On Saturday, March 29, Challenge Aspen hosts its third annual Limitless Mountain Challenge fundraiser on Snowmass Mountain. While the fundraiser is relatively young, the organization is celebrating another milestone: its 30th anniversary. With a nod to the founding year, competitors are encouraged to don their 1990s onesies and the event will feature popular music from the decade.
The way the Limitless Mountain Challenge works is as a ski-a-thon for all participants, both typical and adaptive. Community members can register as individuals, form four-person themed teams or even raise money as a “company challenge team,” which qualifies an organization as an event sponsor. Alternatively, remote participation is allowed, when folks unable to ski at Snowmass that day can pick an athletic goal of their preference to help raise money for the cause. Registration is free for adaptive athletes and remote fundraisers. All participants are asked to raise a minimum of $75 in support of Challenge Aspen programs.
The event has multiple goals. In addition to raising money in support of Challenge Aspen’s programs, the competition aims to educate about adaptive sports. Strengthening community is another focus. The Limitless Mountain Challenge awards points for total fundraising, creative costumes and total laps completed. Other adaptive sport challenges will be located around the mountain.
Check-in for the event begins at 8am at the Snowmass Mall, and competitors set out at 9am. Participants then have five hours to track as much downhill vertical as they can manage on a ski app of their choice. After the scorecards and app evidence are turned in, by 2:20pm, an awards ceremony will commence at 3pm, followed by an after party for all participants.
Challenge Aspen’s Marketing and Events Manager Daniele Mottier highlighted the multiple purposes the Limitless Mountain Challenge serves.
“It offers a chance to educate our community about our mission and impact. It also empowers our adaptive athletes to raise awareness and give back to an organization that means so much to them,” she said. Mottier and colleagues think the visibility has immense value for their adaptive athletes. “This event is all about inclusivity, skiing and riding for all abilities,” she added.
Among participants, Challenge Aspen recognized the fundraising efforts of Ed Mettelman, who became the organization’s Endowment board president last year. His team, The Silver Powderhounds, have participated all three years and won in multiple categories. This year, Mettelman leads fundraising efforts as of March 25, with 55 donors contributing just under $10,000.
The fundraising goal for the event is at least $80,000. On March 25, just a few days out from the event, participants had successfully collected just over half that goal, with around $41,000 pledged. That is rapidly approaching the total amount raised last year, which was over $43,000. The success helped inform this year’s loftier goal.
The runners-up, as of March 25, were the five-person team, the Swifties, who had collected over $4,000 for the cause; the seven-person team, Gnarnivores, was close behind with over $3,000 raised; and the four-person ALEA Group was nipping at their heels just shy of $3,000. Contributions range from $10 to hundreds of dollars.
The Limitless Mountain Challenge celebrates Challenge Aspen’s roots. In 1995, adaptive skiing was the organization’s original offering, making outdoor sports more accessible to people with disabilities. The organization’s adaptive offerings have expanded significantly and their skiing opportunities remain immensely popular.
In a nutshell
What: Challenge Aspen’s Limitless Mountain Challenge
When: Saturday, March 29
Where: Snowmass, with remote option
More details: www.tinyurl.com/Limitless2025