Wilson Creek Frozen 50k

History & Records

2023, Frozen Snowy Year (CW) | January 21, 2023

Temperature: low 11 F, high 35 F, 2.2 average wind speed, up to 12 mph
Total: 228 starters, 224 finishers
50k: 56 starters, 53 finishers
Michael Postaski took the men's win in 4:24. 2 men went sub-5 hours in the 50k, but no course records. Our 50k course record holder Joseph Pendleton (4:09, 2020) took the 20M win this year. 
Congrats to Jessica Barker of LaGrande, Oregon for taking the 50k women’s win in a time of 6:02. 
20M: 38 starters, 37 finishers
10M: 134 starters, 134 finishers
Fastest/Slowest times:
50k: 4:24 / 11:06
20M: 2:53 / 6:49
10M: 1:22 / 3:02
Congrats to our “Frozen Stiff” 50k-er for ‘freezing’ the longest: Bob Bain, with a time of 11:06:07, received the snowman plaque as a result of his great work and most extended enjoyment of the beautiful day and frozen course
GRATITUDE to the following people, in large part our own trail friends and repeat Wilson Creek supporters, for coming back year after year and making this event special. 
HAM: Herb Ankrum, Coordinator Extraordinaire; thank you for your time and service
HAM operators: Elaine Gross at Net Control with Pam Ankrum, Tyson Sides, Cassie Lint, Tana Wooten, Chris McCormick, Brian Roberts, Jerry Thompson, Bill Luke, Kim Gross, Tana Wooten, Phil Thomas, Steve Hansen
Murphy-Reynolds-Wilson Volunteer Fire District crew: you spent another day in the sun, hoping and not hoping at the same time for some work to do. Your support is a pillar of this event, and we don’t take it for granted. You could be doing many other things; thanks for spending a day a year with us; your incident trailer and side by sides are pretty sweet too. 
Jon Kinzer: Director of All the Stuff and the shotgun start and trailers and just being a workhorse
Rich Marion: for the timing, sound, lighting, and for making us look better than we ever could without you; I say this every year: next year I’m giving you my Willie Nelson playlist darnit!!
Jack Marion: Rich's crew – thank you, friend!
Awards Artist: Faith King
Parking: Jon Kinzer, Dennis Ahern, Christian Klein, Lonny French, Jim Byrne
Registration: Faith King, Margie Berriochoa, Becky French
Food Tent: Jim Byrne and Kelli Hood
Finish Line: Alix Bradley, Faith King, Joy Kinzer, Christian Klein, Becky French, Syd
Pryorly Stinson Station: Nellie and Aaron Pryor, Kristine Goodman, Dennis Ahern, Dawson King
Rocky Road Aid Station: Bart, Ronda, and Jessie Buckendorf
Mud Pit Aid Station: Mike Blessing, Sam Collier, Ryan Anderson, Derek Call
Paradise Aid Station: Holly Finch, Beth Ahrend, Elsa Cervantes, Karl Remkes, Amy, +more!
Course Sweeps: Tony Huff, Kyle Blasch, Andrea Simmonsen, Lori Neves
Course Marking: Tony Huff, Kevin Warner, Rachael Bazzett, Ray Mullenax 
Packet pick up: Francie Hill, Dana Petrie 
ATV Crew, you guys are just as crazy as we are, and we love you: Jay Hastings, Ricky Murphy, Rex Keisling, Jerrol Holmes, Jeff & Jan Adams, Chris Debban, Steve Huffman, Dan Myers, Pat Murray, Bryan & Bill Ward, Ray Ingram, Sheila Debban, Hal Hunt, Becky Hunt, Rusty Faircloth, Roberta Bischel, Jim Maxey, Rick Harris
ATV Coordinator: Rick Harris, you are our rock (with Becky Hunt: THANK YOU for the cookies and bread!!)
BLM Rec Planner Ryan Homan. Thanks for stopping by and for your support
Kip Schossow: thank you for the custom Wilson Creek fire pit!! It was well used throughout the day, and we received many comments on it! 

2022, Race Canceled, COVID-ish

2021, Race Canceled, COVID

2020, Another! Perfect Year (CW) | January 18, 2020

Temperature: high 42F, low 30F; minimal wind, zero precipitation
Total: 232 Started, 231 Finished; 1 DNF
50k: 79 started, 79 finished
3 men went sub-5 hours in the 50k, and a new course record of 4:09:29 was set by Joseph Pendleton of Boise, Idaho, eclipsing the prior CR of 4:17:37 set by Duke Wasteney of Monmouth, Oregon in 2018
Congrats to Serena Sheldon of Buhl, Idaho for taking the 50k women’s win in a time of 5:33:03
20M: 49 started, 48 finished
10M: 104 started, 104 finished
Fastest/Slowest times:
50k: 4:09, 11:58
20M: 3:18, 9:54
10M: 1:29, 4:49
Congrats to our “Frozen Stiff” 50k-er for ‘freezing’ the longest: Zachary Ruhter, with a time of 11:58:22, received the Olaf snowman lego trophy as a result of his great work and most extended enjoyment of the beautiful day and stellar course conditions.
Gratitude – thank you:
Aid station Crews:
Dennis Ahern, Terri Rowe, and Keenan at Rocky Road
Charlie’s Angels – Chere Ostolasa, Val Block, Lyn VanSchoiack, and Jessica Weatherly-White at Mud Pit
Holly Finch, Beth Ahrend, Brady Johnson, Karl Remkes, Elsa Cervantes, and their many other groupies who facilitated Paradise
Nellie, Aaron, Amber, Bryce Pryor et al. at Pryorly-Stinson Station
Rick Harris, Canyon County ATV Club; you love us, and we love you for it. We couldn’t/wouldn’t hold this race without you, and we’re glad you motorized folks are just as crazy as we are.
HAM: Herb Ankrum, Coordinator Extraordinaire and his loyal crew. Thank you for your time and service.
Murphy-Reynolds-Wilson Volunteer Fire District crew, who spent another day in the sun, hoping and not hoping at the same time for some work to do. Your support is a pillar of this event, and we don’t take it for granted. You could be doing many other things; thanks for spending a day a year with us.
For doing the Job No One Really Wants to Do (parking): Kip Schossow, Dennis Ahern, Jon Kinzer, Day Doughman
Jim Byrne for your ownership and excellence in the food tent. You’re one of a kind, and we feel good changes coming in the future.
Registration executors Shanda Doughman, Chere Ostolasa, Margie Schuh, Little Margie B.
Trail guides Marty and Matty and Giovanni. Please come back.
My sister Margie who made a(nother) special appearance from across the Pond; thank you for bringing firewood and the porta-potties and for helping us sort and clean and put away; I owe you mostly for the potty duty… and I don’t want to do the event without you anymore.
Endurance freaks Kevin Warner, Dennis Ahern, and Tony Huff for teardown and trailer loading following all day of running either a 50k or an aid station. The system is strong with you.
Jon Kinzer, Director of All the Stuff; you’re our brawn.
Rich Marion for the timing, sound, lighting, and for making us look better than we ever could without you (next year I’m giving you my Willie Nelson playlist!); thank you for being a survivor. To Jack, you’re part of the crew now – thank you, brother! We have a date next January or on Mt. Fuji, whichever comes first.
Faith King and Rachael Bazzett with Andy Myers for lovingly crafting all the awards.
Focus Master Brent Crumley. Thanks for taking the time off to help us set up on Friday. I never want to pre-race without you! Nice run, too!
Tony Huff, Dennis Ahern, and Rachael Bazzett for veritable course marking perfection. Thanks to Margie Schuh for being my right hand lady, too.
John Berriochoa, Cleanup Day Master of Getting Stuff Done; thank you for being there.
Kari Porter, Tim Jacobson, Day Doughman, and Kip Schossow for sweeping the courses. The course markings were so clean and dry and organized!!
BLM Rec Planner Ryan Homan. Thanks for stopping by and for your support.
To the runners, too many to call out by name, who came up to us and encouraged and thanked us and said nice things and shared your stories and pains and aspirations and excitement; thank you for running and for your smiles.
Last but DEFINITELY not least, I want to thank my Co-Race Director Amy King, the ying to my yang. You are my dear friend and strongest ally and together we are Team Wilson Creek. We were both the least and most organized this year. This is a testament to the great system we have built and to the tremendous agency support we have cultivated. Thank you.

2019 … January 19, 2019

No report from this year. My dad died 2 weeks later, and our focus shifted to his hospice immediately after the event.

2018, The Perfect Year (CW) | January 13, 2018

With consistent rain falling in the Treasure Valley race week, highs in the 40s and even 50s, and quite muddy conditions for course marking on Wednesday, most of us were resigned to a Fest of Classic Wilson Creek Mud. However, the rain didn’t hit Wilson Creek on Thursday or Friday giving the warm sun and mild temps time to dry things out immensely. The weather held, and we were treated to 50 degree temps, full blue sky and sunshine, and drier trails and roads than ever. Water was running in Wilson Creek, but despite that section of sloppiness, most people finished with a suspicious lack of mud or water on their shoes. Shorts and t-shirts abounded. People regretted wearing tights. Fires were superfluous, and the feelings of well-being ran strong. We’ll be surprised if we ever see another April day in January at Wilson. Best. Day. Ever.
Temperature: high 50F, low 30F; ~no wind (!?)
Totals: 248 registered, 214 Started, 213 Finished; 1 DNF
50k: 68 started, 67 finished (1 DNF, did not continue from Paradise)
20M: 27 started, 27 finished
10M: 119 started, 119 finished
3 men went sub-5 hours in the 50k, and a new course record of 4:17:37 was set by Duke Wasteney of Monmouth, Oregon
Serrah West of Twin Falls, Idaho took the women’s 50k crown with a time of 6:05:07
Fastest/Slowest times: 
50k: 4:17:38 fastest; 10:31 slowest
20M: 3:05 fastest ; 6:34 slowest
10M: 1:20 fastest; 4:17 slowest
Congrats to our “Frozen Stiff” 50k-er for ‘basking in the sun’ the longest: Stephanie Heimberg with a time of 10:31:24 received the swimming lady statue as a result of her great work and most extended enjoyment of the beautiful day and awesome course.
Race Report by Jeff Black

2017, Race Cancelled due to Snowmageddon of 2017

2016, Race Cancelled due to Soda Fire of 2015

2015, Another Fruddy Year (CW) | January 17, 2015

Warm temps and some early-week precip made mud the talk of the town prior to race day. Course marking day was a mess, and we knew we couldn’t drive past the Rocky Road aid station under any circumstances. Race morning dawned colder than expected, gifting runners with firm trails for the morning. Runners on the course into the afternoon got the full brunt of the mud, however, making this a Fruddy year, but still one of the nicest race days yet. The Canyon County ATV club would be needed in full force to transport aid stations out in the relatively warm afternoon that was dotted with rain showers. We even saw a little sun and blue sky throughout the day.
Total: 352 registered, 303 Started, 297 Finished; 5 DNF
50k: 79 started, 75 finished (4 DNF)
3 men went sub-5 hours in the 50k for a new CW course record of 4:19 by Mike Anderson.
20M: 38 started, 37 finished (1 DNF)
New CW course record of 2:55 by Mike Knutson.
10M: 144 started/finished
Our favorite teenage duo showed up again this year as 16 year olds and once again went one-two, with a new CW course record of 1:14 by Jackson Brill.
5M: 40 started/finished
New course record of 34:16 was set by Chip Cooper.
Fastest/Slowest times: 
50k: 4:19 fastest; 11:25 slowest
20M: 2:55 fastest ; 8:11 slowest
10M: 1:14 fastest; 6:06 slowest
5M: 34 min fastest; 1:35 slowest
Congrats to our “Frozen Stiff” winners for sticking it out the longest: 5M: Stephanie Huffman; 10M: Donna Sproat; 20M: Jane Updegrove; 50K: Lori Neves (also first in AG 🙂 & Andrea Simmonsen (tied)

2014, A (Nearly) Perfect Year (CW) | January 18, 2014

An inversion in the lower elevations and start/finish area kept things hoar frosty and cold, but runners enjoyed firm trails and some sunshine higher up, for an all around great experience.
50K: 103 (90 started, 87 finished)
20M: 53 (46 started, 45 finished)
10M: 117  (110 started, 110 finished)
5M: 45 (40 started, 40 finished)
Total: 318 Registered; 286 Started; 282 Finished
Drops: 4 Drops (3 in the 50K and 1 in the 20 Mile)

2013, A Frozen Year (CCW) | January 19, 2013

The Wilson Creek Frozen 50k 2013 lived up to it’s name with a (-3) degree start! Here’s a snapshot by the numbers:
50K: 71 registered; 10 DNS; 61 starters; 58 finishers; 3 DNF
20M: 45 registered; 4 DNS; 41 starters (3 sweeps incl.); 40 finishers; 1 DNF
10M: 149 registered; 26 DNS; 123 starters; 121 finishers (2 sweeps incl.); 2 DNF
Totals: 225 starters; 219 finishers; 40 DNS; 6 DNF = pretty awesome outcome!
Fastest/Slowest times: 
50k: 5:11 fastest; 10:16 slowest
20M: 3:38 fastest ; 9:49 slowest
10M: 1:24 fastest; 4:21 slowest
Congrats to our ‘Frozen Stiff’ finishers: Ulli Kamm (50k), Kristine Goodman (20M), and Michelle Anderson (10M)
Thanks to all of our sponsors and volunteer clubs and agencies, without whom we would not have an event: The Pulse Running & Fitness, Scott Sports our Trail Series title Sponsor, TrailRunner Magazine, Hammer Nutrition, Blacks Creek Guide gear, Dennis Ahern Woodworking, Rolling H Cycles, GoLite, Vitality With Sparkle, Tony Salazar and Tempus Photo Design, The Cascade Project, Starbucks Nampa, Blessing Plumbing Service, ABC Sanitation, SignHype, Dillon Plumbing, Idaho Sporting Clays & Hunting Club, Nampa Smiles, Rich Marion with Pro Race Timing, and photographer Allen Sandquist; The Canyon County ATV Club, The Boise ATV Trail Riders, The Murphy Reynolds Wilson Volunteer Fire Department & Quick Response Unit, the Bureau of Land Management Owyhee Field Office, and the Boise County Amateur Radio Club. Special thanks Rick Harris of the Canyon County ATV Club for coordinating our ATV volunteers and to Mike Blessing for EVERYTHING. Thanks to the Boise Trail Runners and all the other runners, family members, and lovely volunteers for enduring the Siberian temps to aid our runners. The commendations from runners about the volunteers are many. Thanks to Tony Huff, Dennis Ahern, Brian Nebeker, and Ben Blessing for marking the course, and to Amy King, Jon Kinzer, David Tarkalson, Mark Hutchinson, and Rich Hale for sweeping our courses. THANKS to Rich Marion for providing professional timing.
10/16/12: Note – Change in rules from 2012: If you sign up for the 50k race and choose to drop at the 20.3 mile point, this will be considered a DNF. Due to the confusion caused by numerous people choosing to drop and take a 20M finish last year, we are discontinuing this practice. If you start the race as a 50k participant and do not finish 50k, you will not be listed as a finisher at any distance. You may change races up to 1/2 hour before race start, but may not change races once they have begun.

2012, A Muddy Year (CCW) | January 12, 2012

With 40 degree temps and hours of torrential rain the night before the race, a worst case trail condition scenario, the 2012 Owyhee clay mud was primed to wear down even the heartiest of runners. Here’s the Wilson Creek 2012 by the numbers:
194 starters; 37 DNSs; 9 DNFs
87 10-Mile finishers; 55 20-Mile finishers; 43 50k finishers = 185 muddy finishers in the inaugural official WCF50k
Fastest/Slowest Times: 
50k: 5:08 fastest; 11:37 slowest
20 M: 3:35 fastest; 9:54 slowest
10 M: 1:28 fastest ; 3:56 slowest
Read news coverage and race reports from the 2012 race.
Pictures from Michael Lebowitz of Long Run Photography are up! If you want to buy prints LISTEN UP- use the coupon code “Frozen” to get free ground shipping i.e. shipping like an ultra run…a little slower but you get there in the end. 🙂 Watermarked photo downloads are FREE!
Wilson Creek 2012 Results – FINAL
A big shout out to our ‘Frozen Stiff’ finishers: Michelle Anderson in the 10 mile; Tina Russell in the 20 mile; and Leah Wilsey and Heather Ramsdell in the 50k!
Also much love to our 5 sweeps: Josh Ingram, Sam Collier, Tate Fischer, Bill Rupp, and Jon Kinzer!

2011, A Fruddy Year (CCW) | January 8, 2011

In 2011, we ran the Frozen 50k, Fatass style, just for fun, a small group of us out for a trail run. It was so much fun that we decided to do it again. The temps were very pleasant, cold enough for the ground to be frozen in the morning, but warming up by noonish to bring on some mud (i.e. Fruddy).
Fastest/Slowest Times:
50k: 5:17 fastest; 9:06 slowest
20M: 4:29 fastest; 7:52 slowest
10M: 1:49 fastest; 3:47 slowest
Course Records – Counter Clockwise (2012, 2013)