POCATELLO — A multi-media presentation combining slides, music and narration is one of the highlights of the 2017 Rocky Mountain Writers Festival. The program focuses on running the Alsek River through the remote Saint Elias Range of Alaska and Canada.

The program is presented by Ron Watters and Kathy Daly of Pocatello. It will be shown on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. at Old Town Ice Cream at 110 North Main in Pocatello. The event is free and the public is invited.

Watters and Daly own the Great Rift Press, which published “Never Turn Back,” a biography about Walt Blackadar. Blackadar was a doctor from Salmon who received international acclaim for his exploits in running whitewater rivers.

In 1971, Blackadar made what many people believe to have been the greatest whitewater achievement of its time — the solo descent of Turnback Canyon on the Alsek River in Canada. It was the whitewater world’s Mt. Everest — and it was accomplished by a lone person in a fragile fiberglass kayak.

It was only six years later that Walt Blackadar died in a kayaking accident on the South Fork of the Payette River. By the time of his death, he was so widely known and respected that ABC Sports aired a tribute to Blackadar on national television. In Canada, a mountain along the Alsek River was named in his honor.

Sometime after Blackadar’s death, Watters, Daly, and a small group of kayakers and rafters from Idaho retraced Blackadar’s historic journey down the Alsek. During that journey, the group made the first ascent of Mt. Blackadar.

Part of the reason for the trip was research for the biography on Walt Blackadar’s life. The other part was for an adventure.

The multi-media program to be presented on Saturday evening is about that journey.

In addition, Saturday night festivities will include readings by invited authors. Highlighting the readings will be Leslie Leek and Will Peterson.

Leek is a local writer who is known for her rich settings and insightful stories about the Idaho experience. Peterson is the owner of Walrus and Carpenter Books and is the author of a recently published novel that takes place in Southeast Idaho.

Other activities of the Rocky Mountain Writer’s Festival include the following: April 5 at Portneuf Valley Brewing, featuring Krishna Strong, other well-known writers, and singer/songwriter Matthew Murdock. April 6 at the College Market, featuring Kelly Ricken and ISU students and faculty. April 7 at the Bru House, featuring a fantasy/sci-fi night with Chelsea “Citizen Rouge” and local writers.

All events begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

POCATELLO — Wildfire season is right around the corner and the Pocatello Fire Department is offering residents a bit of help to make their homes more resistant to one of nature’s most destructive forces.

This spring, the Fire Department is debuting its “Junk the Juniper” fuel reduction program. The effort incentivizes residents living in the Wildland Urban Interface areas of Pocatello to replace juniper trees on their property.

For every two junipers residents remove on their property, the department will give them a voucher worth $50 toward the purchase of a firewise tree at Changing Seasons Nursery, a coupon from Changing Seasons to take 20 percent off the purchase the firewise tree and a free pass to the Bannock County Landfill to dispose of the juniper trees.

“Unlike other natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes or earthquakes, there are simple and often inexpensive ways to protect your home from wildfire,” said Kim Stouse, community relations/education specialist. “According to fire science research, it’s not where a home is located that necessarily determines ignition risk, but the landscape around it. When fuels accumulate, they allow fires to burn hotter, faster and with higher flame lengths.”

To participate in the program, residents are asked to contact the department’s Fire Prevention Division at 208-234-7083. Department staff will then come to the property, verify that the property is within the Wildland Urban Interface, and mark the trees that will be removed. Once the trees are removed, staff will return to the property, verify the trees have been removed, and provide the resident with the incentives. The program is being funded through a $14,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, Idaho experienced 630 wildfires that consumed 361,649 acres in 2016.

For more information on the “Junk the Juniper” program, call the Pocatello Fire Department Fire Prevention Division at 208-234-7083.

A northern Idaho woman recently made national news after she blamed a car crash on a sasquatch.

Now a noted local Bigfoot researcher is saying that her story seems credible on the surface.

Dr. Jeff Meldrum, professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University, has been researching Bigfoot sightings for years, and he said the woman’s claim is not out of the realm of possibility.

According to an article in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the woman, a 50-year-old resident of the town of Tensed, told police she saw a sasquatch chasing a deer on the side of the road last Wednesday night while driving on U.S. Highway 95 near the Idaho/Washington border.

Then, she checked her rearview mirror to get a second look at what she described as a 7- to 8-foot tall “shaggy” creature. But when she looked up, the deer ran in front of her and she struck the animal with her Subaru Forester.

Even though Meldrum has not interviewed the woman making the claims, he said the story does seem credible due to how she handled the sighting in the aftermath of the crash.

“It’s intriguing because she sounds like a very credible witness,” he said, noting that there is no suggestion that she was inebriated or delusional. “Her first response was to report it to the sheriff and not post it on Facebook.”

Meldrum also said that the whole scenario seems plausible, especially considering the time of year and the location of the crash, which occurred near a heavily wooded national forest.

“The most common places to see a Bigfoot is on a highway at night or adjacent to a body of water,” he said. “The whole northern panhandle is prime habitat for a sasquatch. This is also the time of year you would expect a Bigfoot to be chasing deer, when it’s malnourished at the end of winter.”

Though Meldrum said this is all speculation at this point, he does say there are some other possibilities to explain the sighting.

The woman could have merely misinterpreted what she saw chasing the deer. While it could have been a bear emerging from its winter den and looking for a meal, Meldrum said that explanation seems unlikely.

“A bear isn’t going to be chasing deer on its hind legs,” Meldrum said. “The bear would have taken one or two steps before going back on four legs.”

There’s also the possibility that the woman was being pranked. In 2012, a man dressed in a Bigfoot costume was trying to drum up sightings of the creature along a Montana highway.

Instead, he ended up getting struck by two cars and killed.

But what fascinates Meldrum most about the case in northern Idaho is how much interest the story has generated. It has already been picked up by multiple national news organizations such as Fox News and was one of the top trending stories on Facebook this weekend.

“What’s interesting is the attention it has gotten,” he said. “It isn’t obviously involving a crazy person and it doesn’t seem like a prank. I think it struck a chord because it was just so mundane, but it smacks of a credible encounter.”

In the end, the Associated Press reported that police marked the incident allegedly involving Bigfoot as a vehicle versus deer collision.

On the evenings of April 14 and 15, Meldrum will make two presentations at the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier regarding the subject of Bigfoot.

The first presentation, entitled “Sasquatch and Other Wildmen: The Search for Relict Hominoids,” will be held on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Meldrum will discuss the shifting attitude of science towards cryptic man-like species, such as sasquatch, surviving into the present alongside humans in various remote corners of the globe.

Meldrum will also hold a book signing beginning at 6 p.m. in the lobby of the center.

The second presentation, entitled “50 Years of the Patterson-Gimlin Film,” will be held on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The year 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the controversial film footage depicting what alleges to be a Bigfoot in northern California. Meldrum will discuss his findings regarding the film. He will be available from 1 to 7 p.m. for questions and book signing.

Beginning this week, bicyclists willing to brave the unpredictable elements of spring in Yellowstone National Park can travel 49 miles of park roads from the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana, to Mammoth Hot Springs.

There is no bicycle access to Old Faithful or Canyon until the first interior park roads open to public motorized vehicle access on Friday, April 21.

A bicycle trip into Yellowstone this time of year is not to be undertaken lightly. The quickly changing weather can be challenging. Snow and ice may still cover sections of road. Tall snow banks may line roads and pullouts may be snow-packed.

Bicyclists are required to ride single-file and follow all other rules of the road. Cyclists should expect to encounter and yield to snowplows or other motorized vehicles operated by park employees or construction workers traveling in conjunction with park operations.

Bicyclists should be prepared to encounter bears, bison, elk, wolves and other wildlife at any time. Riders are strongly encouraged to carry bear spray, be prepared to turn around when encountering wildlife on the road and must stay out of closed areas.

No services are available along these sections of road. Cell phone coverage throughout the park is sparse and unreliable for communicating emergencies. Riders should plan for self-rescue or repair, and be prepared for severe winter conditions for an extended period of time in the event they experience a mechanical breakdown, injury or other emergency. More information can be found on the park’s website under Spring Bicycling.

Cyclists can call 307-344-2109 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for updated road access information. Yellowstone National Park road information is available by calling 307-344-2117.

INKOM — With rising temperatures and melting snow, Pebble Creek Ski Area has announced its last day of the 2016-2017 winter season will be on Sunday. 

According to Pebble Creek’s Facebook page, the Inkom ski resort had one of its best seasons in years. On Sunday, the resort will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To help close out the season, Pebble Creek will host its Montucky Pond Skim on Saturday afternoon. 

Located between the Skyline Lift and the lodge, the pond skim is a great spectator event as skiers and snowboarders attempt to skim across a freezing pond. The first 35 people to make it across the pond will win a limited edition T-shirt. 

Participants need to come into the office and a sign a waiver to get a wristband. There is no fee to enter, but participants must have a wristband to skim. The resort is also encouraging participants to wear a costume. 

Until May 1, the ski resort will have a season pass sale for the 2017-2018 ski season. For the sale, an adult season pass will cost $325, a youth season pass will cost $225 and a senior season pass will cost $225. A family pass will cost $1,225. 

The grizzly bears at Yellowstone National Park are beginning to emerge from hibernation.

Early Wednesday morning, a park employee saw a grizzly bear between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower-Roosevelt. This is the first confirmed grizzly bear sighting this year, even though bear tracks have been found in the park since Feb. 22.

Hours after the first sighting, Yellowstone staff saw two more grizzly bears scavenging carcasses in the northern section of the park.

Park officials said that when bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Sometimes, bears will react aggressively while feeding on carcasses.

Because of all of Yellowstone is bear country, the National Park Service is advising all visitors to stay safe by following these guidelines:

• Prepare for a bear encounter.
• Carry bear spray, know how to use it and make sure it’s accessible.
• Stay alert.
• Hike or ski in groups of three or more, stay on maintained trails and make noise. Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn or at night.
• Do not run if you encounter a bear.
• Stay 100 yards away from black and grizzly bears. Use binoculars, a telescope or telephoto lens to get a closer look.
• Store food, garbage, barbecue grills and other attractants in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes.
• Learn more about bear safety.
• Report bear sightings and encounters to a park ranger immediately.

“Yellowstone visitors care deeply about preserving bears and observing them in the wild,” said Kerry Gunther, the park’s bear management specialist, in a press release. “Carrying bear spray is the best way for them to participate in bear conservation because reducing potential conflicts protects both people and bears.”

While firearms are allowed in the park, the discharge of a firearm by visitors is a violation of park regulations.

The park restricts certain activities in locations where there is a high density of elk and bison carcasses and lots of bears. Restrictions began in some bear management areas on March 10.

INKOM — Pebble Creek Ski Area has switched to its March schedule. The resort is now open Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Until March 12, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with night skiing on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11 until 9:30 p.m.

With the time change to daylight saving, hours will be 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. starting March 15.

According to the resort, Pebble Creek has some of the best snow of the season. As of this past weekend, the ski areas had 74 inches up top and 32 inches at the lodge.

Those who purchase a 2017-2018 season pass now can ski for the rest of the season for free. Spring price passes are $325 for adults and teens and $225 for kids and seniors. Family passes are $1,225. All passes include tax.

Weekend Events

Town Challenge (Saturday)

The Annual Town Challenge Dual Slalom is Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Pocatello Ski and Snowboard Association.

Make your own two-person team or we can help you find a partner. Each competitor must complete one run on each course. The combined times for each team are used to determine the winning team for each class.

Team fundraiser/season pass raffle: Raffle tickets $5 each or $25 for 8 tickets.

Entry: No entry fee for PSSA members. Others $5 per team (includes 2 raffle tickets)

Kid teams: 9 and under or 10-15 boys or girls and boy-girl combined team

Parent and kid teams: Kid 9 and under or kid 10-18 and a parent

Adult 2-person teams:

• Open men:

• Any age combination

• Open women:

• Any age combination

• Mixed man and woman:

• Age combination less than 100

• Senior open:

• Combined age equal to or greater that 100

Sign up: 9-11 a.m. in the lodge.

First run: 11 a.m.

Second run: Immediately following the first run.

Awards Ceremony: On the Deck after the Race.

The race course in located on Rock Garden, with easy viewing from the deck. The community is invited to participate in this family-friendly event. Team categories may be added or adjusted as needed.

Snow Ball and Torch Light Parade (Saturday)

On Saturday night, Pebble Creek is hosting a Snowball and Torch Light Parade.

Dress up or wear a costume for Brody’s Snow Ball with music and dancing. During the snow ball, you’ll have a chance to bid on numerous silent auction items.

The Torchlight Parade promises to be a spectacular event visible from the lodge deck, winding down from the Sunshine lift. Participants will gather at 6:30 p.m., with the parade starting at 7 p.m.

To participate in the Torchlight Parade, you must be at least 18 years of age and be an expert skier or snowboarder. The suggested donation to participate is $50.

This event is a fundraiser to cover the medical bills of Brody Wilson. Brody was diagnosed with cancer at 10-months-old. Now he has been proclaimed cancer-free, but the medical bills have been crippling for the family.

Brody’s dad is Jordan Wilson, Pebble Creek’s lodge manager and mechanic. According to the resort, he has been working 70 hours a week to pay these medical bills.

This is also the last night for night skiing. Discount night ski tickets will be at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Food service, rental shop and bar will all be open. There is no charge for the snow ball or watching the Torchlight Parade.

Telemark Festival (Sunday)

The Annual Telemark Festival will be held at Pebble Creek Ski Area on Sunday.

The Classic Terrain Race will be held at 1 p.m. This race brings together the skills of telemarking and cross-country travel. The course is a combination of slalom gates and uphill gates.

After the race, join in the fun of tie-dying your event T-shirt in vats on the deck. A lively post-race party will follow, with an awards ceremony and draw prizes.

Race registration will be held in the lodge from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration fee is $25. Fee includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, race entry and the post race party.

Everyone is eligible for prize drawings, but you must be present to win. Entrants must have a valid lift ticket or season pass.

For those not wanting to race, the festival is a time for telemark enthusiasts to get together and enjoy the slopes with fellow telemarkers.

INKOM — Pebble Creek Ski Area has switched to its March schedule. The resort is now open Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Until March 12, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with night skiing on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11 until 9:30 p.m.

With the time change to daylight saving, hours will be 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. starting March 15.

According to the resort, Pebble Creek has some of the best snow of the season. As of this past weekend, the ski areas had 74 inches up top and 32 inches at the lodge.

Those who purchase a 2017-2018 season pass now can ski for the rest of the season for free. Spring price passes are $325 for adults and teens and $225 for kids and seniors. Family passes are $1,225. All passes include tax.

Weekend Events

Town Challenge (Saturday)

The Annual Town Challenge Dual Slalom is Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Pocatello Ski and Snowboard Association.

Make your own two-person team or we can help you find a partner. Each competitor must complete one run on each course. The combined times for each team are used to determine the winning team for each class.

Team fundraiser/season pass raffle: Raffle tickets $5 each or $25 for 8 tickets.

Entry: No entry fee for PSSA members. Others $5 per team (includes 2 raffle tickets)

Kid teams: 9 and under or 10-15 boys or girls and boy-girl combined team

Parent and kid teams: Kid 9 and under or kid 10-18 and a parent

Adult 2-person teams:

• Open men:

• Any age combination

• Open women:

• Any age combination

• Mixed man and woman:

• Age combination less than 100

• Senior open:

• Combined age equal to or greater that 100

Sign up: 9-11 a.m. in the lodge.

First run: 11 a.m.

Second run: Immediately following the first run.

Awards Ceremony: On the Deck after the Race.

The race course in located on Rock Garden, with easy viewing from the deck. The community is invited to participate in this family-friendly event. Team categories may be added or adjusted as needed.

Snow Ball and Torch Light Parade (Saturday)

On Saturday night, Pebble Creek is hosting a Snowball and Torch Light Parade.

Dress up or wear a costume for Brody’s Snow Ball with music and dancing. During the snow ball, you’ll have a chance to bid on numerous silent auction items.

The Torchlight Parade promises to be a spectacular event visible from the lodge deck, winding down from the Sunshine lift. Participants will gather at 6:30 p.m., with the parade starting at 7 p.m.

To participate in the Torchlight Parade, you must be at least 18 years of age and be an expert skier or snowboarder. The suggested donation to participate is $50.

This event is a fundraiser to cover the medical bills of Brody Wilson. Brody was diagnosed with cancer at 10-months-old. Now he has been proclaimed cancer-free, but the medical bills have been crippling for the family.

Brody’s dad is Jordan Wilson, Pebble Creek’s lodge manager and mechanic. According to the resort, he has been working 70 hours a week to pay these medical bills.

This is also the last night for night skiing. Discount night ski tickets will be at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Food service, rental shop and bar will all be open. There is no charge for the snow ball or watching the Torchlight Parade.

Telemark Festival (Sunday)

The Annual Telemark Festival will be held at Pebble Creek Ski Area on Sunday.

The Classic Terrain Race will be held at 1 p.m. This race brings together the skills of telemarking and cross-country travel. The course is a combination of slalom gates and uphill gates.

After the race, join in the fun of tie-dying your event T-shirt in vats on the deck. A lively post-race party will follow, with an awards ceremony and draw prizes.

Race registration will be held in the lodge from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration fee is $25. Fee includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, race entry and the post race party.

Everyone is eligible for prize drawings, but you must be present to win. Entrants must have a valid lift ticket or season pass.

For those not wanting to race, the festival is a time for telemark enthusiasts to get together and enjoy the slopes with fellow telemarkers.

INKOM — Pebble Creek Ski Area has switched to its March schedule. The resort is now open Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Until March 12, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with night skiing on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11 until 9:30 p.m.

With the time change to daylight saving, hours will be 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. starting March 15.

According to the resort, Pebble Creek has some of the best snow of the season. As of this past weekend, the ski areas had 74 inches up top and 32 inches at the lodge.

Those who purchase a 2017-2018 season pass now can ski for the rest of the season for free. Spring price passes are $325 for adults and teens and $225 for kids and seniors. Family passes are $1,225. All passes include tax.

Weekend Events

Town Challenge (Saturday)

The Annual Town Challenge Dual Slalom is Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Pocatello Ski and Snowboard Association.

Make your own two-person team or we can help you find a partner. Each competitor must complete one run on each course. The combined times for each team are used to determine the winning team for each class.

Team fundraiser/season pass raffle: Raffle tickets $5 each or $25 for 8 tickets.

Entry: No entry fee for PSSA members. Others $5 per team (includes 2 raffle tickets)

Kid teams: 9 and under or 10-15 boys or girls and boy-girl combined team

Parent and kid teams: Kid 9 and under or kid 10-18 and a parent

Adult 2-person teams:

• Open men:

• Any age combination

• Open women:

• Any age combination

• Mixed man and woman:

• Age combination less than 100

• Senior open:

• Combined age equal to or greater that 100

Sign up: 9-11 a.m. in the lodge.

First run: 11 a.m.

Second run: Immediately following the first run.

Awards Ceremony: On the Deck after the Race.

The race course in located on Rock Garden, with easy viewing from the deck. The community is invited to participate in this family-friendly event. Team categories may be added or adjusted as needed.

Snow Ball and Torch Light Parade (Saturday)

On Saturday night, Pebble Creek is hosting a Snowball and Torch Light Parade.

Dress up or wear a costume for Brody’s Snow Ball with music and dancing. During the snow ball, you’ll have a chance to bid on numerous silent auction items.

The Torchlight Parade promises to be a spectacular event visible from the lodge deck, winding down from the Sunshine lift. Participants will gather at 6:30 p.m., with the parade starting at 7 p.m.

To participate in the Torchlight Parade, you must be at least 18 years of age and be an expert skier or snowboarder. The suggested donation to participate is $50.

This event is a fundraiser to cover the medical bills of Brody Wilson. Brody was diagnosed with cancer at 10-months-old. Now he has been proclaimed cancer-free, but the medical bills have been crippling for the family.

Brody’s dad is Jordan Wilson, Pebble Creek’s lodge manager and mechanic. According to the resort, he has been working 70 hours a week to pay these medical bills.

This is also the last night for night skiing. Discount night ski tickets will be at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Food service, rental shop and bar will all be open. There is no charge for the snow ball or watching the Torchlight Parade.

Telemark Festival (Sunday)

The Annual Telemark Festival will be held at Pebble Creek Ski Area on Sunday.

The Classic Terrain Race will be held at 1 p.m. This race brings together the skills of telemarking and cross-country travel. The course is a combination of slalom gates and uphill gates.

After the race, join in the fun of tie-dying your event T-shirt in vats on the deck. A lively post-race party will follow, with an awards ceremony and draw prizes.

Race registration will be held in the lodge from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration fee is $25. Fee includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, race entry and the post race party.

Everyone is eligible for prize drawings, but you must be present to win. Entrants must have a valid lift ticket or season pass.

For those not wanting to race, the festival is a time for telemark enthusiasts to get together and enjoy the slopes with fellow telemarkers.

INKOM — Pebble Creek Ski Area has switched to its March schedule. The resort is now open Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Until March 12, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with night skiing on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11 until 9:30 p.m.

With the time change to daylight saving, hours will be 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. starting March 15.

According to the resort, Pebble Creek has some of the best snow of the season. As of this past weekend, the ski areas had 74 inches up top and 32 inches at the lodge.

Those who purchase a 2017-2018 season pass now can ski for the rest of the season for free. Spring price passes are $325 for adults and teens and $225 for kids and seniors. Family passes are $1,225. All passes include tax.

Weekend Events

Town Challenge (Saturday)

The Annual Town Challenge Dual Slalom is Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Pocatello Ski and Snowboard Association.

Make your own two-person team or we can help you find a partner. Each competitor must complete one run on each course. The combined times for each team are used to determine the winning team for each class.

Team fundraiser/season pass raffle: Raffle tickets $5 each or $25 for 8 tickets.

Entry: No entry fee for PSSA members. Others $5 per team (includes 2 raffle tickets)

Kid teams: 9 and under or 10-15 boys or girls and boy-girl combined team

Parent and kid teams: Kid 9 and under or kid 10-18 and a parent

Adult 2-person teams:

• Open men:

• Any age combination

• Open women:

• Any age combination

• Mixed man and woman:

• Age combination less than 100

• Senior open:

• Combined age equal to or greater that 100

Sign up: 9-11 a.m. in the lodge.

First run: 11 a.m.

Second run: Immediately following the first run.

Awards Ceremony: On the Deck after the Race.

The race course in located on Rock Garden, with easy viewing from the deck. The community is invited to participate in this family-friendly event. Team categories may be added or adjusted as needed.

Snow Ball and Torch Light Parade (Saturday)

On Saturday night, Pebble Creek is hosting a Snowball and Torch Light Parade.

Dress up or wear a costume for Brody’s Snow Ball with music and dancing. During the snow ball, you’ll have a chance to bid on numerous silent auction items.

The Torchlight Parade promises to be a spectacular event visible from the lodge deck, winding down from the Sunshine lift. Participants will gather at 6:30 p.m., with the parade starting at 7 p.m.

To participate in the Torchlight Parade, you must be at least 18 years of age and be an expert skier or snowboarder. The suggested donation to participate is $50.

This event is a fundraiser to cover the medical bills of Brody Wilson. Brody was diagnosed with cancer at 10-months-old. Now he has been proclaimed cancer-free, but the medical bills have been crippling for the family.

Brody’s dad is Jordan Wilson, Pebble Creek’s lodge manager and mechanic. According to the resort, he has been working 70 hours a week to pay these medical bills.

This is also the last night for night skiing. Discount night ski tickets will be at Barrie’s Ski and Sports. Food service, rental shop and bar will all be open. There is no charge for the snow ball or watching the Torchlight Parade.

Telemark Festival (Sunday)

The Annual Telemark Festival will be held at Pebble Creek Ski Area on Sunday.

The Classic Terrain Race will be held at 1 p.m. This race brings together the skills of telemarking and cross-country travel. The course is a combination of slalom gates and uphill gates.

After the race, join in the fun of tie-dying your event T-shirt in vats on the deck. A lively post-race party will follow, with an awards ceremony and draw prizes.

Race registration will be held in the lodge from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration fee is $25. Fee includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, race entry and the post race party.

Everyone is eligible for prize drawings, but you must be present to win. Entrants must have a valid lift ticket or season pass.

For those not wanting to race, the festival is a time for telemark enthusiasts to get together and enjoy the slopes with fellow telemarkers.