Wednesday is the annual Arapahoe Basin Enduro. Teams of two will ski 10 hours from 7 AM to 5 PM on 20 different lines on the Pallavicini Lift. A handful of the teams will be competing with each other to see who "unofficially" skis the most runs. For almost everyone else, it is a cool day to be on the hill with their partner, skiing the best they can, maybe setting a personal record and mostly just having fun.
The event is followed by a great party in the A-Frame with dinner, a silent auction and a live auction by auctioneer Tony C. This year we are auctioning off a Norway Chair. All of the proceeds from the event go to a unique cause. Sometimes that cause is a local organization. A few years ago we donated the funds to Building Hope, a Summit County non-profit focused on suicide prevention. Other times we donate the proceeds to one of our friends or neighbors that could use a hand.
This year those funds are going to Matt Norfleet, aka "Norf" the A-Basin Assistant Patrol Director and Rio the avalanche dog handler. He has been working his way through a cancer battle. Matt is well known for many things. He is quite an artist and has designed many of the Enduro T shirts. Matt is one of the principal leaders of CRAD (Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment) whose mission is to cultivate, inspire and produce dog teams for successful avalanche search and rescue. For many years Matt was on the US Whitewater Rafting Team, competing around the world. In 2020, he and seven buddies rowed the 5th fastest time through the Grand Canyon at 37 hours and 55 minutes (Grand Canyon Speed Runs). On top of all that, Matt has been our steadiest hand, guiding and leading the A-Basin Ski Patrol for the last 20 years.
The party Wednesday night is especially fun. The A-Basin community is less about where we physically are and more about a state of mind. While the event itself is sold out, there is still plenty of room at the dinner and the party. Coming to The Enduro, enjoying the party and giving "Norf" a hand is a great way to be a part of that community. For details go to A-Basin Enduro
