This story was co-produced with Ryan Creel.
The annual Great Sapphire Outhouse race returned to Sapphire Valley Ski Resort on Feb. 7, drawing in crowds for an entertaining day on the slopes. The event included a $5 parking fee and an admission fee of $5, with the proceeds used to raise funds for the Rotary Club of Cashiers.
Participants wait to push their outhouse down the hill. Photo by Halle Stanley. 
Lumpy the bassethound poses for a photo inside of the Green Bay Packers Outhouse. Photo by Ryan Creel. 
The Okelley family’s outhouse, with the theme “Inturdinator”. Photo by Ryan Creel. 
The Okelley family celebrates their win. Photo by Ryan Creel. 
Sarah Okelley receives hugs after winning the outhouse race. Photo by Ryan Creel. 
People crowd around the slopes watching participants in their outhouses race. Photo by Halle Stanley.
What once were outhouses were re-equipped for racing, with each outhouse placed on top of a pair of skis. Participants of three pushed the outhouses uphill, with one of the participants riding inside the outhouse. With one big push, teams sent their ouhouses flying down the hill in hopes of taking first place.
There were 20 teams that competed this year, with an estimated 200+ observers coming to watch the race. The outhouses were decorated with a theme of the participants’ choice, adding a personal touch by the team. In the surrounding area, there wasn’t much snow in Sapphire Valley, but the ski resort still prepared the slopes for the event.
The director of the Sapphire Valley Ski Patrol, Gary Vanflorcke, founded the outhouse race 19 years ago, and says the event has only grown since its founding.
“I used to sponsor 40 kids to ski every Wednesday night, and it just got expensive,” Vanflorcke said. “I went to the homeowners’ association and said, ‘I’ve got this great idea…let’s put people in outhouses, put the outhouses on skis, and push them down the mountain.’ They said that’s the stupidest thing they’ve ever heard. I said, ‘Yeah, it is, and I think it’ll work,’ and they went for it.”
Max Wuest, from Georgia, is a first-year participant in the outhouse race.
“That’s a porta-potty and it’s got four-ply toilet paper in it. That’s high-quality Charmin Ultra Plush… that’s my favorite,” Wuest said.
Wuest and his family, all wearing cheese hats, decorated their outhouse in support of their favorite NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.
WCU students, all working at the outhouse race, were responsible for stopping the outhouses as they reached the bottom of the hill.
They shared why they love working at the outhouse race:
A day on the slopes full of fun for skiers, families, and participants turned into a bittersweet victory for the Okelley family. Their outhouse, named “The Inturdinator” had the phrase “Do it for Johnny” painted alongside the outhouse, remembering their late father, who had previously attended the Sapphire outhouse race. This is the Okelley’s third year participating in the outhouse race.
“There’s a lot of sentimental value to winning,” Wesley Okelley said. “The rider is the daughter of the previous rider, and he passed away last year, so this was in honor of him.”
Sarah Okelley, Johnny’s daughter and a contestant sitting in the outhouse, said the moment was meaningful to her.
“It means a lot, in honor of my dad, I can feel him here,” Sarah said. “The fact that every single person was rooting for me was cool.”
The evening finished off with live music, beer, and food for attendees.
