North America, United States, Alaska, Hayes Range Speed Traverse

Publication Year: 1987.

Hayes Range Speed Traverse. On the first weekend of May, U. S. Ski Team member Audun Endestadt and I skied 140 miles across the Hayes Range in three days and four hours, winning a $1000 bet, which like gentlemen we declined to collect. With alpine-style attitudes and nordic racing skis and technique (skating and double-poling almost 75% of the distance), we crossed the four largest glaciers of the Hayes Range: Black Rapids, Susitna, West Fork and Yanert. We crossed three passes over 5500 feet and traveled completely self-contained. After the ordeal of the winter Brooks Range traverse which Chuck Comstock and I had suffered three weeks before, this trip, in spite of (or because of) its speed, was a vacation.

Roman Dial