Ring in the New Year at Purgatory Mountain

News Release
December 28, 2005
Loryn Kasten
970-385-2131
lkasten@durangomountain.com

RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT PURGATORY MOUNTAIN
Annual Torchlight Parade; plus Next Snow Search Competition and children’s programs

Durango, CO – With the year 2006 hot on our heels, Purgatory Mountain is preparing to close out one year with an annual tradition and start the New Year with special programs and events just for children.

On December 31st Purgatory will host its annual Torchlight Parade down Purgatory Mountain. Ski and Snowboard instructors from Purgatory’s Ski and Ride school will zigzag their way down Demon carrying red-lighted torches after the sun has set for the day. The parade will be followed with other New Years festivities including fireworks and live music and Purgy’s and Hoody’s Base Camp. The best place to watch the Torchlight Parade is on Purgy’s Beach.

Purgatory starts off the New Year with competitions and programs specially designed for children. On January 7th, the resort hosts the Next Snow Search competition open to boys and girls of all disciplines born between 1992-1997. The competition will include freeskiing, air and jibbing. The winner will represent Purgatory at the Next Snow Search finals, held later this season in Killington, VT. Registration begins at 12:00 pm in the Ski and Snowboard School sales center, and parents must be present. The competition begins at 1 pm with an awards ceremony to follow.

The New Year means the beginning of new children’s programs. Snowburners will kick off their 8-week programs on January 5th for Thursday classes and January 7th for weekend classes. Each week children will learn to ski and snowboard from the same instructor, with the same group of friends, providing students continuity that makes it easy to improve. To register for Snowburners, or for more information, please call the Purgatory Ski and Snowboard School at 970-385-2149.

Purgatory is also hosting a Safety Awareness Poster Contest. School children in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades are invited to create a poster that depicts one of the Skier’s Responsibility Codes and/or the Smart Style Terrain Park safety initiative. Entries will be accepted through January 13th and winning submission will be announced January 19th. Winning submissions will then be entered in the National Safety Awareness Poster Contest sponsored by the National Ski Areas Association. Contest guidelines and posters are available online at www.skipurg.com.

-www.durangomountainresort.com-