100,000 Vertical Challenge Donates $100,000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire. 6th Annual 100K Marathon Skiing & Riding Event Participants Raise Over $20,000.

Pinkham Notch, NH, March 14, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Twenty-two participating skiers and riders loaded the Wildcat Express Summit Quad lift at 7:45am the morning of Monday, March 9th taking on a personal challenge to ski or ride over 100,000 vertical feet in one day to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire. Postponed from the previously scheduled first Monday in March due to lion-like weather, a rescheduled and reduced field of 22 male & female, young & old, ski, snowboard, and telemark participants were faced with a day that had its challenges. Despite flat-light conditions, light to moderate winds, unseasonably cold temps, and daytime snows that had accumulated 3 to 4 inches by day’s end, event participants once again took on the legendary Lynx trail and were able to collectively raise over $20,000 in pledge donations for their effort.

First to complete skiing the 100,000 vertical foot challenge (48 runs down the Lynx trail) in 7 hours and 11 minutes was Michael Prindle of Arlington, MA. Local Wildcat Mountain legend Al Toutant of Bryant Pond, ME finished second followed by Chris Leuci of Lynnfield, MA respectively. All three went on to then complete the maximum 50 runs allowed in the same order. Top fundraisers contributing to the over $20,000 raised that day were lead by Charlie Tillett of Wayland, MA having single handedly raised over $5,000. Chris Scannell of Marblehead, MA was second top fundraiser with just under $3,000 and Charlie Tillett, Jr., the son of the top fundraiser, was the third and highest among participants that contributed over a $1,000.

Since the first 100K challenge took place in 2004, the annual event has now seen total donations exceeding over $100,000 directly benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire in their endeavors. The annual 100K event is unique to Wildcat Mountain coupling the accessibility and speed of the Wildcat Express high-speed, summit lift and the ski area’s greater than 2,100 vertical foot drop. Wildcat Mountain would like to thank and recognize those that helped to make the event possible providing in-kind support, participant gift bag donations, and top fundraising prizes including: Rossignol, Jack Frost Ski Shop, Samuel Adams/Boston Beer Company, Dakine, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, Glacéau/Vitaminwater, Boston’s WFNX 101.7fm, Metro Rock Climbing Centers, & Liftopia.com.

The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire (www.newhampshire.wish.org) is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. It strives to provide children with the hope for better times, the strength for the tough times and the joy to experience the present. The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire is part of the nation's largest and most recognized wish-granting organization, with chapters and volunteers throughout the United States and the world.

Wildcat Mountain is a year-round, family-owned business, located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest in Pinkham Notch, NH. It is home to the 75-year-old Wildcat Trail first cut by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1933 and is renowned for its proximity to Mt. Washington and Tuckerman Ravine. For further information, please visit www.skiwildcat.com or call 1-888- SKI WILD.

###