Foundation auctions off backcountry ski trip with three Olympians

The top 10 auction bidders at the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation’s annual dinner will get the chance to spend a day of backcountry cat skiing with three former Olympians.

Olympians Hilary Lindh, Julie Parisien and Kaitlyn Farrington will join 10 successful bidders for a day of skiing with Great Northern Powder Guides. The adventure will be auctioned at the 2017 Showcase of the Chefs Dinner, Wine Tasting and Auction at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake on Thursday, Nov. 30.

Other auction items include an epic six-day Alaska summer adventure trip, a Colt Idol giclee “Unbroken Spirit,” a weekend stay in a luxury tree house at Whitefish Mountain Resort, a catered dinner for four in a fire lookout, guided fishing trips on the Flathead River and the Elk River near Fernie, British Columbia, weekend ski trips including Big Sky, Schweitzer and Fernie, British Columbia, and many more items great and small.

“This year’s auction could be our biggest ever,” said Tim Hinderman, FVSEF Executive Director. “The opportunity to feature Olympians Hilary, Julie and Kaitlyn in an Olympic year is incredible. And there is a great selection of one-of-a-kind items, ski trips, guided fishing trips, artwork and jewelry in addition to all the great donated items that we receive from merchants from all over the Valley.”

For an updated list of auction items, visit fvsef.org.

Lindh’s career of 13 years on the U.S. Ski Team and three Olympic Games included Olympic Silver in the Downhill at Albertville, France, in 1992 and World Championship Gold in the Downhill at Sestriere, Italy in 1997.

Parisien, also a three-time Olympian, claimed World Championship Silver in the Slalom in 1993 at Morioka, Japan, as well as two World Pro Ski Tour titles. Lindh and Parisien are both coaches with the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation Race Team.

Farrington, the newest Olympian in the group and a recent immigrant to the Flathead Valley, captured the Gold Medal in the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe at Sochi in 2014, and X-Games SuperPipe Silver and Bronze in 2011 and 2014.

The Showcase of the Chefs is hosted each year by FVSEF to celebrate important milestones from Whitefish’s skiing history and to raise money for the FVSEF Whitefish Mountain Resort Race Team and the proposed Ski Heritage Center Museum of Skiing.

The theme for this year’s Showcase is “Olympic Fever.” This year’s showcase will feature the chefs and entrees from the Tupelo Grille, Wasabi, the Last Chair Kitchen & Bar; Whitefish Lake Restaurant, The Boat Club, Three Forks Grille and Wasabi.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $85 per person in advance, $95 at the door. Tickets are available at Sportsman Ski Haus stores in Kalispell and Whitefish, Great Northern Cycle & Ski, the Lodge at Whitefish Lake and online at www.fvsef.org.

All proceeds from showcase benefit the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation and the Ski Heritage Center Museum of Skiing.

For more information contact Tim Hinderman at 406-885-2730, or visit www.fvsef.org.