SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 20


THE 2011 Mt. Wilson Trail Race

Much More Than Just A Race

PAT ALCORN: 

Sierra Madre’s Older American Of The Year

In less than 13 days, hundreds of 
people will gather in Kersting Court 
to participate in the activities associated 
with the famous Mt. Wilson Trail 
Race. On Saturday, May 28th, some 
300 runners will make the trek from 
Baldwin Avenue and Sierra Madre 
Blvd. to the end of the Mt. Wilson 
Trail and back down again. It is also 
expected that over 150 children will 
participate in the Kids Race up Baldwin 
on Saturday morning too. But, 
there is much more to the weekend 
than just the race!

 Although for many, the fun started 
back in January when runners began 
training for the race, the night before 
race day gives those who are not venturing 
up the trail a chance to participate 
in the festivities.

 On Friday, May 27th, the MWTR 
Committee will host the annual Pre-
Race Pasta Feed. From 5:30-7:00 p.m., 
Cafe 322 will serve dinner, as the runners 
come to pick up their packets. 
A portion from each dinner served 
will be donated by Cafe 322 to Sierra 
Madre Search & 
Rescue. On display 
Friday night is a 
slideshow of previous 
Mount Wilson 
Trail Race photo. 
You can also purchase 
Trail Race 
merchandise Friday 
night.

 On race day, there 
is even more to do. 
The race will begin 
at 7:30 am. At 
7:45, the Kids Mile 
Fun Run will start. 
Children run under 
the same banner as 
Mount Wilson Trail 
Race runners one 
mile up Baldwin 
Avenue and back. Youth ages 3 and up 
can participate in this free event and 
all participants will receive a ribbon 
and T-shirt.

 Spectators can also view the race in 
Kersting Court via live video feed, 
courtesy of the Sierra Madre Search 
and Rescue Team. 

 At 9:00 a.m. on Race Day, the Beer 
Garden and vendor booths will open. 
The beer garden is sponsored by a local 
Sierra Madre Foundation (The 
Spero Foundation) Proceeds from 
the beer garden are donated to Sierra 
Madre Search and Rescue which is 
celebrating its 60th year.

 The official Race Starter will be long 
time Sierra Madrean Miner Harkness 
of Sierra Madre Search & Rescue. 
SMSR will beneficiary of this year’s 
race in commemoration of its 60 years 
of public service.

 The Trail Race is a community effort 
lead by a committee of dedicated volunteers. 
They are: 

Mt. Wilson Trail Race Committee 

Pete Siberell, Chair

Gary Hilliard

James Faulkner

Jim Liston

Andy Kumeda

Karen Moran

Pam Kelly

Heidi Hartman

Dennis Hartman

Lisa Spigai Perez

Sharon Pevsner

Jay Chapman

Eric LeClair

Jon Pedder

Keith Van Dusen

Pat Alcorn

Adam Matsumoto

 This year’s event sold out in record 
time. Just two weeks after the applications 
were publicized, 300 runners 
had committed and a waiting list was 
developed. People come from all 
over the country to participate, with 
Tommy Marshall coming the longest 
distance. He is coming from North 
Carolina. 

HISTORY 

 The Mount Wilson Trail Race is the 
second oldest trail race in the country; 
first held in 1908 when runners raced 
to Mount Wilson, rested 1/2 hour, 
then raced back down. The race was 
held sporadically from the first year 
until the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, 
when it was abandoned completely. 
In autumn of 1965 it was revived and 
has grown over the years to its present 
format. Organized by a volunteer 
committee and sponsored by the City 
of Sierra Madre, the current race is 
8.6 miles in length. The exact course 
has changed by erosion, fires and 
earthquakes. For this reason no official 
record is recognized. Since the 
revival in the 1960s, today’s course is 
considered the most difficult.

THE COURSE 

The 8.6 mile race starts on pavement, 
uphill, to a dirt path no more than 
three feet wide. It features an elevation 
gain of over 2,100 feet; approximately 
4.3 miles to the turnaround 
point at Orchard Camp. Most of the 
race takes place on the Mount Wilson 
Trail, where some sections have 
vertical drop-offs of several hundred 
feet. Boy and Cub Scout Troops provide 
water at two locations: the 2.3 
mile marker (at First Water) and 
the turnaround point. Due to the 
steep, narrow features of the trail, the 
race is limited to a maximum of 300 
runners.

 MVNews/Archives


From left to right, De Alcorn, Minor Harkness, Pat Alcorn and her granddaughter Sabrina.

Photo by S. Henderson

On Friday evening, the Sierra 
Madre Senior Community Commission, 
along with the City of Sierra 
Madre, bestowed the honor of 
“Older American Of The Year” on 
40 year resident Pat Alcorn.

 

The event was attended by community 
members of all ages who 
showed their appreciation for Alcorn’s 
volunteer efforts. Among 
those present were her former ‘boss’, 
Pastor Langley, and representatives 
from Congressman David Dreier, 
Senator Bob Huff and Supervisor 
Michael Antonovich’s office. Sierra 
Madre Mayor John Buchanan, 
as well as Councilmembers Mary 
Ann MacGillivray, Josh Moran and 
Nancy Walsh.

 Alcorn’s husband of over 50 years, 
De, who is also Sierra Madre’s Secretary 
of Volunteerism also spoke 
highly of his wife’s commitment to 
the community. 

Alcorn co-chaired the Friends of 
the Library Wine and Cuisine Tasting 
for the last two years, is also co-
chair of the Community Services 
Commission, and was president of 
the Civic Club in 1971, 1972, and 
2005. She has contributed to the 
community in many other capacities 
and has been nickname, along 
with her husband De, “Mr. and 
Mrs. John Q Citizen”, a moniker 
that notes their participation in just 
about any community event going 
on in town. 

One of the most touching moments 
of the evening was when, during 
her remarks, she looked out into 
audience and saw her dear friend, 
Minor Harkness, who now lives in 
Idaho. 

The Older American Of The Year 
award is presented in conjunction 
with the National Older Americans 
Month (May). 

Sponsors for the event included Arcadia 
Gardens, Beantown, the Bucaneer 
Lounge, Cafe 322, Casa Del 
Rey, Foothill Home Care Partners, 
Fresco’s Family Restaurant, Friends 
of the Sierra Madre Library, Kiwanis 
Club of Sierra Madre, Leonora 
Moss, Mama Pete’s Nursery School, 
The Only Place In Town, The Sierra 
Madre Senior Club, Village Pizzeria 
and Zugo’s Cafe.

 


2010 was the first year that fans could actually 
watch the race via a live video feed in Kersting Ct.

Resident Files 

Lawsuit Over 

Water Rate 
Increase

 On May 6, 2011, a lawsuit was 
filed in the Los Angeles Superior 
Court by Sierra Madre resident 
John Crawford against the City of 
Sierra Madre. The suit alleges that 
the city acted contrary to the law 
(Prop 218) in its implementation 
of the recent water rate increase.

 

 The city maintains that it did 
in fact follow the provisions of 
Prop. 218, which requires public 
notification of rate increases such 
as water, and also allows citizens 
the opportunity to protest such 
actions. 

 In 2010, an organized protest 
against the increase was orchestrated, 
however, it failed to yield 
the required majority needed to 
prohibit the city from moving 
forward.

 After an extensive outreach to 
the community, the city proceeded 
with the increase which was 
the first such increase since 2006. 

 

 It is not known at this time what 
the cost of defending this lawsuit 
will be. Those costs, however, 
will come out of the city’s water 
revenues.

 Crawford is being represented 
by Former Sierra Madre Mayor 
Kurt Zimmerman. 

S. Henderson/MVNews

I-210 BRIDGE/ICONIC FREEWAY STRUCTURE UPDATE


Crews conduct environmental sampling at the site of the future I-210 
Bridge.

You may have noticed crews working 
at the future site of the I-210 Bridge, 
between Baldwin and Santa Anita 
Avenues on the eastbound I-210 
Freeway. Following installation of a 
temporary sound wall and erosion 
control materials last month, crews 
were busy conducting environmental 
sampling. 

 In the coming weeks, crews will begin 
shoring (or grading) the slopes 
of the center and southern freeway 
medians, to create space for the large 
construction equipment to access 
the construction site. A temporary 
retaining wall will be built along 
the center median of the freeway to 
support the westbound I-210 traffic 
lanes, as part of that effort.

 Work on the structure's foundations 
is planned to start in June. Drilling, 
rather than pile-driving, has been 
selected as the construction method 
for the foundation work. Although 
this method takes more time, it was 
selected because it reduces impacts 
on the local community.

Inside This Edition...

CALENDAR Page 2 

Sierra Madre News Page 3

Pasadena/Altadena Page 4

Arcadia Page 5

Monrovia/Duarte Page 6

Education & Youth Page 7

Good Food & Drink Page 8

Arts & Entertainment Page 9

Legals Page 10

Left/Right Page 11

Opinion Page 12

The World Around Us Page 13

 The Good Life Page 14

Homes & Property Page 15

 FYI Page 16


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