Kind-a-hard 2025
Race cancelled due to multiple wash-outs on the trails
Feb 1st update: Unfortunately there are several long stretches of trail (Towhee and Lippo's Loop) where the snowpack has been washed away by water sitting or flowing underneath the snowpack, or flowing along the trail beside the snowpack. It's not possible to make a continuous loop for the race course without going off trail through the trees, and the trail isn't wide enough to make an out-and-back. It seems unlikely that it could be fixed by moving chunks of snowpack from the woods onto the trail. The race has been cancelled, and we're not going to use the backup date, as the forecast is bad midweek.
The skiing is pretty good on the parts of trail that are not affected by the washouts. The surface is a little powder over a thick crust over denser stuff. If you would like to join in some fun group activity tomorrow (Feb 2), meet at the warming hut in time to start skiing at 9:30am. Pay attention to where you walk on Summit Rd, as it is icy beneath the snow. We will be selling Kind-a-hard (to-plan-a-race-these-days) t-shirts and go for a group ski; if there are enough of us we might do something like a short relay on part of interstate, just for fun. Please let us know if you might join.
The 2025 Kind-a-hard classic cross country ski race was planned for Sunday 2nd February (backup date Sunday 9th February), using the groomed cross country ski trails at Laurel Mountain. It is a 5km individual start classic race. There will also be a fun 1km race for kids aged 12 and under. Please join us!
Race day schedule
8am Registration/bib pick-up opens (cash/check only, closes 30 minutes before race start time)
9am Kind-a-hard, 5km classic race for adult/youth skiers with individual start times
11am Kids scramble, 1km race for ages 12 and under, group start
~11:30 am (after the kids race): Awards
Registration
Online registration opened in January and will close at 5pm on Feb 1st. Cash/check registration will be available on site from 8am, with a $10 surcharge. If you choose to register on the day, you can save time by completing the form at home and bringing it with you. Electronic payments can only be made online and before the day of the event.
Registration for the 5km race is $20, and the first 40 registrants will receive a swag bag.
Registration for the 1km fun race is $5.
The registration/bib pickup process on site will include a COVID questionnaire and temperature check.
Awards
5km Kindahard: there will be awards for the first 3 places overall and first place in each age group for male, female and non-binary skiers. There will also be awards for the first 3 places in the youth category (up to 17y). The age groups will use 10y brackets.
Kids Scramble: every skier will receive an award.
There will also be prizes for the best retro and most fun outfits.
Race shirts
Long-sleeved triblend tee-shirts (sizes XS to L) with a design by John Hinderliter will be available at registration.
Venue information
Laurel Mountain Warming Hut, Laurel Summit Rd, Boswell, PA 15531
Directions to the venue More information about the venue
Volunteers
Would you like to help out? Let us know!
Questions?
Course map for the Kind-a-hard 2025
We are using the same course that was planned in 2022 - but in the opposite direction. Keep left all the way around.