One of Alaska's hot young skiers won the 24-mile Crow Pass Crossing backcountry run on Saturday from a trailhead near Girdwood to the Eagle River Nature Center.
Scott Patterson, 20, of Anchorage, won in 3 hours, 5 minutes and 16 seconds. The two men who have dominated the race in recent years with times under three hours – record-holder Geoff Roes and Eric Strabel – both pulled out on Friday, perhaps anticipating the rainy and wet conditions competitors would encounter.
Kiersten Lippman, a former UAA skier, became the first woman to win back-to-back Crow Pass Crossings in 14 years, finishing in 3:40:27.
Patterson, the youngest victor in race history, topped Matt Adams of Seward by more than three minutes. A South Anchorage High graduate, Patterson has competed in the last three World Junior Championships in cross-country skiing.
Najeeby Quinn took second place among women in 3:43:13.