The Harvard track team will wind its way down through the mountains on New York Highway 9W into the peaceful campus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point today to face their first real challenge of the season. The meet, which begins at 1:30 p.m. is a toss up.

"It will be a very close meet" assistant coach Ed Stowell said yesterday. "Army traditionally has good men and it still has them."

Harvard will be fighting a jinx today Traditionally. Army and Harvard have exchanged victories year by year, with the team playing at home winning. It's thus the Cadets turn to win Moreover Army bested Harvard in outdoor track last year and finished ahead of the Crimson the Heptagonals.

Both teams won their opening meets Army convincingly defeated Colgate earlier in the week and Harvard won a laugher against B.U. on Tuesday, 89-29.

We have the edge in the field events, Stowell said, "and that's where we'll have to build up a big spread."

Harvard will be looking for strong performances from Jay Hughes in the 35 pound weight throw and in the shot put Hughes has a clear edge in the shot, but could have some difficulty against two Army contenders in the weight.

Pole vaulter Jim Kleiger is heavily favored while his Harvard teammate Vin Vanderpool Wallace has a strong chance in the long jump Triple jumper Howie Corwin will be embattled by two Cadets in a potentially critical contest.

Army appears strongest in the dash where Bob Best and Ernie Madeira are heavily favored. Cadet Cort Bivens will be the man to beat in the 600, with Harvard's Nick Leone and Bill Oakerman trying to do the beating.

Co-captains John Quirk and Bob Clayton will do the honors for Harvard in the 1000. Quirk won an impressive victory in the 1000 against B.U., Clayton suffering from tendonitis, was sidelined in the opening meet.

In the hurdles, Stowell rates Harvard's Dewey Hickman as "the best in the field." Distance men Quirk and Rojas are the favorites in the mile and two mile respectively, but they could have some tough going against Cadet miler Bob Aim and two miler Ed Flynn, Rojas will be supported in the two by Marsh Jones and Bill Durrette.

"As far as the track events go, the 600 and the 1000 could be decisive," Stowell said. "They can win in those events, and the distances could be tough. The meet has to be rated as very, very close."

"It we were running at home," he added. "I might predict a Harvard victory but considering it's at West Point, I have to be more cautious."