Bretton Wood fetes Hall of Fame's 50th Anniversary, Feb. 27-29

BRETTON WOODS, New Hampshire -- Bretton Woods Mountain Resort will celebrate the legends of skiing and the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame's fiftieth anniversary February 27-29.

New Hampshire's White Mountains witnessed some of the first turns of modern skiing in America, making Bretton Woods a perfect site to commemorate such a milestone.

This three-day exploration of ski history will offer a glimpse into the past and bring it to life through a full slate of activities and events.

Friday, February 27, marks the debut of the New England Ski Museum's exhibit "Technology of Alpine Ski Resorts: Lifts, Snowmaking & Grooming" in the new Bretton Woods Base Lodge. In designing the new base lodge, a space was designated on the ground level to feature exhibits created by the Ski Museum. This premiere will include a reception with wine tasting. Night skiing on the lighted trails of Bretton Woods will also be offered.

Friday evening is the kick off for the Bretton Woods Classic Ski Film Festival. "Dr. Quackenbush Skis the Headwall" will be shown in the Bretton Woods Base Lodge at 7 p.m. Admission is complimentary for all films throughout the festival.

Saturday's events will start early with First Tracks at 8 a.m. Guides will lead the way for the best skiing of the day on freshly groomed corduroy or untouched powder stashes. At 9:30 a.m., the Tenth Mountain Division will conduct a flag ceremony and tribute to the American troops abroad. A "Relic Race" at 10 a.m. welcomes participants with "classic" gear and/or clothing. A silent auction to benefit the New England Ski Museum will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At 1 p.m., a Vintage Ski Wear Contest will feature the fabulous fashions from the closets and attics of all who wish to participate and win prizes.

An après ski party continues the theme of the weekend with great after-skiing camaraderie, libation and live musical entertainment. The Classic Ski Film Festival continues in the Dartmouth Room at The Mount Washington Hotel. Films will show from 3 to 8 p.m. and include "Slalom", "White Ecstasy (The Ski Chase)" and "Schlitz on Mount Washington." Later that evening, with the elegant Mount Washington Hotel serving as the quintessential setting, the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary with a banquet and a tribute to honored New Hampshire inductees. The banquet is open to resort guests as part of their lodging rate and to the public at a rate of $50 inclusive. After dinner, the festivities continue with dancing to live music in the hotel's Cave Lounge, an authentic Prohibition-era speakeasy. Also, the Classic Ski Film Festival finale, "Sun Valley Serenade" will show at 10 p.m.

Another chance to make First Tracks at Bretton Woods will be offered on Sunday morning at 8 o'clock. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., ski historian Glenn Parkinson takes to the slopes with his vintage 1930s ski attire and wooden skis. At the Nordic Center, Bretton Woods marks the finish line for the BankNorth Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure. A field of 600 skiers will take to a challenging 50-kilometer trek that begins in Pinkham Notch and winds its way around the northern side of Mount Washington, ending on its western slope, in Bretton Woods.