Damon Crouse of Lewiston skis Thursday up the mountain on his first lap of his 24-hour Ski Mountaineering Marathon at Lost Valley in Auburn. Ski mountaineers use skins on the bottom of their skis when moving up hill. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Damon Crouse of Lewiston chats with children Thursday after finishing his first lap of his 24-hour Ski Mountaineering Marathon at Lost Valley in Auburn. Crouse set out at 4 p.m. to ski up and down the mountain as many times as he can in 24 hours to raise funds for The Root Cellar in Lewiston. Crouse was projected to raise $23,000 if he completed 35 laps. “Damon is putting it all on the line to raise support for The Root Cellar,” said Joel Furrow, director of the downtown community center that focuses on children and teens. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Vicky Crouse of Lewiston keeps track of the laps her husband completes during Damon Crouse’s 24-hour Ski Mountaineering Marathon at Lost Valley in Auburn. The couple brought a portable ice fishing shack to rest in during the fundraiser. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Staff, volunteers and children keep an eye out for ski-marathoner Damon Crouse on Thursday at Lost Valley in Auburn. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Damon Crouse of Lewiston pulls the skins from the bottom of his skis Thursday following the second lap of his 24-hour Ski Mountaineering Marathon at Lost Valley in Auburn. Crouse set out at 4 p.m. to ski up and down the ski mountain as many times as he can in 24 hours to raise funds for The Root Cellar in Lewiston. Crouse was projected to raise $23,000 if he completed 35 laps. “Damon is putting it all on the line to raise support for The Root Cellar,” said Joel Furrow, director of the downtown community center that focuses on children and teens. Skins are put on the bottom of skis when traction is needed to move up hill. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Tiago Binge, 8, of Lewiston waits to put his skis on Thursday at Lost Valley in Auburn. Children from The Root Cellar, a downtown community center in Lewiston that focuses on children and teens, ski at Lost Valley weekly. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Damon Crouse of Lewiston heads back up the mountain for lap two Thursday at Lost Valley in Auburn. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Damon Crouse of Lewiston finishes the first lap of his 24-hour Ski Mountaineering Marathon at Lost Valley in Auburn. Crouse set out at 4 p.m. to ski up and down the mountain as many times as he can in 24 hours to raise funds for The Root Cellar in Lewiston. Crouse was projected to raise $23,000 if he completed 35 laps. “Damon is putting it all on the line to raise support for The Root Cellar,” said Joel Furrow, director of the downtown community center that focuses on children and teens. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Damon Crouse of Lewiston clips into his ski bindings Thursday at Lost Valley in Auburn. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal