2025 Fat Pursuit: Across a Winter Wonderland
Nearly 150 cyclists, runners, and skiers started the new year by participating in the 12th annual Fat Pursuit event in Idaho, taking on a 60- or 200-kilometer route through enchanting wintry conditions. Photographer Eddie Clark was in the thick of it, and he put together a stunning gallery of photos and a recap of how the event played out…
PUBLISHED Jan 17, 2025
Much like the 12 days of Christmas, the 12th year of Fat Pursuit was a gift by many measures. In the previous three years of shooting the Fat Pursuit, I spent at least one night in Wyoming getting to Island Park, Idaho, from my home in Colorado because of foul winter conditions and road closures on I-80. However, this year, it was mostly a breeze—literally a 50-mile-per-hour breeze between Laramie and Rollins—and there were no delays.

Serving as a qualifier for the Iditarod Trail Invitational race in Alaska, it’s no surprise that the Fat Pursuit is known for its brutal winter conditions and subsequent challenges one must face and prevail in to just finish the 200K and 60K courses. In the weeks leading up to the event, the snow started piling up so that the snow grooming could commence in earnest on the widespread network of snowmobile trails in the greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that surrounds Island Park. The snow bikers, skiers, and runners were given the so-called “gift” of a fast-groomed course this year.
At 7 a.m. on Friday morning, 200K racers gathered at the Sawtelle Resort parking lot to pursue their adventure. Their Fat Pursuit adventure required not just being able to ride, ski, or run a 200K distance in the snow but also being able to survive and thrive in conditions many would consider dangerously extreme, which they are. Prior to starting, 200K racers completed a gear check ensuring they had, notably: proper clothing, a 0°F degree sleeping bag, fire starters, a way to boil water, which they are tested on during the race, lights, and batteries. Basically, everything needed to sleep outside at night in the snow with temperatures going below zero.

With the snow flying, competitors left the comforts of civilization and headed into the cold, dark wilderness of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. After a few miles of racing, respective event leaders started showing their cards. From practically the start, Curtis Henry was the race leader, and Kait Boyle would hold a small lead in the women’s 200K race.
Since the event is held on snowmobile trails that groomed by snowcats, racers run front and rear lights for safety, which is nice for keeping the competition in sight at night. As morning progressed, it turned from a dark to a light shade of gray that would set the tone for visibility throughout the event.
Above the treeline, there was little to see besides racers. It was a full-gray day with super low visibility and a bitterly cold wind. In previous years, we’ve had some outstanding views at the highpoint of the race on Mount Two Top, but not this year.
Down below the treeline, the visibility got slightly better, and the course got much faster. Curtis Henry took advantage of the conditions and set a blistering pace that had him arriving at Aid Station 1 several hours earlier than almost every year prior.

Second-placed Mark Egge also made haste with the fast conditions that were attributed to the fresh grooming and harder packed snow. After 28 miles, racers arrive at Aid Station 1 for hot water, ramen noodle soup, and fried PB&Js. Racer drop bags are also available and later get transported to Aid 2.
Another five minutes back from Ginny was Alaskan ultra-distance skiing extraordinaire Shalane Frost. Mark Egge (below) stuffed hot bacon in his mouth 77 miles in at Aid Station 2 while getting his gear sorted.

To keep racers on their toes this year, the water boil test, in which racers must bring eight ounces of water to a roiling boil, was held just before the finish. Overall race winner Curtis Henry made quick work of the water boil to claim the win in 14:11:58. With minor changes to the course over the years, there’s no course record, but Curtis’s time was one of the fastest finishes yet.

Find the full race results here, and seem more updates from the event on Instagram. Congrats to everyone who participated!
Further Reading
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