Snowmobilers keep the Atta Boy race on track

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SNOWMOBILERS KEEP THE ATTA BOY RACE ON TRACK

Snowmobilers keep the Atta Boy race on track
Volunteers are key to event's success, says race director

By Scott Staats
For The Bulletin

In the world of sled dog racing, the Atta Boy 300 ranks as one of the most important races of the year.

According to Jerry Scdoris, the Atta Boy's founder and director, only the Iditarod and the North American Championships in Alaska are more popular than this Central Oregon race. But, as Scdoris notes, the event would never get off the ground without the assistance of hundreds of volunteers.

This week's race marks the third year in which mushers from around the world and their dog teams will take to the snowy trails in Central Oregon's scenic mountains. There is a total elevation gain and loss of about 55,000 feet over the 300-mile Atta Boy course.

"The Oregon State Snowmobile Association and its snowmobile clubs are the key to the Atta Boy 300," Scdoris said. "There are literally hundreds of volunteers from these clubs who are stationed at checkpoints and turns on the trails."

The clubs' groomers also play an important role, grooming every mile of the trails that will be used this year.

"Dick Dufourd (trail coordinator for the race) is really the key to the whole event," Scdoris said, "He works tirelessly and namelessly to make it all happen. By understanding what's required, he makes it so much simpler for all of us. Plus, he knows the backcountry very well."

There are between 500 and 600 identified volunteers who help out, but Scdoris said many others step up to assist during the event.

About half of the volunteers are snowmobile club members who mark the courses and are stationed along the trail to make sure the dog mushers have the right of way - trails remain open to other users throughout the Atta Boy 300 - during each stage of the five-day race. These "corner guards" help turn the dogs or assist with any overturned sleds if asked by, the mushers. They warn other trail users of approaching dogs. At the end of the day, volunteers assist with rolling up portable fencing along the course and taking down signs.

Volunteers also help out with the Hare and Hound Ski Race, a cross-country competition that begins each racing day an hour before the mushers head out.

"The snowmobilers have definitely shown their community spirit by participating in this large event," the race director said. "I don't think there's any doubt that as an individual event this is the biggest in Central Oregon and possibly the entire state. And the bottom line is that we couldn't do it without the snowmobile clubs."

Dufourd has been involved in preparing sled dog courses since the 1980s, when there were local races in the area.

"Jerry came to me with this idea for an international multiday race here in Central Oregon and asked me if I was interested, and I said sure," Dufourd recalled.

Dufourd determines the courses for each day of the race, mapping the routes and calculating distances and changes in elevation. He then puts together a trail log that shows every turn, denotes steep grades, indicates two way traffic - everything mushers need to know for the day's stage.

Each morning, Dufourd conducts a musher meeting to discuss safety and any hazards anticipated for the day's race. He also meets with all the course volunteers before each race.

Six snowmobile clubs are involved in this year's Atta Boy event: Moon Country Sno-Mobilers, Sisters Sno-Go-Fers, LaPine Lodgepole Dodgers, Ochoco Snow Sports, North Santiam Snowmobile Club, and Mount Jefferson Snowmobile Club. These clubs have the charge of marking each course. Dufourd maintains close contact with a trail coordinator from each club.

Another of Dufourd's many duties during the race is overseeing the grooming of trails. Six snow cats will be grooming the trails, with Larry Lancaster serving as the grooming coordinator. Although groomers have been out on the race trails for several weeks now, they will be out all night before each race this week, preparing the course.

If significant new snow falls on the courses after grooming, snowmobilers will be asked go ahead of the race pack and over lap their tracks to pack down tl] trail for the dog teams. .

Dufourd has had a close association with all the local snowmobile clubs and their members. I was president of the Moon Country Sno-Mobilers, as well as district director for the Oregon
State Snowmobile Association. Plus he knows the high country very well, so it was natural for him to get involved.

About 250 snowmobilers are involved with the Atta Boy 300, and 30 to 40 of their machines go out each day to help with some aspect of the race. Snowmobilers also use their machines to transport other volunteers out onto the course.

Each morning, Dufourd conducts a musher meeting to discuss safety and any hazards anticipated for the day's race. He also meets with all the course volunteers before each race.

Six snowmobile clubs are involved in this year's Atta Boy event: Moon Country Sno-Mobilers, Sisters Sno-Go-Fers, LaPine Lodgepole Dodgers, Ochoco Snow Sports, North Santiam Snowmobile Club, and Mount Jefferson Snowmobile Club. These clubs have the charge of marking each course. Dufourd maintains close contact with a trail coordinator from each club.

Another of Dufourd's many duties during the race is overseeing the grooming of trails. Six snow cats will be grooming the trails, with Larry Lancaster serving as the grooming coordinator. Although groomers have been out on the race trails for several weeks now, they will be out all night before each race this week, preparing the course.

If significant new snow falls on the courses after grooming, snowmobilers will be asked go ahead of the race pack and over lap their tracks to pack down the trail for the dog teams. .

Dufourd has had a close association with all the local snowmobile clubs and their members. I was president of the Moon Cot try Sno-Mobilers, as well as district director for the Oregon
State Snowmobile Association. Plus he knows the high country very well, so it was natural for him to get involved.

About 250 snowmobilers are involved with the Atta Boy 300, and 30 to 40 of their machines go out each day to help with some aspect of the race. Snowmobilers also use their machines to transport other volunteers out onto the course.

There have already been months of preparation put into the 2004 Atta Boy 300. Dufourd goes out in the summer to determine potential course changes and to map the routes.

Daily coordination of the event takes a lot of time. Dufourd said it is nothing short of a logistics nightmare.

A week ago, three courses (Hoodoo, Walton Lake and Sisters) didn't even have adequate snow for the race. Dufourd said he lost sleep scrambling to have alternative courses ready, but Mother Nature has been more than cooperative since then. It is possible, he said, to have too much snow for a sled dog event, especially if several feet or more of snow falls overnight.

"This goes way beyond just being a sled dog race," Dufourd said. "This is a Central Oregon event with not only snowmobilers helping out, but many other groups and individuals in the local communities. And that makes the whole thing pretty neat."

One thing Dufourd likes about the race is that motorized recreationists are helping with a nonmotorized event. He said there are now skiers, snowmobilers and world-class mushers working together, which can only be a good thing.

"Snow is for everyone," said Dufourd. 'That's the motto of the snowmobilers, and they have been very good at sharing trails. Everyone just needs to share the snow and be respectful of each other so we can all enjoy it."

He added: "This event would not happen without OSSA, the snowmobile clubs and the individual snowmobilers. If we didn't have their cooperation, we wouldn't have the trails, the grooming and the marking. It's a huge partnership, and we can't thank them enough for their participation."

Lee Romine, president of the Ochoco Snow Sports snowmobile club in Prineville, said there is definitely enough snow in the Ochocos for any outdoor recreation. His club members have been busy grooming and marking the 47.5 miles of trail that Atta Boy 300 mushers will be using Thursday on the Walton Lake to Pisgah Mountain course.

"Many folks don't realize how much work goes into putting on a race like this," Romine said.

Between 40 and 50 of his club members will be providing many volunteer hours, and that's on top of the time the club's groomer runs. Romine estimated that it takes 12 to 14 hours to groom the 47 mile loop.

"We found out during the first two years (of the Atta Boy 300) that the mushers really appreciate our help," Romine said. "So we don't mind taking time out of our days to help somebody who appreciates what you do for them. And that makes it all worthwhile."
--Scott Staats is a freelance writer.