Frozen Snot Trail Challenge 2018

CASTANEA TOWNSHIP – Nearly 250 participants from a field of more than 280 registrants completed the grueling Frozen Snot trail challenge Saturday. The Bald Eagle Mountain is always a punishing backdrop for the annual wintertime event, which features both a 13.5 mile and an 8.3 mile course.

Elk County native Matt Lipsey continued to dominate the local trail challenge scene, finishing the long course in just two hours and 42 minutes.

John Johnson of Ulster, PA, finished 15 minutes after Lipsey, and Allen King of Mill Hall was third from the field of 132 participants with a time of three hours and two minutes.

The first female finisher on the long course is also a familiar name in racing. Meira Minard of State College turned in a time of three hours and 31 minutes, placing 11th overall.

Another 112 people completed the short course Saturday, with two teenagers taking top honors. Tyler Holcomb, age 18, turned in a time of two hours, 13 minutes, while, 16-year-old Ryley Holcomb, finished 13 minutes later.

Skies were clear for the 7:30am start of the race. Participants did face icy conditions, but not a lot of snow this year, which some said made the course tougher. Two racers did suffer falls that required trips to the hospital. The last participants on both courses completed the day in just under eight-and-a-half hours.

Luke Ebeling, now in his second year as race director for the Frozen Snot, said the mild temperatures didn’t change the fact that the course conditions are what he calls “sketchy at best.”

“It takes a unique individual to do the Frozen Snot. It’s a very technical course, there’s nearly 6,000 feet of elevation gain over 13.5 miles, and then you throw in the wintertime conditions,” said Ebeling, noting that he was glad to see a number of first-time participants sprinkled among the returning ‘Snotters.’

“We continue to grow the race – there were about 30 more participants than last year and the race sold out in about 14 hours,” said Ebeling, who credited the approximate 80 volunteers who turned out to support the event.

“With any of our races, they couldn’t happen without our volunteers. We have a very dedicated group, some of whom worked upwards of 12 hours Saturday. This isn’t an easy gig!”

Joanne Heimer serves as volunteer coordinator for the race, and Jane Kone leads the all-volunteer team that prepares the food and feeds the participants after the event. There are also check stations where volunteers serve up everything from Russian tea, to bacon, to pickles, as well as provide first aid and moral support.

Ebeling also expressed thanks to the City of Lock Haven, the official sponsor for the race, and to the U.S. Army Reserve Center in McElhattan, which serves as the start/finish facility. Additional sponsors include Woolrich, Inc.; Little Caesars; Redmond’s Complete Comfort, LLC; and Villella’s Meats.