Fun for the Whole Family at Moose Mountains RunAround Snowshoe Race and Kids Snowshoe Shuffle
Thanks to Kate Wilcox for photos of our 2019 Snowshoe Race and Kids Snowshoe Shuffle.It was a seasonably cold but sunny Saturday morning in January for the 5th annual Moose Mountains RunAround snowshoe race and Kids Snowshoe Shuffle, at Abenaki Ski Area in Wolfeboro. More than sixty participants, including 32 snowshoe racers, a dozen children, 15 volunteers, plus supportive friends and family members, ventured out to the event, which is a fundraiser benefiting MMRG.The snowshoe race course was two laps around a hilly 2-mile combination of scenic ski trails and single track. Race Director and MMRG Board member Dan Coons reported that John Carton, age 52, had winning men’s time at 32 minutes, 26 seconds and the top women’s finisher was Haley Heinrich, age 26, with a time of 34 minutes, 55 seconds.Heinrich, from Wolfeboro, is a long-time runner and loves the outdoors but just recently started snowshoeing. Remarkably, this win was her first race on snowshoes. “It was such a great experience!” exclaimed Heinrich. “I liked the double loop, a chance to learn it the first time around and pace it the second time. And I liked the camaraderie; everyone was so friendly. But maybe the best part was the prizes – the moose hat is so awesome!”This was the third Moose Mountains RunAround snowshoe race for participant Tom Zotti of Wolfeboro, who was dressed in wildly patterned tights, neon yellow neoprene booties, and other colorful apparel. Zotti explained that the booties are sold as bicycling gear but did a great job keeping his feet warm and dry during the race. He commented that he likes that MMRG works to protect open spaces, adding, “What better way to support the cause than to get out on the trails?” Zotti also helped mark the race course in advance, one of many volunteer tasks that went into producing the snowshoe race.Immediately following the snowshoe race, MMRG held a Kids Snowshoe Shuffle, a non-competitive obstacle course for kids to have fun in the snow, which attracted more than a dozen participants this year. Kids got to try out loaner snowshoes from Tuftonboro Free Library while they ducked under foam hoop arches, placed their feet inside rings laid out on the snow, carefully carried a stuffed moose in a shovel or some candy ‘moose poop’ in a spoon, and other entertaining challenges. Many children had so much fun they did it multiple times.Many people, businesses and organizations contributed to this fundraiser. MMRG Board member Lorrie Drake, who helped plan and supervise the Kids Snowshoe Shuffle, made a point to thank the many volunteers who made this event so successful. Drake added, “We’d also like to thank our business sponsor Wolfeboro Oil Company for their generous donation, the Tuftonboro Free Library for kids’ loaner snowshoes, Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation for use of the terrific Abenaki Ski Area venue, lodge and trails, and Steve Flagg of Nordic Skier for his superb grooming of the trails.”Activities like the Moose Mountains RunAround and Kids Snowshoe Shuffle take advantage of the excellent opportunities for winter play and sports in this region. Preserving opportunities for outdoor recreation through conserving open space is an important part of MMRG’s mission as a land trust and educational outreach organization.