Schor accepts mountainous challenge
If you have a thirst for adventure, a robust fuel budget and good organization skills, our big winter offers a great opportunity to take on the Northwest Ski Challenge, an event sanctioned by the Northwest Ski Club Council (NWSCC).
The NWSCC includes 35 clubs from Oregon and Washington. It represents about 10,000 skiers and snowboarders. The challenge is to ski or snowboard at 10 of the 14 ski resorts in Washington; nine of Oregon’s 11 ski resorts; and/or 12 of the 16 ski resorts in Idaho during the 2007-08 season. Learn all about it at nwskiers.org.
The idea started in the winter of 2005-06 with a Ski Oregon Challenge. Last winter the NWSCC added Washington to the mix. This year Idaho has been thrown in for good measure. David Schor, a 28-year-old snowboarder from Portland, has been the first to complete the challenge every year. He passed through here last week on his way to Idaho for a shot at three in a row.
“Originally, I had the idea to ride all the Oregon hills to familiarize myself with my home state,” he said. “After visiting a few, I thought, ‘Why not see them all?’ “
Schor plans to ride 16 Idaho mountains in 15 days. If his schedule holds, he should have Idaho in the bag Saturday after riding Bogus Basin. But he won’t stop there.
“This winter will be my biggest season,” he said. “I’m going to try and get all three states. I’m about half done with Oregon and Washington.”
You can track Schor’s progress on his blog at skiid.blogspot.com.
Schor will have logged about 140 riding days during three challenging seasons. He said by the time he checks off all 43 hills this winter he will have driven more than 15,000 miles.
“Most of the time I travel alone,” he said. “Primarily, my lodging has been the back of my car. Occasionally, I throw in a hotel, but most of the time my car is much more cost effective. It’s a Honda Civic hatchback. It goes anywhere, gets great mileage and there’s just enough room for me and my gear.”
As much as he drives in the winter, Schor said he’s never had a harrowing experience on the road.
“I’ve spun the car on ice a few times,” he said. “As long as you stay between the shoulders you can do a couple 360s and everything’s OK.”
On the hill he’s had mishaps. Last winter he visited all 12 of Washington’s lift-served areas before the end of December. Then he broke his leg riding at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Riding 16 Idaho mountains in 15 days does elevate the risk factor. But so far, Schor is staying in his groove.
“I’m holding up pretty good so far,” he said. “I did have a close encounter with a tree at Lookout, but I’m fine. And I’ve noticed the little bit of a belly I developed with a broken leg is pretty much gone.”
He’s managed to avoid burnout as well.
“I don’t know if I would recommend 16 areas in 15 days for everybody,” he said. “After the first week it gets tough. But I’m still having a great time. The neat thing about a trip like this is that every day brings something new.”
Anything is possible if you have a passion for snow.