2019 Rendezvous Mountain Hillclimb Results and Recap
Crisp cool air and sunny skies welcomed the racers this morning for the 2019 Rendezvous Mountain Hillclimb. If there was a perfect day for a race, today was the day. 221 racers gathered at the base of Teton Village in front of the tram anxiously waiting the 8:30am start. What laid ahead of them was over 4,100 vertical feet of elevation gain spanning 6.1 miles until they reached the summit. As race time grew closer, everyone made their way to the starting line with the most competitive runners jostling their way to the front. Slowly the tram moved into position perfectly overhead and final nerves reached an all-time high. Right as the clock hit 8:30am the race was ON.
6.1 miles and over 4,100 feet of vert stand in front of the racers to reach the summit.
Quickly the field of racers settled into position and made their way up the Wildflower Trail toward the first major aid station at the base of Casper Lift. From here they would switch back to the top of the Bridger Gondola before the leg-burning and heart-pounding ascent up the Headwall. At this point, the altitude starts to weigh heavy on the racers lungs with the top of Rendezvous Mountain in sight. After the gondola, the Wildflower Trail transitions into the Cirque Trail and the terrain quickly changes to loose rock and high alpine single-track. The racers make their way up the Headwall, past Ten Sleep Bowl and the final push up Rendezvous Bowl with the finish line at 10,450’.
First place men, Seth DeMoor, and first place women, Samantha Diaz.
Cheers from the crowd, the smell of bacon and the relief of finishing welcomed each racer. JHMR Aerial Tram mechanic Chris Onufer, who on March 7th 2010 tragically passed away in an avalanche, mother greets each racer with a medal. We can’t think of a better way to finish a race.
A racer accepts his medal at the top from Chris Onufer’s mother.
The one hour mark still stands with the winner, Seth James DeMoor out of Denver, CO taking the win with a time of 1:01:31 followed by last year’s winner Aaron Robson from Lander, WY at 1:03:52 and Jackson Hole local Stephen Mulherin in third at 1:06:12. For the ladies, Samantha Diaz took the win at 1:18:24 with Mindy Kaufman in second at 1:19:24 and Angela Martell in third at 1:21:40.
