A tiny winter getaway, lots of snow, and one very determined little racer ❄️
We tried the Rib Mountain Winter Adventure Race for the first time, tackling snowy trails, off-trail navigation, and a three-hour family course with our young daughter. Walking on snow was much harder than expected, but the quiet woods, a fun special challenge, and a determined little racer made it unforgettable.
🌅 Race Morning
We had such a fun summer doing several adventure races that when the Rib Mountain Winter Edition opened for registration in early fall, I signed us up right away. There was an early-bird discount, and we had talked about trying the winter version for years. This finally felt like the time.
Originally, I planned to stay in a hotel the night before, like we did for the summer race. But my husband couldn’t leave work until 4:30 p.m., our daughter had school, and she gets way too excited in hotel rooms to sleep well. Instead, we set our alarms for 5:00 a.m. and decided to drive on race morning.
We were on the road by 5:30. Usually, we stop at Panera for breakfast on early trips, but the one near our house opens at 6. I found another Panera about forty minutes away and placed an order for pickup at 6:10. When I walked in, I was surprised to see two tables of people already eating breakfast and drinking coffee — on a Saturday, at 6:10 a.m. I would never have met these early-morning people if not for this race.
The drive north was dark and peaceful. We kept watching the eastern sky change — black turning to deep blue, then lighter blue, then soft pink and red. By the time the sun finally rose, the whole world felt awake.
When we signed up, we originally considered the 3-hour beginner race, which included biking and trekking. But our daughter still can’t ride a bike on her own, which meant we would have needed to use the bike trailer again. With her getting heavier and winter road conditions, my husband wasn’t comfortable pulling a trailer this time. So we chose the no-bike version instead—which meant more advanced navigation. The course listed seven miles of trekking, but that distance assumes clearing every checkpoint. We’ve never cleared a full course before, so we knew we wouldn’t actually be doing all seven miles.
🚗 Arriving at the Race
We even packed the jogging stroller just in case. My husband wasn’t planning to bring it, but I insisted. It has saved us before.
The moment we arrived and saw the snow, though, I knew there was absolutely no way the stroller would work.
The 6-hour racers were already out on the course. Most of the people still at the start were doing the 3-hour no-bike race, studying their maps and planning routes. My husband and daughter had worn fewer layers in the car to stay comfortable, so the first few minutes were spent adding hats, gloves, and extra jackets — the usual race-morning shuffle.
🌡️ Surprisingly Perfect Weather
The temperature was around 20°F, but it felt much warmer than I expected. Cold had been my biggest concern, so I packed everything — snow goggles, a neck gaiter, face cover, extra glove liners, hand warmers.
We didn’t use any of it.
There was almost no wind, and as long as we kept moving, the cold wasn’t an issue. The only time we really started sweating was near the end, when we were trying to run back before the cutoff. In adventure races, finishing late means penalty points — so staying warm wasn’t the challenge. Staying on time was.
❄️ Walking on Snow (Much Harder Than Expected)
Walking on snow turned out to be much harder than I expected, especially compared to our summer races. The snow was only a couple of inches deep, but none of the trails were plowed, and most weren’t packed. Sometimes we found snowmobile tracks, and walking in those helped a little — but not much.
The uneven ground made my toes hurt from constantly adjusting. For our daughter, it was even harder. She fell many times, cried a few times, and needed to be carried here and there. She asked for water constantly — sometimes every ten steps — and went through a surprising number of cookies.
Good thing I packed a lot. 🍪
🧭 Navigation Strategy: Starting from the Back
When I first looked at the map, I noticed most checkpoints were off-trail — definitely more advanced than what we’re used to. With snow covering everything, I wasn’t even sure how visible the trails would be.
Since checkpoints could be collected in any order, I decided we should go backward, starting from the last checkpoint. Most checkpoints were north on the map, and starting from checkpoint 1 would send us south.
Our daughter insisted on carrying the e-punch — her magic wand. In the pre-race video, I learned that the person who runs ahead to punch the checkpoint is called the rabbit. Our rabbit does not sprint, but she takes her role very seriously.
It took a while to reach our first checkpoint, but it was beautiful — quiet winter woods, no one around us, since most teams went the opposite direction. It was one of those rare, peaceful family moments.
🎶 Special Challenge + Singing Through the Snow
The second checkpoint was a special challenge. This was another reason I wanted to go this way because I did not want to miss it. It turned out to be a scavenger hunt inside a classroom. One question involved the North Star and the Big Dipper, which pushed my limited star knowledge to its limit — but we figured it out.
After that, we reached a packed snow road that was much easier to walk on. I started jogging. It was so quiet, with no one around, that I started singing. My daughter and husband immediately joined in.
We sang holiday songs — loudly — while jogging through the snow, in the middle of nowhere.
It ended up being the highlight of the day.
👣 More Racers, More Loose Snow, More Cookies
Eventually, we started merging with other teams, and the snow became loose again. Walking got harder for our daughter. She asked for water often, which made me think that next time I should find a way for her to carry her own bottle — maybe a small hydration pack. Or maybe the water breaks were just her way of asking for short pauses.
She ate many cookies. We had baked a healthier batch the day before, using blueberries for sweetness and much less sugar than usual. During the race, she had zero complaints.
As teams passed us, many cheered for her. Some were surprised to see such a young racer out there. Every cheer gave her a little boost.
⏳ Heading Back (The Hardest Part)
About two hours into the race, we decided to turn back so we could finish within the three-hour limit. The way back was the hardest part.
Our daughter was exhausted. She cried, sat down in the snow, and sometimes refused to move. I took my husband’s backpack so he could focus on helping her. He tried carrying her on his shoulders, but she leaned forward, grabbed his head, and that attempt lasted maybe a minute.
Instead, he held her hand the entire way, helping pull her along. I kept singing — even louder this time. There were more people around now, but if singing helped her at all, I didn’t care who heard.
Honestly, I was incredibly proud of her. Walking on snow is no joke, and she pushed through something genuinely hard.
🏁 Finishing Strong
We ran on and off the rest of the way and made it back 10 minutes before the cutoff. I arrived first with the e-punch, but I waited. Punching the finish is her favorite part, and she absolutely deserved it.
My husband and daughter arrived about twenty seconds later, and she proudly punched the finish box herself.
☕ After the Race
When we stepped into the warm lobby, I felt like my head was steaming — hot and damp from the final push. We enjoyed a cozy meal while our daughter grabbed more cookies — this time, the not-healthy version — and I was completely fine with that.
We chatted with other teams, sharing stories and struggles. The adventure racing community is small and close-knit, and we recognized many familiar faces from past races and orienteering events.
🌙 Heading Home
It was only around 2 p.m., so we decided to drive home the same day. Our daughter fell asleep immediately. I drifted off too. At one point, I heard the car hit the grooves on the side of the road and realized my husband might be getting tired, so I offered him all the remaining snacks to help keep him awake.
We arrived home just as it was getting dark — the same darkness we had left in the morning.
Walking on snow is much harder than I imagined. For now, winter races feel like something we’ll return to as our daughter gets older and stronger — but I’m really glad we finally tried it.
It was a small, one-day winter getaway — quiet, challenging, and meaningful.
And I’m incredibly proud of our little one. 💛