Adaptive skiers to compete to be the 'Last Skiers Standing'

CONWAY — Adaptive skier Ryan McClintock and his longtime friend and ski coach Grant Erickson are competing at the fourth annual “Last Skier Standing” event on Feb. 10, 2023, at Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford. This challenging event showcases 150 skiers who will ascend 1,000 vertical feet to the summit, and ski down, not one time, but once an hour, every hour, until there is one skier left. 

The extreme nature of this test of mettle attracts hardcore adventurers. Yet, organizers stress that this event is for everyone. Participants are encouraged to set their own personal record, and it is, above all else, an opportunity to be part of a like-minded community of ski enthusiasts with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Organizer Andrew Drummond from Ski the Whites is clear that this event is an experience, not a race, and attitude is everything “The person who takes you out of this event is yourself. It’s a battle of will to keep yourself going.” The community of spectators and fellow skiers creates a supportive environment. All skiers, from those who can do two laps to those who can do 60, are grouped together at the start of each run. The goal is camaraderie and good fun. Andrew says, “I want everyone to feel like they got the most they could out of it.”