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Racing Snowmobiles Uphill is Just the Adrenaline Rush Some Crave

December 21, 2009 - RUMFORD -- Snowmobile hill climbing is definitely something a casual rider can try, and at Black Mountain of Maine, many do. Though it's hairy enough.

"There were four other people who were going to come with us. They all canceled. ... I know one of them was scared," said Roy Bronson of Gorham, N.H. "It's easier than I thought it would be."

For the third year, more than 100 local snowmobilers ran their sleds uphill in the Black Mountain of Maine hill climb. The three-race series kicked off last weekend on a sunny, cold day with perfect snow and sleds hitting a lot of air.

Tom Dow of Belmont, N.H., who has been racing for eight years with sponsor support, said even for the experienced rider, it's tough holding your sled down.

"Some are standing on the back bumper. When it lifts off, the front wants to come up," Dow said.

The slope the sleds were racing up was only a blue alpine trail, not a black diamond trail. But some bumps on it turned the skis on the snow sleds vertical. Even on a slow ride up, parts of the hill made a passenger feel like they would flip off.

Yet, many of the 105 riders who registered were trying this pumped-up version of snocross racing for the first time.

Like Stowe rider Abby Brown.

"All you have to do is go fast. And I love going fast," said Brown, 15.

Brown only rides her snowmobile with guys, because she said "girls don't like to go fast." With her hair neatly pulled back in barrettes, Brown came to Black Mountain last Saturday ready to rip.

"It's such an adrenaline rush. I've been riding since I sat in the front of my dad's sled at 2. From there, I've had five different sleds," said Brown, who also is an alpine and Nordic ski racer for Fryeburg Academy.

This kind of addiction is what Chiasson and her husband, Greg, hoped to start in the western Maine snow-sledding community. A group of Rumford snowmobilers got the Black Mountain hill climb started three years ago.

With a huge volunteer effort from Greg Chiasson's family, the events are held at no cost to the mountain – and bring in several thousand dollars, Kelley Chiasson said. This helps spread the snowmobile love around the alpine and Nordic ski center.

"All the money goes back into the mountain. It doesn't go into my snowmobile trails," said Chiasson, whose hill climb volunteers helped raise $16,000 for Black Mountain of Maine at three events last year.

New this year is a "grudge match" that allows riders to face off side-by-side. For $5, buddies, couples or strangers can prove who is the gutsier rider.

Haywood Harriott, of Gorham, N.H., came with Bronson to try out his new sled. Harriott took two runs before the one that would count toward the point standings. He measured his speed and the rise in the sled each time. Then he was ready to ride without easing off the throttle.

Having figured out the vertical bump that was sending the snow sled to the right, Harriott was ready to gun the sled the entire way on his third lap.

"I'm going to go for it," he said.

Harriott said they'd be back with their friends for the January race.

In the end, the snowmobile hill climb is as easy or as scary as a rider wants to make it.

"You don't have many chances to ride up a ski mountain," Harriott said.


By DEIRDRE FLEMING, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, December 17, 2009


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