March 30, 2009 E-MAIL PRINT

Around the Region: Tuckerman group adds new race

by Marty Basch/

The Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon is April 18. (photo: Friends of Tuckerman Ravine)

The Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon is April 18. (photo: Friends of Tuckerman Ravine)

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Tuckerman Ravine is a spring must for any serious skier or athlete. The nonprofit Friends of Tuckerman Ravine will host the ninth annual Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon April 18 and is introducing a less demanding race: the Wildcat Wildfire Pentathlon.

The Inferno begins at 7 a.m. with a run from Story Land to Attitash's Thorne Pond. It then continues with a kayak-canoe race down the Saco River to Humphrey's Ledge off the West Side Road in Bartlett. Participants then bicycle on Route 16 to the Appalachian Mountain Club's Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, where they hike up the Tuckerman Trail to the floor of Tuckerman Ravine. A skier/snowboarder is then tagged, and they hike to the top of one of Tuckerman's chosen routes for the final leg of the race.

The Wildcat Wildfire, meanwhile, begins at the same start location but at 8 a.m. It follows Route 16 to the Glen intersection and then follows Route 302 west to Attitash's Thorne Pond for the kayak put-in. The bicycle portion will depart from Humphrey's Ledge up West Side Road to U.S. Route 302 east to Route 16 and then north past the Appalachian Mountain Club to Wildcat Mountain Ski Area. Hikers will then head up the Polecat Trail and across to the area on the Wildcat Trail known as Sun Valley, at which point the ski leg will begin.

Sign up at www.friendsoftuckerman.org.

The IZ Style Winter Tour and Spring Concert is set for Waterville Valley April 4. This environmentally friendly event features the Reverb Eco Village, sampling from organic food companies, alternative energy and transportation exhibits and ski/snowboard demos.

Sunday River takes care of bumpsters and Jimmy Buffet fans. The margaritas will flow during the 22nd Annual Parrot Head/Bust 'n Burn Festival April 3-5.

The Bud Light Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge returns to Killington for the 29th annual competition, with 200 mogul skiers tackling the steepest, longest mogul run in the East, plus live music and grilled delights April 4-5.

The Winter Brewer’s Festival is April 4 at Mount Snow in West Dover, Vt.

Celebrate the end of winter with New England’s top breweries and live music. Saddleback is bringing back the Park Shark April 11. Show your best tricks in the terrain park and let the judges decide who's the big tuna.

A host of ski areas have Easter Sunday services, egg hunts, either or both — among them Loon, Wildcat, Saddleback, Okemo, Jay Peak, Killington and Stratton.

Jay Peak has a pond skimming contest April 18. Killington's is set for April 19.

Killington has a $50 two-day weekend lift ticket April 18-19 that only can be purchased through its website. Okemo has $29 lift tickets April 9 and 16. Mount Sunapee's Cares and Shares April 5 means $30 lift tickets for skiers and riders who bring five non-perishable food items. Wildcat has dropped tickets to $39 for the rest of the season with Attitash at $35 midweek, $39 weekends.

Sugarloaf recently launched several lift ticket promotions, including the return of Maine Family Days, which allows families from Maine to ski on Sundays through April 12 for $30 per person. Maine residents can also purchase lift tickets at Sugarloaf on Wednesdays throughout the season for $29.

At both Sugarloaf and Sunday River, show a 2008-09 season pass from any other resort and get a $39 ticket. April 12 is Kids Pay Their Age Day (6 to 18) at Sunday River.

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