowd it takes more than equipment to set a winning pace.
The lead groups head into the shadow of the Sierra Crest
No incidents occurred between uphill and downhill skiers except for some occasional heckling from friends who were heading down for the last run of the day while the ‘spektakelers’ skinned up.
Contrary to last year’s event nearly everyone arrived at High Camp before the sun set, allowing for excellent views of the Carson Range and Lake Tahoe bathed in alpenglow while everyone quaffed their favorite drink amid friendly conversation. Dinner was a choice of salmon, brine-cooked pork, or mushroom wellington plus a salad and a delicious dessert. Every dish came out hot, and on-time. The cook swung by after to make sure the food was good and we assured him, this year it was.
Heading up the first pitch out of Squaw’s Village area.
First switchback on the road up.
Halfway up Broken Arrow w/Tram tower in the background.
Three-quarters of the way there!
We made it!
Cocktails with alpenglow.
Lesson for next time: don’t forget a spare dry top layer AND a pair of sandals or hut-worthy shoes to change in to. Those who simply walked around in their socks were rudely reminded how short sighted this option was when they had to use the rest room.
Several first-timers joined the event, as well as one family from Russia who experienced skinning at last years Nachtspektakel for the very first time and returned for a repeat performance.
The cruise back down was uneventful except for the fact it was on Squaw’s notoriously crowded Mountain Run, sans crowds. Pretty fun way to spend an afternoon and evening enjoying a side of Squaw rarely seen using slow speed quads at dusk.
© 2013