AUBURN — An Aerosmith song blasted in the background as Max Bell barrelled down the slope at Lost Valley. At the final turn, the 11-year-old Auburn boy hit the water just right and skimmed nearly all the way across the 120-foot, man-made pond of icy water.

“All my friends have done it, and I never did it before. So I was like ‘What the heck?’ and just decided to do it,” Bell said after his second attempt to make it all the way across in the pond-skimming contest during the ski area’s annual Snodeo on Sunday.

He came close, but not as close as 13-year-old Tanner Dillingham, who was the first skier to make it all the way across without slipping into the frigid water — and did so on his first attempt. He was also only one of two to conquer the challenge.

“It felt pretty good actually,” Dillingham said. “I was kind of nervous, but I’m really glad I made it all the way across.”

His secret? Dillingham said that he started off a bigger jump in order to gain more speed and momentum when he hit the water so that he could skim farther across.

“It’s just the challenge. Every skier likes the challenge,” said Jason Benner, 29, of Auburn, the second skier to beat the pond — which he did on his second try. “It’s just a pride thing that skiers have.”

Pond skimming was just one of several activities during Lost Valley’s Snodeo. Dave Whitcomb, mountain operations manager, said the annual event is a way for staff and customers to come together to celebrate the end of another season.

“It’s just to come together and enjoy and celebrate what winter sports are all about,” Whitcomb said. “It’s about staff and customers enjoying a sunny, warm, semi-spring day.”

As he watched from the sidelines, skier after skier made their way past him on their way to skimming the pond. Some were dressed in Hawaiian shirts, some in wedding gowns and some wore nothing more than shorts and a T-shirt.

In addition to pond skimming, the Snodeo also featured a skier and snowboarder cross, cardboard box sled races, plenty of rock-n-roll, a freestyle ski and snowboard competition and much more.

“The pond skimming. The people in general. It’s our chance to take part in all the fun,” said Nicole Nason, 28, of Hebron, who was enjoying the afternoon with her Lost Valley co-worker, 22-year-old Justin Blouin of Lewiston. “It’s a great way to celebrate the season.”

Lost Valley co-owner Connie King said that this was the sixth year for the Snodeo event. She said that around 1,000 people make their way to the event each year.

“It’s for the fun,” King said as she rushed over to judge the cardboard box sled races. “It’s exciting. It’s a way to say thank-you to all our season pass holders and all the people who come out all year.”