Nathan Rafferty’s first love is the mountain. The president of the non-profit Ski Utah works works tirelessly to promote the state’s ski and snowboard industry.
Earlier this year, Rafferty’s hobby took him to northern Africa, where he became the first American to finish the grueling, 12-day Africa Eco Race — a 600,000-kilometer competition.
The 46-year-old has competed in other endurance events. As part of a Ski Utah promotion, he once finished 60-runs during a 12-hour overnight event. Nothing Rafferty has done, he said, compared to his two weeks in Africa last January.
Rafferty grew up riding mountain bikes but wasn’t allowed to ride motorcycles because his parents felt they were dangerous.