Skiers turn out for Craig race

A postman was honored Saturday, March 23, in one of the nation's oldest ski races.

The John Craig Memorial Race, held on National Forest Land at the snow gate on Highway 242 eight miles out of Sisters, hosted more than 250 people.

The day consisted of classic and freestyle races ranging in length from three kilometers to 30km. Children's events and a non-competitive tour of the course were included in the schedule.

"The conditions are ideal," said race director Toby Bayard.

Bayard, who is also the Cross Country Ski Race Director at Mt. Bachelor, said that the last two years have had the greatest turnout for the race, which has been held off-and-on since 1934.

Forty-two people participated in the 30k "Over the Top Mail Carry" which marked the largest number of participants for the event.

The race honors John Templeton Craig, a mail carrier who died in the winter of 1877 while carrying the mail on foot from the Willamette Valley to Eastern Oregon. For 25 years Craig manned the route, carrying mail by horseback in the summer and on his own back in the winter.

A cabin was built at the half way point for Craig to spend the night in. He was found in the spring of 1878, curled up in the ashes of its fireplace.

It is believed that he woke in the middle of the night after realizing the fire had gone out.

Unable to revive it, he crawled into the ashes for warmth where he is believed to have frozen to death.

In 1930 a memorial was dedicated to Craig by 400 of Oregon's rural mail carriers. It is marked by the Dee Wright Observatory, located two miles west of the McKenzie Pass Summit.

"This is one of those great ski traditions," said volunteer JD Downing, coach for XC Oregon, "I wish more people knew about it."

The great snow conditions were created by mother nature, and groomed by the Sisters Sno-Go-Fers and Moon Country Snowmobile clubs.

"It just goes to show that a lot of snowmobilers are good people." said Downing.

Bayard added that the race wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of many volunteers and sponsors.

Deschutes Search and Rescue and the National Guard were present as well as numerous local businesses and individuals.

Race results and more information on the event can be found at http://www.tumalolanglauf.com.