TELLURIDE, Colo. – (Jan. 15, 2020) – The Telluride Foundation is excited to announce a new community event, the “Skidola,” on Friday, March 13th at 5:30p.m. The Skidola is an uphill race, using the same Rundola course, starting from the base of the gondola in Telluride, finishing at the top of the ridge that parallels the gondola. Racers gain 1,810 feet of elevation anyway they can, ski, snowshoe, or slog, on snow. The Skidola benefits the PI Avalanche Education Fund at the Mountain Club and is open to anyone who wants to take on the physical challenge. Early bird prices are available at https://www.runreg.com/skidola until February 15th.
“Due to the overwhelming success of the Rundola, Telluride’s Fourth of July Footrace, and the trend in uphill snow races at ski resorts, hosting the Skidola, a winter uphill race, was the natural progression,” said Katie Singer, Telluride Foundation’s Events Director. “We are happy to offer another community event and partner with Mountain Club.”
Registration is now open at https://www.runreg.com/skidola. All registered participants receive a hat, food from Oak after the event, and a chance to win great prizes for only $35. Registration is limited and prices increase February 15th. An awards ceremony will start at approximately 7:30p.m. at Oak Restaurant next to the gondola station in Telluride. The Skidola is organized and hosted by the Telluride Foundation, in partnership with the Telluride Mountain Club. The US Forest Service, Telluride Ski & Golf, and Mountain Village are supporters, and Telluride Sports, Lumiere Telluride, and the National are current sponsors.
PI Avy Fund: The mission of the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund (PI Fund) is to create opportunities for avalanche education and backcountry user awareness. The PI Fund has been set up in memory of Peter Inglis. Peter “PI” Inglis was one of the original founders of the Telluride Mountain Club in 1986, a Telluride Ski Patroller for over 20 years and a longtime San Miguel County Search and Rescue volunteer. Inglis also was a huge supporter of avalanche education in Telluride, and organized forums and taught classes to help keep others safe and aware. PI was tragically killed on 4/1/15 when a cornice collapsed while ski guiding in Alaska’s St. Elias Range.
The PI Fund helps fund free avalanche education forums (Telluride Backcountry Chats), backcountry awareness events, scholarship assistance for individual avalanche education courses, avalanche education for kids in the community, Telluride’s backcountry radio program, and other avenues that positively contribute to and influence avalanche education and user awareness in the Telluride region.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride and regional community through the promotion and support of philanthropy. 2020 marks 20 years of making more possible through the Telluride Foundation’s commitment to enrich the quality of life of the residents, visitors and workforce of the Telluride region. The Telluride Foundation is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that makes grants to nonprofits, owns and operates programs that meet emerging and unmet community needs, and makes investments. The Foundation approaches this work through the lens of its core values of inclusion, self-reliance, and innovation. Its work is funded through the generous support of individual donors as well as grants from state and national foundations. The Foundation hopes the community will join it in celebrating its 20th anniversary as it honors the nonprofits, donors, and community members who have all partnered together to achieve a significant positive impact on the region. For more information click on www.telluridefoundation.org.
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