Mud, Muck and Moose Race returns to Bear Notch Ski Touring April 27

More snow than muck expected this year, says race organizer Gary Howard

Now known as one of the local traditional rites of spring, the fourth annual Mud, Moose Muck Meander one of the craziest races of the season returns to Bear Notch Ski Touring Center at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 27, but it may be more snow than muck this year, says race organizer Gary Howard of the White Mountain Milers.The entry deadline for registering for the unusual five-mile race is Saturday, April 12. Entry forms may be downloaded from the home page of the White Mountain Milers running club (www.whitemountainmilers.com) or by calling Howard at 447-1974.Volunteers are also needed for the race, with Howard noting that all volunteers who work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. will receive a free meal on race day, courtesy of Matty B's. The race is sponsored by Patch's Market of Glen.I think we're going to have more snow than muck, the way this spring is going. They've had so much snow at Bear Notch, that they're still offering cross-country skiing. I think it will still be snowy come race day, said Howard.A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Howard came up with the idea of the multi-stream crossing race while doing a 12-mile cross-country run with fellow White Mountain Milers in the Church Pond area off the Kancamagus Highway a few years ago.We had a few women and men with us, and we were eight miles into it and up to our waists in the water. It was a swamp! So, that got me to thinking, and I began talking with the Garland brothers at Bear Notch Ski Touring. They loved the idea, said Howard.He noted that the race in its first year consisted of four stream crossings across Albany Brook (a rope is placed across the spring-swollen stream to guide runners), but that now the course requires six stream crossings.It'll be nippy, that's for sure, said Howard of the stream crossings and expected cold water temperatures.It's a five-mile race in which the winner is the competitor who most correctly guesses his or her time, says Howard.The male defending champion is Jamie Gemmiti, photographer for The Conway Daily Sun, who won last year's event his first race ever. In addition to prizes for the male and female competitor who most correctly guesses his or her time, we also give out a prize to the fastest man and woman," Howard said.Course record belongs to local runner Kevin Tilton, with a time of 30 minutes and 31 seconds in 2006.Howard said top women racers have included White Mountain Milers Suzie Carrier and Mary Meehan-Bates.All racers receive a T-shirts, meals and entry for $18, or they may enter the race for just the meal and entry fee for $13.The top racers receive handmade trophies depicting a moose scene, created by local artist Beth Nagle Griffin of Eaton.The pre-race warmup is set for 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. April 27. For more information, go to www.whitemountainmilers.com or call Howard at 447-1974.In other White Mountain Miler news, the Pine Tree sixth grade will once again present the Spring into Spring 5k Family Race Sunday, April 20, beginning at noon at Pine Tree School on Mill Street in Center Conway. For more information, call race director Steve Dowling 356-6177 or e-mail dowling@ncia.net.