Those looking to get their thrill on the ski slopes and raise money for a good cause are invited to Whitewater Ski Resort’s first ever Slopes for Hope this Friday.
The event challenges skiers and snowboarders alike to ski the elevation of Mt. Everest, all while raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society through pledges and donations.
“I think pretty much everybody here knows somebody that’s been touched by cancer… It’s just such a good cause,” said Anne Pigeon, general manager of indoor operations at Whitewater.
Participants in the ski-a-thon will attempt to ski the same vertical feet as Mt. Everest in one day. Teams or individuals may use whichever lift they prefer.
“It’s repetitive runs to equal the same elevation at Everest — 29,032 feet,” said Pigeon, adding that if participants stick to one lift the entire day, it would take 32 runs on the Silver King lift, 23 runs on the Summit lift, or 14 runs on the Glory Ridge lift.
Volunteers at the top of each chair will be punching cards for people to keep track of their runs.
Pigeon says they hope to raise $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society through the event, $1,000 of which has already been donated online through slopesforhope.ca/whitewater.
Participants who raise $100 or more receive a lift ticket for 50 per cent off. Whitewater will also have prizes for people with the most pledges at the end of the day.
The Whitewater event is just one of the many Slopes for Hope that occur at ski resorts throughout the year and is a major fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, along with the spring walkathon.
To register as a participant or volunteer, contact Tara Kowalchuk at 250-364-0403 or tkowalchuk@bc.cancer.ca.
Along with Slopes for Hope, this Saturday will also be the first Redneck Day at Whitewater.
“For years we had a Retro Day up here and it’s hilarious because everybody likes to dress retro and come up in their one-piece suits. But we were all thinking it’s time to do something else, so we decided to have Redneck Day,” said Pigeon.
Both one and two-plankers are encouraged to don their flannel, ripped jeans and mullet to ‘get-’er-done’ on the slopes.
“It’s so much fun, people just totally get into dressing up,” she said.
Whitewater will be awarding a best costume for the day. The Royal will be following up with a free St. Patrick’s Day celebration with The Redneck Rangers performing.