Telluride Foundation: Record-breaking Participation for 2024 Skidola, 100 Racers Brave the Elements for a Cause !

22 Mar Telluride Foundation: Record-breaking Participation for 2024 Skidola, 100 Racers Brave the Elements for a Cause !

The Telluride Foundation announced record-breaking participation for 2024 Skidola.

The 100 racers braved the elements in support of Telluride Mountain Club’s PI fund for avalanche education.

Go here for more about the Telluride Foundation (back to 2009).

Start of Skidola. Photo credit: Michael Mowery, Daily Planet.

The spirit of adventure and philanthropy converged in spectacular fashion at the 2024 Telluride Foundation Skidola. A record-breaking 100 participants took to the slopes on March 14th, affectionately known as ‘PI’ day. Despite a swirling snowstorm, racers hurled themselves up the mountain with unwavering determination, showcasing their resilience and commitment to supporting a worthy cause – the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund.

The event started at the base of the Telluride Gondola and culminated at the top of Chair 7, offering participants a thrilling ascent of 1,810 vertical feet of gain in just 1.2 miles. Amidst the flurry of snowflakes, racers donned an array of imaginative costumes, with highlights including a slice of pizza gracefully slicing through the snow and a towering dinosaur roaring its way to the finish line.

In keeping with the theme of ‘PI’ day, the festivities extended beyond the race itself with a delicious “Pies for PI” silent auction, where attendees had the opportunity to bid on delectable pies made by locals. The auction, alongside other fundraising efforts, resulted in the impressive sum of nearly $8,000 raised, underscoring the generosity and community spirit of all involved. All proceeds will go towards creating scholarship opportunities for avalanche education and backcountry awareness in the region.

Skidola winners showcased exceptional skill and determination, with Lindsay Allison leading the female podium with an impressive time of 33:29, followed closely by Isabella Poulos at 38:13 and Caley Nicholson at 38:35. On the male podium, Ryan Becker claimed victory with a remarkable time of 26:59, trailed by Spencer Keating at 29:46 and Mason Osgood at 32:57.

In addition, the Cosmic Race series division saw outstanding performances from special Pro guest racers, with Jason McGowan securing the top spot among males with a swift time of 26:24, while Davide Giardini followed closely behind at 26:48. Emerging victorious amidst stiff competition for the best costume award was the handcrafted pizza suit and Brown Dog Pizza box headpiece, donned by local Vickie Hormuth.

Following the exhilarating race, participants and spectators alike gathered at OAK restaurant to savor delicious sliders and beers. Podium finishers were rewarded with prizes generously provided by lead sponsor La Sportiva, while all racers received commemorative Voile ski straps, neck buffs, and Tim’s Trauma Balm as tokens of appreciation for their participation. The sense of celebration and remembrance continued as the event concluded with a breathtaking torchlight parade, orchestrated by the Telluride Ski Patrol and San Miguel Search and Rescue.

“We are so stoked to see the overwhelming support for this year’s Skidola,” said Chris Dickson, Director of the PI Fund. “Despite initial concerns about weather, everyone came out and gave it their all (in costume, no less!), which made for a truly memorable event. We are so grateful to all the participants, sponsors, and volunteers for helping make this event happen. All the proceeds from this year’s event will help support the mission of increasing avalanche education and backcountry awareness throughout the Telluride region. This year’s SkiDola was truly the best one yet and we look forward to doing it all again next year!”

The Telluride Foundation & the PI Fund would like to thank the generous sponsors of the 2024 Skidola for making the event possible: La Sportiva, Home Loan Insurance, Alpine Bank, Jagged Edge Mountain Gear, Tellurando SkiMo Race, Strafe Outerwear, Telluride Properties, San Juan Outdoor Adventures, Two Skirts, Latitude Insurance, Community Banks of Colorado, Stronghouse Brew Pub & Mountain Trip.  The US Forest Service, Telluride Ski & Golf, OAK Restaurant, and Mountain Village were also supporters.

About the Telluride Foundation: 

The Telluride Foundation is committed to enriching the quality of life of the residents, workforce, and visitors of the Telluride region. It is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that makes grants and runs programs in arts, education, health and human services, community development, and social enterprises.

The Foundation strives to achieve excellence for the community through its mission and core values of inclusion, self-reliance, and innovation.

For more information about the Telluride Foundation and its initiatives, visit www.telluridefoundation.org.

About the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund:

The mission of the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund (PI Fund) is to create opportunities for avalanche education and backcountry user awareness.

PI Avalanche Education 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.

For information about the PI Fund, please visit https://www.telluridemountainclub.org/pi-avalanche-fund/