CBMR hosts tele-extreme weekend

Big Mountain competition continues at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) with the arrival the 15th Annual U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Telemark Championships, March 17–19, 2011. Crested Butte Mountain Resort was the first resort in the country to launch an extreme freeskiing competition 20 years ago, and the tradition continues with the addition of a telemark-specific version of the resort’s classic contest.
The Telemark Extremes begin on Thursday, March 17; categories include Junior, Adult and Masters competitions. Telemark skiers vie for more than $8,000 in cash and prizes by navigating the steep, technical terrain in CBMR’s legendary Extreme Limits area. With pitches ranging from 39 to 45 degrees, and natural hazards such as boulders, cliffs and trees, the Extremes offer some of the toughest in-bounds terrain available.
“We look forward to continuing the tradition,” said Daren Cole, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort. “Hosting both the U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships and the Telemark Extremes at CBMR is an honor. The skiers who compete in these contests are the best in the world and the proving grounds at this resort are second to none.”
Spectators are welcome and most venues are accessible to blue-level (intermediate) skiers and snowboarders. A short hike may be required. For the safety of other skiers, CBMR cannot offer courtesy rides to the venues. For more information or to register for the Telemark Extremes visit www.skicb.com/telex.
The Telemark Extremes are followed by a true Crested Butte tradition—the Al Johnson Uphill/Downhill Telemark Race on Sunday, March 20. This colorful, quintessentially Crested Butte event features hundreds of costumed tele skiers racing 600 vertical feet to the crest of the North Face, and then linking turns back down to the finish line at the bottom of the pitch. The race is named after diehard 19th-century Crested Butte mailman Al Johnson, who delivered mail to remote mining camps in the area.
New this year, CBMR hosts the Life Turns Winter Festival, an event supporting the non-profit endeavor Life Turns, created by telemark legend Max Mancini. The weekend-long event features tele clinics, as well as movie showings, après ski parties, demos and more. Clinics are scheduled at the resort; ski and boot demos, and skin and transceiver rentals will be available. The event will benefit Life Turns, a camp for children living with medical challenges. For event details, pricing, registration and more information visit www.lifeturns.org or www.skicb.com or call (970) 349-2217.
Visit www.skicb.com/telex for more information on both events.