Londonderry, Vermont’s Magic Mountain prides itself on doing things differently. The independent ski area works hard to provide a laid back, “old school” atmosphere to complement its steep, challenging terrain—which has helped it develop a cult-like following in New England. After considerable financial difficulties in recent years, the mountain has made a steady comeback thanks to new backing from the SKI MAGIC LLC ownership group, which has vastly improved Magic’s infrastructure.
Staying true to its soul skiing roots, Magic has announced a one-of-a-kind competition—dubbed the Master of the Mountain Extreme Biathlon—to “showcase an ultimate test of eastern skiing,” according to Magic Mountain president Geoff Hatheway. On March 3, competitors will descend 1,300 feet down Magic’s famed Black Line trail. The catch? Skiers will first have to navigate a big-mountain extreme section at the top (think Freeride World Tour-type skiing), then transition into a giant slalom race course at the bottom. The extreme biathlon will be a timed race, however competitors can earn bonus points in the big-mountain portion for line taken, style/fluidity and airs.
The Master of the Mountain will feature a $2,000 cash purse to be split among the top three finishers in both men’s and women’s categories. There is a 100 skier cap to the race and registration is available, here. If you think you’ve got the chops to gracefully descend some of the most technical terrain in southern Vermont and dominate the GS scene, enter today.
Header image courtesy of the Magic Mountain Facebook page
