Three separate contests in the Canadian and the U.S. West give skiers and snowboarders the opportunity to become the ultimate slope slacker, with prizes that include free skiing throughout the entire 2010 winter, free cat- and heli-skiing, free airfare, free hotel accommodation, free food, even free use of an SUV for the season.
SUN PEAKS, B.C.: I WANT TO BE THE SNOW BUM
First out of the gate was Sun Peaks' I Want To Be The Snow Bum contest. The winner will spend three months at the ski area near Kamploops, B.C., with free lift passes, plus free access to snow tubing, snowmobiling and dog sledding. Free airfare and food are also part of the package, plus three months' accommodation at one of Sun Peaks' slopeside hotels, free ski equipment and free ski clothes. The winner also scores VIP backstage passes to resort events.
To win, candidates -- intermediate or advanced skiers and snowboarders over the age of 19 -- need to submit a 60-second video explaining why they'd be good at being a snow bum.
Not everything is free. The winner will be required to blog throughout the winter and regularly update Facebook and Twitter on their ski bum experience. Videos need to be submitted to snowbumcanada.com by Nov. 15.
KOOTENAY ROCKIES, B.C.: POWDER
HIGHWAY ULTIMATE SKI BUM
A similar competition has been launched by B.C.'s Kootenay Rockies region. The prize for the Powder Highway Ultimate Ski Bum contest includes three months of free skiing or snowboarding along B.C.'s Powder Highway, which includes seven ski resorts and the world's highest concentration of snowcat and heli-ski operations.
"This place has long been a haven for ski bums," says Chris Andrews of Kootenay Rockies Tourism. "We're sharing that adventure through the experiences of one person -- the Ultimate Ski Bum. No agenda, no job, just snow, mountains and a road that links it all together."
Resorts along the Powder Highway include Red Mountain, Whitewater, Revelstoke and Fernie. Participating cat operations include the famed Island Lake Lodge and Powder Cowboy; heli-skiing ops include CMH Kootenay and Selkirk Tangiers. The Ultimate Ski Bum winner also wins three months' use of a Mitsubishi SUV, plus free lodging along the way. Ninety-second videos depicting why you're the ultimate ski bum are due by Nov. 22 at PowderHighway.com.
LIVE THE DREAM
Contestants have more time to enter the Live the Dream contest for an all-expense-paid year living in Aspen, Colo. Anyone can submit their name to enter the contest, which starts Jan. 1, 2010. Contestants will be narrowed down and invited to Aspen to compete for a year's worth of free accommodation, a ski pass, new skis, a new bike, tickets to Aspen events and a credit card allowance. The winner will be required to blog on the experience, plus host weekly radio and TV shows in Aspen.
The contest is being promoted mainly via social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. For more information, go to qittle.com/live_the_dream.
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