Destination— When the dunes in the southern states become crowded in the winter months it may be the ideal time to hook up the toyhauler and head north for some winter activities. Northern Utah is the perfect place for all types of winter activities especially snowmobiling. The Wasatch Mountains are on the west flank of the Rocky Mountain range located in the north-east part of the state, these mountains are blessed with excellent snow fall from November all way through March each year. Keen to witness the carnage of the Widowmaker snowmobile hillclimb firsthand and experience some of the best backcountry snowmobile areas in the nation, we loaded up and headed for Northern Utah.

Location— The Widowmaker hill is located in the small town of Croydon, about 20 minutes east of Ogden on Highway 84. The nearest city is Ogden, which is located about 30 minutes north of the state capitol Salt Lake City. Ogden is a suburban city with all the amenities and is nestled right next to the Wasatch Mountains. In the nearby Wasatch mountains you will find three of Utah’s top ski resorts; Snow Basin, Powder Mountain, and Wolf Mountain along with many excellent snowmobiling areas. The Wasatch Mountains are some of the most rugged in the area and are home to renowned Widowmaker summer and winter hillclimb events. There are several snowmobile rental companies in the area if you decide to leave your machine at home. Definetly read the small print on their waiver before taking your rental to the Widowmaker though; it is fairly likely that you will not be able to return the sled in the same condition as you picked it up in.

Events— There are two events held on the Widowmaker hill each year: a summer and a winter climb. The winter event is usually held in January for snowmobiles and is an independent event from any of the other snowmobile hill climb associations. The Widowmaker is steep and long and because of the difficulty of the natural terrain, the organizers leave the gates that the riders must pass through very wide. “The Widowmaker allows us to be creative with the lines we pick”, said professional snowmobiler Travis Zollinger. According to Travis not all races are like this “other races on the hillclimb calendar are very tightly gated and this makes a large rut up the mountain, so it comes down to whoever can bang through the rut quickest”. The lack of snow and rocky terrain are more than some racers are willing to risk so early in the season, so attendance is typically less than other races.

The racers are split into a number of different classes depending on a number of factors, including engine size, modifications, and riding ability. Standard to most hillclimb races the competitors must pass through all the checkpoint gates on the way to the top and they race against the clock for the quickest time. If the rider does not make it to the top the distance markers are used. For example if a rider makes it to the 350 foot gate and their nearest competitor only made it 200 feet up the mountain the 350 foot rider would win the class.

Lodging— Camping is available in limited amounts at the base of the Widowmaker, but it is recommended to check with the organizers before showing up. Otherwise there are a number of hotels in Ogden or Cabin style accommodations at the nearby ski areas.

Salutations— The private land used for the hillclimb is extremely rocky and steep. The rocky terrain coupled with the lack of snow make this one of the most dangerous events in the hillclimb season. Typically less than one half of all entries in the Widowmaker will take their machine over the top. Unfortunately, in a best case scenario the rest of the riders will be able to turn-out and hold on for the wild ride back to the bottom. But in a worst case scenario the rider will be bucked off the machine or lose traction on the icy snow and fall off their machine leaving it to find its own way to the bottom. Machines pinballing off of trees and rocks or rolling end over end down the hill is a common sight at the Widowmaker. When we covered this event, we thought it would be good to walk down the hill during the competition to get the best possible shots for our readers. In hindsight this may not have been the best idea. While shooting from about the 500 foot marker a snowmobile came flying up the mountain leaving a spray of ice and rocks in its wake, one of these ice chunks came flying down the hill and struck our photographer on the side of the face. Feeling a bit like a professional boxer who just received a striking blow from his opponent, we decided to make our way back to the base of the hill. But the next rider to tackle the hill had the unfortunate experience of losing their machine on the steep ice face at the top of the hill. The sled did a 180 degree rotation and came flying back down the hill without its rider, the experience of having a 600 lb pound machine coming straight for you and bouncing off rocks and stumps along the way definitely rates as one of life’s more exciting moments. Thankfully we were able to dodge the sled before it continued down the hill, striking a tree letting off a loud crack and cutting off the front a-arms and shock like a knife through butter. So if you do get the chance to visit the Widowmaker, please take our advice: bring a lawn chair and a pair of binoculars and watch the action from the base of the hill. Your health insurance provider will definitely appreciate your decision.

--Stephen Clark

Helpful links for planning a trip to the Widowmaker
Widowmaker Official Website: www.widowmaker.info
City of Ogden: www.ogdencity.com