Note: The name “Hog Loppet” is also commonly written as “Hogloppet” and occasionally as “Hog Loppett” or “Hogloppett.” All spelling versions refer to the same event—a quasi-annual supported ski traverse from Mission Ridge to Blewett Pass.
…
Historical Hog Loppet Narrative
by Bob Parlette
Here is the history of the origins of the Hog Loppett as I remember them. Bill Asplund and Rich Congdon could fill in more.
I came to town in 1972. In 1973 I made the big move from Lower Sunnyslope to Upper Sunnyslope (upwardly mobile yuppie you know). My new neighbor was Bill Asplund. We become fast friends and Bill introduced me to XC skiing. He sold wooden skis out of his garage till his store got so big he moved it to downtown.
In either 1974 or 75 he and Rich Congdon came up with the idea of starting a ski race from Mission Ridge to Blewett Pass. Mission Ridge was locally owned in those days and was an eager partner. Someone must have advertised this race at REI because that first year many serious Swedish/Norwegian racers came over from Seattle to do the race. It was a sunny day, new snow, and lots of wooden skied neophytes like me. I remember putting on yellow klister on my skis and having my friend Herb Thomas (who used to ski competitively in HS and college and in the army) looking at the bottom of my skis with a look of horror and commenting “Awh Oh, there is going to be problems here.” Bill Asplund blew the alpine horn and the racers were off.
A great time was had by all. The next year Bill repeated the race, but for some reason (I think weather) they decided to change the course so that it went out the pipeline and back. Much shorter and not nearly as beautiful. The serious Swedish/Norwegian skiers had come back and some were not only disappointed, they were disgusted at the lack of professional quality racing conditions and preparation. Someone later told me one of the serious racers had taken his ski pole and damaged a sign or something at the lodge at Mission. Bill Asplund and the organizers decided not to redo the race the following year and it was headed to the dustbin of failed recreational experiments.
About 11 or 12 years later I was appointed to be the President of the first (and last) Washington State Winter Games which were to commemorate the Centennial of Washington Statehood. We started getting organized in 1988 for the Centennial Winter Games which were to take place in February 1989.
I thought back of how much fun the original races were in the mid 70’s from Mission to Blewett and believe it would be a real attention getting event if we had a redo of the race in either 1988 (or maybe it was earlier in the year of 1989) to bring attention to the forthcoming Centennial Winter Games which were coming up. The Centennial Winter Games were a big deal: 22 different sports and 4 days of live TV coverage in little ole Wenatchee.
I had asked Eliot Scull and Larry Tobiska if they would jointly organize the race. They did a great job, but again, I think there were snow conditions that altered the plan — we ended up racing backward from Blewett to Mission, which meant it was a net up hill race. My recollection is that there was so much snow at the top of Mission Peak that the USFS road was impassible where it is on a very steep traverse. So we didn’t actually go to Mission Ridge that year but we went over toward Beehive and back the pipeline.
In any event, the race was a huge success and the participants must have had fun because Larry Tobiska decided to carry on the tradition the following year. Eventually Larry must have worn out and turned the reigns over to Kyle Flick and Tom Janisch. Somewhere along the way, someone came up with the name “Hog Loppet” which I think means high mountain race.*
In my estimation the key to the success of the race has been the cooperation of the Sheriff’s department and the snow mobile club. They provide the much needed safety support to get victimized skiers who injure themselves off the mountain, and they provide sustenance and drink along the way.
I remember one year when I made that bad mistake of taking my very narrow and highly curved Finnish racing skis on the trek instead of my tried and true indestructible Norwegian Epoke mountaineering skis. During one of my many falls during the first five miles I ended up putting the tip of my racing ski into my mouth to sample the taste, breaking the ski, and giving me an extra wide smile from the edge of my lip to my ear lobe. As a consequence I got one of those snowmobile rides off the mountain while my indestructible wife gallantly carried on chasing after the good looking Norwegian racers. This experience prompted me to buy a snow mobile much to the disdain of my mountaineering friends.
Eventually the Hog Loppet organizers in Wenatchee got worn out and passed the baton to the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club to keep it going. LWSC does a first-rate job and I hope they will keep this signature event going.
*Update from Bob after he spoke to Bill Asplund: Bill filled in a few blanks on the Hog Loppet. Hank Thor of Leavenworth was one of the original Swedes who helped Norwegian Bill drum up enthusiasm for XC skiing. Hank was a great guy, flew gliders and loved the outdoors. I put that in the past tense because I don’t know his whereabouts these days. Hank came up with the name ‘Hog Loppet’ which means ‘High Mountain Trek’ in Swedish. Bill identified the date of the first mass race as being 1975, the rest of my story he confirmed. Eliot believes the rekindling of the idea did occur in 1988 as an attention getter for the 1989 Centennial Winter Games.
…
Historical Hog Loppet Chronology
by Bob Parlette and Jim Brisbine
1975: First formal Mission Ridge-to-Blewett Pass ski traverse was organized by Bill Asplund and Rich Congdon. It was given the name ‘Hog Loppet,’ which means ‘High Mountain Trek’ in Swedish, by Hank Thor.
1976: Second event was rerouted to go from Mission Ridge, out the pipeline road, and back, due to adverse snow conditions (the Pacific Northwest was experiencing a severe winter drought). Event was discontinued in subsequent years because of dissatisfaction with this route.
1989: Event resurrected by Bob Parlette, Eliot Scull, and Larry Tobiska as part of the Washington Centennial Winter Games. Due to adverse snow or weather conditions, it started at Blewett Pass and went over Beehive to Mission Ridge Lodge. It was held annually thereafter.
1990: Route went from Mission Ridge Lodge, up Wayhut ski run, out Liberty-Beehive Road, and on to Blewett Pass.
1991: First year that ski lifts were used to transport participants to top of Mission Ridge, from where they skied out to Blewett Pass. This arrangement was used for all events thereafter.
1996: Event cancelled due to mudslides along US-97.
2005: Event cancelled due to lack of snow, as the Pacific Northwest suffered through a severe winter drought.
2012: Event cancelled due to blizzard conditions on the ridge.
2013: Event advertised as the 25th Anniversary, dating from the 1989 Centennial event. This was the first event after the devastating 2012 Table Mountain Fire, giving all skiers a close-up look at the burned forest land.
2014: Event cancelled at the last moment due to blizzard conditions on the ridge. One would-be participant, Karen Daubert, recalls boarding the shuttle bus in Leavenworth, driving to Mission Ridge, and getting off the bus, then being told to turn around and get right back on the bus. Sadly, the event was never held again.
Route Maps & Profile
…
…
…
…
Jim’s Personal Hog Loppet Log Sheet
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
…
<<< ————– >>>