Smugglers Notch Primitive Biathlon

[Canute Rex]

Get out your snowshoes. It's the primitive biathlon season again. Around New England and upstate New York black powder shooters will be strapping on their wooden snowshoes and running through the woods.

Primitive biathlon started 18 years ago in Jeffersonville Vermont, and that's the second one of the season, January 26th-27th. It's a two mile course through the woods, with four shooting stations, 9 shots total. Each hit knocks 5 minutes off your running time. (Or, in my case, purposeful striding time)

Here's the link: http://www.primitivebiathlon.com/

There's also the Southern VT Primitive Biathlon in Manchester on February 9-10: http://www.svtpb.org/
The Manchester event has a number of other side competitions going on in parallel.

If you aren't into hurrying, each of these events has a "take your own sweet time" option.

Here's the calendar of all the biathlons: http://www.primitivebiathlon.com/Calendar.htm

If you are within a drive of Vermont, New Hampshire, or upstate NY, come on up and shake off the cabin fever.

[nosrettap1958]

Great to see all of the participation especially in the junior class. Looks like a lot of fun!!!

[William Worth]

It is a lot of fun.  I did it a few years ago.  Just wish it wasn't a 16 hour drive to get there.

[Canute Rex]

It's very popular. Smugglers Notch gets somewhere around 200 participants and Manchester gets well over a hundred.

Last couple of years I have run them with my matchlock. Marginal performance, but more fun than the proverbial cask of primates.

[490roundball]

I did a couple of these types of events in the past -  they great deal of fun at  time of year when most shooting is hibernating

of course back them we used to have something we called snow for using "snow"shoes on   

I agree -if you never have tried one - you should

[ratfacedmcdougal]

Too bad about the dates of these events as I will not be able to make either. I am originally from Jeffersonville and my lovely bride is from Manchester. We make frequent visit to both towns. I'm no snowshoer and not much of a shot either but it looks like a good excuse to go home for a visit. What is the non-participant viewing like? I'm going to have to keep these events in mind for next year.
  Cheers
   RFMcD

[William Worth]

No real reason not to join in.  I went with no expectation of placing but ended up about the middle of the pack.  Wouldn't matter where I ended up.  There are venders and you can watch the start or finish.  I don't know what is thought about spectators along the course.  Another participant and I ended up walking together and comparing how our butts hurt.  I followed a trail of accoutrements and parts as some kid lost them.  I gathered up what I could of them and presented the dour faced 10 year old with what I had.

It's all just for fun and was a great experience.

I learned a lot by preparing to go.  I have a range out back and would practice by shooting at my 100 yd. mark, run up around the target and back to reload for the next shot-repeat-repeat-repeat.