Ear to the ground:
“I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get published; I just have to wait for my mom to die.”
– Aspiring local author discussing the moral dilemma of publishing a book vs. getting cut from the will
Old West meets New
Now that the Dawn Wall has fallen, filmmakers have set their sites on what just might be the final frontier in extreme mountain sports: skijoring.
Local “boutique film production” company Fastforward Media announced a crowd-sourcing campaign for its latest documentary, “Ice Cowboys.” Directed by Matt Crossett, the film will embark on a journey to document these competitors’ stories, lives and races during upcoming events in Silverton and Leadville.
“Skiers, horses and cowboys come together to form teams for this full-throttle time trial sport,” read a press release from Fastforward. “Skijoring takes place all over the West wherever agriculture, skiers and cowboys exist.”
According to Fastforward owner Laurie Sigillito, the events are also an economic boon. “Although these cowboys and skiers may not make much money, it’s really a festival for these small historic towns. Tourists and locals fill local establishments, share a drink, cheer on their favorite skier and watch a rider push a horse 300 yards in 17 seconds all while towing a skier!”
Funding is done through Main Street Crowd, an “economic development platform,” administered by the Four Corners Film Office. Fundraising ends Feb. 2 with a goal of $10,000. Various rewards are offered ranging from autographed photos to Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge tickets, or a one-night stay in Silverton. For more, go to: www.mainstreetcrowd.com/projects/unti tled-skijoring-documentary.
Not so fast
Sure, the gear may be new, but according to a few of our astute readers of, ahem, longevity, the idea for the Durango Winter Sports Foundation’s planned “Pole, Pedal, Paddle” race this spring is not.
“The upcoming Pole, Pedal, Paddle Race this spring will not really be the ‘first annual,’” wrote one reader. “Mel and Lynn Matis, who put their heart and soul into creating Pine Needle Mountaineering in the mid-70s, sponsored Pole Pedal Paddle races for about 5 years. Other friends, with stores in Jackson Hole and Ketchum, were also sponsoring their own races.”
According to our informants, Pine Needle had to stop hosting the race when CDOT began requiring insurance, the cost of which was prohibitive.
However, as far as the DWSF is concerned, this would be its “first annual.” Stay tuned on whether any of the original kings and queens of the triple threat – preferably in hollowforms and three pins – will return to defend their crowns.