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PRESS RELEASE
MOUNT WASHINGTON Jeff Leich of North Conway is the winner of the second annual Steve Eastman Memorial Volunteer Award, presented by the non-profit Friends of Tuckerman Ravine organization April 17, 2010.
The award honors a Friends of Tuckerman Ravine volunteer or board of directors member who exemplifies the team spirit and love for Mount Washington that Eastman demonstrated in his lifetime.
Founder of North Conway's World Mud Bowl, Eastman (1949-2008) was the publisher and co-founder of the Mountain Ear newspaper, the lifestyle weekly news journal of Mount Washington Valley. Throughout his years in the area, he showed a community spirit and love for local activities, including all events having to do with Mount Washington.
Leich, 60, is a longtime board member of Friends of Tuckerman Ravine, the non-profit organization founded in 2000 to help preserve and protect the backcountry skiing and hiking experience of Tuckerman Ravine. He is the organization's secretary, and brings a world of knowledge about Tuckerman's rich ski history.
Leich is the executive director of the New England Ski Museum in Franconia.
Leich has authored several books and ski history articles over the years. In 1999 he wrote Over the Headwall: A Short History of Skiing in Tuckerman Ravine. He plans to republish the book with the New England Ski Museum later this year.
In 2008, he authored a book about the legendary ski troops of World War II fame, entitled, Tales of the 10th: Mountain Troops and American Skiing, also through the ski museum.
He is a past winner of Ski NH's Bill and Betty Whitney Award, given to the person who contributes to the sport of skiing in New Hampshire, where skiing is the official state sport.
Leich was joined at this year's Friends of Tuckerman Inferno and Wildcat Wildfire Pentathlon banquet held at the Wildcat Mountain base lodge by 20009 Eastman award winner Ted Sutton of Lincoln, who serves as race director for the events.
Presenting the award on behalf of fellow Friends of Tuckerman Eastman award committee members John Gorman, Steve's widow, Sarah W. Eastman, and Jean Eastman Ryan was Tom Eastman, Eastman's brother and a committee member and board member.
Friends of Tuckerman Ravine held the Inferno and Wildcat Wildfire pentathlons the following day Sunday, April 18. Poor weather forced the postponement by a day of the two five-part challenging events consisting of a run, kayak race, bicycle race, hike and ski/snowboard run.
The poor weather April 17 forced organizers to reformat the bicycle portions of both races, as well as the concluding hike and ski portions of the Inferno, which ended on the John Serburne Ski Trail below Tuckerman ravine rather than in the ravine, where it had ended the previous nine years.
Pete Ostroski of Intervale was the Inferno's solo TuckerMan champ, while Keep It Classy Tilton won the team Inferno honors. Wild Things won the women's team title in the Inferno for the third consecutive year.
In the Wildcat Wildfire, Steve Piotrow of Jackson was tops in the WildMan solo compettion, with Reshana Taylor winning the women's solo division. Takine the team title was the Buttercups.
For further information, call 367-4417 or go to www.friendsoftuckerman.org .
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