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Primal Quest and the Use of GPS

Kraig Becker / 18.06.2008

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the decision by the PQ Management Team to allow the use of GPS devices in this year’s race. The decision was not one that was made lightly or without careful consideration. The PQ Staff understand that navigation is an integral part of what puts “adventure� into the race. But above all else, the safety and security of competitors remains paramount at all times.

When the 2008 course was designed, it was expected there would be much less snow in the area at the time of the race. These projections were based on historical data. However, record snowfall over the past two weeks has left 4 - 10 ten feet of snow covering many of the higher elevation areas on the course. The excessive snowfall has increased avalanche and snow slide hazards in the remote wilderness, causing serious concern for teams who may veer off-course or who may not recognize these dangerous areas. Considering that all but approximately 10 miles of this year’s course is in the deep back-country, there is a lot of potentially treacherous ground to cover.

While time trialing sections of the course, we found that most of the roads, trails, and many of the natural landmarks above 6000′ were covered by 4 - 10 feet of snow. PQ Director Don Mann, Course Director Chris Caul, and Course Designer George Rice were forced to use a GPS device to pinpoint their location on numerous occasions. This was the only way they were able to positively identify their location and not venture into potentially hazardous areas. It was for this reason, and with the safety of teams in mind, that the decision was made to allow racers to carry a GPS during the race. This decision has been accepted by some athletes, disputed by others, and misunderstood by some. However, nearly all respondents recognize the safety concerns expressed by race management.

As stated in our message dated 7/16: “Primal Quest Race Management has made the decision NOT to prohibit the use of GPS units in PQ Montana. This decision was made due to the fact that the course still has a great deal of snow covering trail and road markings, and we need to ensure that competitors do not wander into avalanche and cornice hazard areas.�

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