The prizes are piling up around the office, and that may be annoying to SOME people, but it doesn’t bother me. We have a fine collection of hard goods from our industry sponsors, like K2 and Never Summer Industries, and serious stacks of goodies from some of our favorite local businesses. Oh let’s see here….We have gift certificates to La Chiripada Winery‘s Tasting Room – right here in Taos, which, if you have not visited, is quite a treat for aprés ski, or aprés shop. We have a punch-card from Northside Health and Fitness, and a great eats gift certificate for Orlando’s New Mexican Cafe in El Prado (soon to open second location on the south side in the old Lula’s/Pizza Emergency building)! What else? We have got a sweet Babolat tennis racket and strings with free string and tune from Kurt at Taos Tennis at the Quail Ridge, and a gift certificate to support your daily grind in el norte, from Elevation Coffee, and one more for everyone’s favorite happy hour and comfort-food, at the Alley Cantina just off the plaza. Moby Dickens has donated two $25 gift certificates toward your collection of good reads. And someone is going to get to take a pal and fly the gorge in a Pueblo Balloon!

Now, I know you liked those options, BUT, there are some more excellent rewards up for grabs at the event award party….Seriously – you could win a two night stay or $100 to the restaurant at the Southwest’s celebrated, authentic old-world home cooking and alpin-lodge, The Bavarian, right on the slopes at TSV and I am almost sad that I have to work instead of hike because I really, really want to stay there and eat too much delicious spätzle. You could also get lucky and win another great lodging prize from The Historic Taos Inn, or food from Doc Martin’s restaurant. They kindly offered one night and brunch downtown in the cozy atmosphere of the “Living Room of Taos” with live music nightly. We have certificates from 999dine.com for Sabroso Restaurant and Bar in gorgeous Arroyo Seco. And SOMEONE is going to win a TSV Millennium Pass.

After the exertion of fund raising and ridge hiking, some of you may prefer a pampering – and Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs has sweetly sent us almost a dozen mid-week day passes, while Vapour Organic Beauty has donated a gift certificate for their line of beautiful, luminous, natural beauty products, you will surely want to know more about them if you haven’t heard before. Golightly Cashmere’s Chocolate + Cashmere on lower Bent Street has also offered up a certificate for some posh and plush feel-goods. We have artisan silver Jewelry from Mona Van Riper (the Taos Skeleton Ski Bum pin), and a beautiful cuff copper and silver bracelet from Mesa’s Edge at the Ski Valley.

Don’t forget to bring registration forms and your collected pledges (CHECKS MADE OUT TO TAOS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION memo: Raise the Ridge – athlete name) to the mountain with you Friday or Saturday morning. Have fun – there’s no need to break a record for runs, just raise some funds, come enjoy a Ski Valley weekend, and live it!

The 50th Anniversary K2/Rolling Stones AT Rockers!

The Never Summer Industries SL series board is versatile, for many riding styles and all-terrain.