Moose Interference Can't Keep CU Buffs Skiers From Podium

BOULDER, CO -- Buffs senior Christina Rolandson had broken away from the pack with one other skier at the 10km freestyle race at the University of Alaska-Anchorage Invitational last weekend when she hit an unexpected roadblock. A moose stood in the middle of the trail at Kincaid Park, forcing the competitors to stop and wait for the large ungulate to clear the trail.

Several other skiers caught up to Rolandson and her breakaway partner during the delay, and two of those would ultimately finish ahead of her as she took third place in the event. Six total top eight finished nonetheless allowed the Buffs to take the lead in the meet after Sunday's endurance events.

"It did interrupt the race a little bit, but I don't know if it changed the results," CU Nordic coach Jana Weinberger said in a CU Sports press release. "Christina did have to stop and some skiers caught up to her. I don't know if it would've changed anything, though. Despite that it was a good start, any time you can take the lead over this level of competition, it's a good day."

After Monday's sprint events, the Buffs fell to third place in the standings, with the alpine categories coming up this weekend.

Moose can be very territorial and are particularly protective of their young. Because they do not have many natural predators in the wild, they are not particularly fearful of humans. Here are some tips for staying safe around moose from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

• Signs of moose aggression include laid back ears, raised hairs on the neck, and licking of the snout
• Avoid animals that are behaving belligerently or abnormally.
• Keep pets away, as moose can get quite aggressive around them. Be especially cautious when walking dogs.
• If a moose displays aggressive behavoir or begins to charge, run as fast as you can and try to put a large object between you such as a boulder, car or tree

• Move slowly and not directly at them. Back off if they exhibit signs of aggression, such as the hair on their neck standing up, licking their snout, cocking their head, and rolling their eyes and ears back.
• Never approach moose too closely. Watch and photograph from safe distances using telephoto lenses, binoculars and spotting scopes.

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