“Olympic Flame Descents” at CairnGorm Mountain
To mark the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, Canada, CairnGorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands is inviting the public to take part in or watch “Olympic Flame Descents” on Wednesday 17th February 2010.
To take part in one of these descents participants are required to be competent skiers or snowboarders of intermediate/ advanced standard (able to ski confidently from the top to the bottom of the mountain). Children wishing to take part should be aged 8- 16 years and need to be accompanied by a participating adult. Spaces are limited for both events.
Participants will take the funicular railway to the top station from 4.30pm, where they will be given a hot drink and a beef roll. At dusk (which is expected to be around 5.30pm), 40cm light torches will be issued to every participant by ski patrol (flashing whistles will also be available for a small charge). The CairnGorm ‘Olympic’ Flame will be carried by ski patrol who will lead and guide the descent.
To take part you must visit the ticket office in the Base Station at CairnGorm between 1pm and 4pm prior to the event, but telephone bookings will not be accepted for this event. Adults will each pay £15 to take part in these events but one child can take part free of charge if accompanying a full paying adult.
Spectators will be welcome to watch the Descent from car park level where the Cas Bar will remain open until 7.30pm serving, hot drinks, home baking and light snacks. Weather permitting a sledge area on the lower slopes will also be open with sledges available for hire for £5 per half hour. There will also be an opportunity to take a ride on a snowmobile or piste-bashing machine for a donation of £5 which will go towards ski-race timing equipment and display boards.
“We wanted to do something special to mark the start of the winter Olympics at Whistler and, given the amount of fantastic snow cover we have going into half term and the requests we get for evening skiing, this seemed like a great opportunity to do something which both skiers and spectators could enjoy. If we get a fine evening the sight of the illuminated line of descending skiers as night falls should be quite something.” commented CairnGorm Mountain Chief Executive Ian Whitaker.
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