October 14, 2005 (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) – The First Annual 24 Hours of Sunlight will take place February 10 12, 2006, at Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Produced by Granny Gear Productions, the event will test participant’s endurance as they ski, hike and board for 24 hours to benefit the Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis.
The event is the brainchild of 8000-meter ski mountaineer and Aspen, Colorado local, Mike Marolt, who wanted to contribute to the Heuga Center while appealing to an active public demographic and highlighting Heuga Center founder Jimmie Heuga’s approach to treatment for the disease. A former Olympic ski racer and bronze medalist, Heuga was diagnosed with MS in 1970, and his Center has taught those with MS how to use exercise to help manage their lives with this chronic disease.
“Drawing on the increasing popularity of ski mountaineering races across North America and Europe, we saw the 24 Hours of Sunlight as a unique way for people to have fun, challenge themselves and raise money for a great
cause,” explains Mike Marolt.
The 24 Hours of Sunlight will be unique as it fits the criteria set forth to establish a Guinness Book of World Records for the most vertical feet skied in a human powered manner. Canadian endurance fiend Greg Hill, known for skinning and skiing over a million vertical feet over the course of last winter, will be at 24 Hours of Sunlight. Additionally, top ski mountaineers
including Andrew McLean of Utah and Lou Dawson of Colorado will participate in various ways. Events surrounding the 24 Hours of Sunlight include a silent auction and presentation by the first American to climb all 14 8000 meter peaks without oxygen, Ed Viesturs.
Tom Jankovsky from Sunlight Mountain Resort adds, “We are exceptionally pleased to have been selected to host this event. Sunlight is an ideal venue and has a strong backcountry/telemark skier base. Couple this with Granny Gear¹s experience in producing the top notch races and the icons of the sport¹s involvement, and it is sure to be a memorable weekend.”
For more information on the 24 Hours of Sunlight or to register or volunteer go to the website (URL deleted due to it being dysfunctional).
While most of the WildSnow backcountry skiing blog posts are best attributed to a single author, some work well as done by the group.
