by Clay Shaw Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell
June 10, 2023, Provo, UT, Snow Peaks 50 Mile Trail Run—With the most snow in the 27-year history of the event, a new course had to be used for the 2023 running of the renamed Snow Peaks 50 miler. Squaw Peak was thought of as a derogatory term and the peak itself is now known as Kyhv Peak. Autocorrect wanted it to be Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, but it’s Kyhv Peak, pronounced Kive, like dive. Race director John Bozung wanted to keep his SP50 logo and hence it’s now the Snow Peaks 50 Mile Trail Run. Although those autocorrections wouldn’t be fun either.
The snow had the higher elevations of the 2023 course going no higher than 7000 feet on Camelback Mountain, but the course had a massive hill at Mile 21. With that uphill and the course in more populated areas (lost flagging), the course was deemed much harder than the usual Windy Pass, 9000 feet. 34 participants did not finish. On the plus side there were 147 finishers.
Zachary Garner, 23, of Provo, Utah breezed through the undulating course in 7:42:46. Jack Bromley of Chester, England was second in 8:24:05. Enjoying the USA holiday, Bromley earned a coveted Navajo carving, as did Garner. Blaine Benitez of Salt Lake City was third in 8:54:52.
Codie Muthig of Salt Lake City was the winner in 10:00:51 and won by an even greater margin than Garner did in the men’s race. Andrea McAffee of American Fork, UT was second in 10:44:58. Andrea Christensen of Saratoga Springs, UT was third and top master in 11:11:55. Deanna Morley of Salt Lake City, age 56, was second master and fourth overall in 11:41:53. Navajo carvings go to the top two overall and to the top two masters. Very cool this year that the first four women all got the awesome carvings.
The men’s masters champion was Ian Farris of Draper, UT in 9:45:49; he was sixth overall. Royce Hampton of Lehi, UT was just one place back in seventh in 9:51:47, earning the second master’s Navajo carving.
Hopefully next winter will not be as bad, and the normal course can be used. That said, kudos to the race director, his course designers, all the volunteers, aid station captions, and finish line staff for making the 2023 event happen.
A note from race director John Bozung: There were actually 151 finishers out of 191 starters. That is our lowest # of finishers in 21 years, where in ’02 we had 128. In fact we had less starters than finishers going back to 2005! Also only a 74% finish rate which is way down from our average over 26 years of a 92% finish rate. I know it’s because of that 2nd monstrous hill climb!!! 😜😢😪😮
Top Women
10:00:51 Codie Muthig, 25, Salt Lake City, UT
10:44:58 Andrea McAffee, 33, American Fork, UT
11:11:55 Andrea Christensen, 42, Saratoga Springs, UT
11:41:53 Deanna Morley, 56, Salt Lake City, UT
11:52:57 Ellen Cheshire, 41, Vernal, UT
12:22:19 Nicole Lowe-McBride, 43, Farmington, UT
12:51:18 Lori Enlow, 50, Flagstaff, AZ
12:51:22 Katy Link, 29, Salt Lake City, UT
12:59:09 Anne Jensen, 44, Salt Lake City, UT
13:43:38 Katrina McPheters, 43, Bountiful, UT
13:46:00 Valerie Jar, 36, Salt Lake City, UT
13:52:08 Taylor Lynch, 28, Sandy, UT
Top Men
7:42:46 Zachary Garner, 23, Provo, UT
8:24:05 Jack Bromley, 33, Chester, Great Britain
8:54:52 Blaine Benitez, 26, Salt Lake City, UT
9:25:18 Dan Ruch, 37, St George, UT
9:26:18 Darrell Roundy, 36, Orem, UT
9:45:49 Ian Farris, 41, Draper, UT
9:51:47 Royce Hampton, 40, Lehi, UT
9:56:59 Dallin Hart, 22, Idaho Falls, ID
9:59:35 Steve Somers, 45, Draper, UT
10:07:21 Robert Edminster, 37, Holladay, UT
10:29:12 Chandler Blake, 47, Saratoga Springs, UT
10:32:35 Cort Dixon, 23, Pleasant View, UT
Zachary Garner of Provo, UT had an amazing run, shown here within sight of the Vivian Park finish line. Garner won by over forty minutes in 7:42:46.
Codie Muthig of Salt Lake City speeds from Rock Canyon on to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail on her way to victory in 10:00:51.
Lori Enlow of Flagstaff, AZ was seventh overall in 12:51:18 and was the second runner over 50 in the top seven.
Deanna Morley of Salt Lake City was fourth overall and second master in 11:41:53.
Andrea Christensen of Saratoga Springs, UT finishes with a smile and two bloody knees. Andrea was third overall and top master in 11:11:55.
Blaine Benitez of Salt Lake City was third overall in 8:54:52.
William Shaw of Flowery Branch, GA (left) and Daniel Shaw of Pinehurst, NC ran the race together in 16:28:55.
Ellen Cheshire of Vernal, UT was fifth overall in 11:52:57 and third master.
Runner leaving Rock Canyon with a sandwich.
Andrew Campbell of Salt Lake City finished 19th in 11:50:55.
Jeff Galloway of Layton, UT was 37th in 13:15:46. At this spot the runners leave Rock Canyon and enter the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Vincent Han of Provo, UT was 23rd in 12:19:39 and second male over 50.
Hope Hyatt of Nephi, UT was 21st in 15:21:26.
Steve Somers of Draper, UT was ninth overall and top 45-49.
Dan Ruch of St George, UT finished fourth overall in 9:25:18.
Dallin Hart of Idaho Falls, ID was eighth overall in 9:56:59.
Steve Somers of Draper, UT was ninth overall in 9:59:35 and third master.
Ian Farris of Draper, UT was sixth and top master in 9:45:49.
Darrell Roundy of Orem, UT was fifth overall in 9:26:18 and earned these signs for 50 miles of hard work.
Jack Bromley of Chester, England, Great Britain was second overall in 8:24:05.
Yekaterina Petrova of Parker, CO finished 23rd in 15:46:24. Katya also did 7 hours of trail work and helped at the Friday packet pick up.
Kristen Rosser of Ogden, UT, originally from Pennsylvania, was thirteenth in 14:11:24.
Melanie Orrock of Orem, UT heads south out of Rock Canyon on her way to 19th place in 14:53:19.
Michael Braman of Provo, UT running through Rock Canyon with Ben Powell of St George, UT. 36 miles later Braman was 21st in 11:40:18 and Powell was 26th in 12:10:52.
Deanna Morley of Salt Lake City runs, jumps, and earns fourth overall and second master in 11:41:53.
Andrea Christensen of Saratoga Springs, UT placed third overall and first master in 11:11:55.
Andrea McAffee of American Fork, UT, running strong in Rock Canyon, would finish second in 10:44:58.
Donnamarie Provenzano of Aurora, CO heads south on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Jill Wilkins of West Valley, UT finishes 22nd in 15:41:50
John Bozung, race director and founder, with Wayne Young and Justin Wyckoff.
Kade Nethercott of Herriman, UT and Max Richins of Riverton, UT finish with family in 14:40:15 and 14:40:16.
Jon Meikle of Hooper, UT finishes with family in 13:31:44.
Podium Trio Women:
Codie Muthig (center) 1st 10:00:51,
Andrea McAffee (left), 2nd 10:44:58
Andrea Christensen (right), 3rd 11:11:55 and top master.
Rob Rich finishes with the USA flag and family, plus a wet dog with stick.
Wayne Young of Orem, UT finishes in 14:53:48. Young was one of the alternate course designers and flaggers.
Stephanie Rich of Harrisville, UT was the 20th woman, finishing in 15:21:21. The mountain goat shorts were appropriate for the 2023 course.
John Stanley of Westminster, CO finishes the Snow Peaks 50 in 13:44:16.
Runner with dog coming out of the Rock Canyon aid station with Provo and Utah Lake in the background.
Cort Dixon of Pleasant View, UT looking not so serious here, placed well in 12th in 10:32:35.
Rob Rich of Harrisville, Utah carries the USA flag for 50 miles in the Snow Peaks 50. Running his tenth SP50, Rob finished in 15:59:05 in the 2023 event.
Runner's Gazette 
Not sure I could run 50 miles, that the scenery is beautiful!
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