Next weekend, a team of eight skiers and riders will do a lot of driving for a little skiing over four days. The Maine Peak-to-Peak Challenge will start at Spruce Mountain in Jay at 2 p.m. next Friday. The Ski Maine Team will then head for Lost Valley and Shawnee Peak before wrapping up the day at Mt. Abram.

After an overnight at Sunday River, the team will hit the slopes for a run there before heading for Rumford and Black Mountain. Next will be Titcomb in Farmington, then on to Saddleback and Sugarloaf for the day’s final run and an overnight.

Sunday’s schedule will start at Baker Mountain in Moscow, hit Eaton Mountain in Skowhegan, Hermon Mountain in Hermon, Mt. Jefferson in Lee, Big Rock in Mars Hill and wind up at Quoggy Jo in Presque Isle. After spending the final night at the Maine Winter Sports Center, the team will hit the road for Fort Kent and a run at Lonesome Pine Trails before the long haul down to Camden for a wrap-up run at the Snowbowl.

Ski Maine, which represents the state’s ski areas, has several goals for the undertaking.

The first is to call attention to each of the 17 ski areas. Most of us think of Maine skiing as a few big areas and resorts, but forget that there are community areas throughout the state, with many communities having skiing available within a half hour’s drive.

The second is to highlight a new season-long competition, the Maine Peak-to-Peak Challenge. Prizes will be awarded according to the number of areas a skier visits during the season. The more mountains skied, the higher the value of the possible prize.

Skiers who ski or ride all 17 areas will qualify for a drawing for a Ski Maine VIP Pass and Solo pack for the 2008-2009 season. The VIP Pass is like a season pass to every ski area in Maine, good for a day of skiing at any area in Maine, anytime. Those who ski or ride 12 areas will be entered to win a Ski Maine Double Pack, two tickets for each member area, and those who ski or ride six areas will have a chance to win a Ski Maine Solo Pack, good for a day at each area. Details of the Peak to Peak Challenge can be found at www.skimaine.com, and participants will track their visits with a Ski Maine Peak to Peak Challenge card.

The final goal of the four-day skiing adventure is to benefit the Ski Museum of Maine. At each area, the skiers and riders will accept donations for the museum and provide information on memberships in the museum. The Maine Ski Hall of Fame is a division of the Ski Museum of Maine, which is at 109 Church St. in Farmington. Sponsors of next weekend’s event along with Ski Maine are Maine Jeep Dealers, HEAD, mainetoday.com, RSN, and Mountain Dew.

I don’t know the exact mileage, but a quick check of some of the distances shows at least 600 miles, and it will probably add up to at least another 100, not counting the trip to the starting point in Jay and getting home from Camden.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all in one weekend, and by simply visiting six areas nearby, you can enter for at least one of the prizes. And you can learn more about the Ski Museum and Hall of Fame at www.skimuseumofmaine.org. I have two so far and will have at least six by the end of February.

Charity begins on the slopes

One of every ski season’s biggest events is the annual Charity Summit at Sugarloaf which also takes place next weekend. Last year’s event raised $193,000 for the Martha B. Webber Breast Center and the Maine Cancer Foundation, and event coordinator Martha Bradley told me this year’s goal is $200,000. Everything gets underway with a Friday-night welcome party and continues through the weekend with a pair of races, the Charity Race for fundraisers and sponsors and the Challenge Race for $5 at the start. There will be day-and-evening activities on and off the slopes, including a live auction where you can bid on two hours of skiing or riding with Olympic Gold Medalist Seth Wescott among a wide range of items. A silent auction with over 150 items will be open to the public on Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. The live auction and final bidding for the silent auction will take place at the Charity Ball Saturday night. There will also be a raffle for a two-year Sugarloaf season pass.

Skiers and riders can get involved by entering the races and securing pledges for donations. There will be some celebrities on hand as well, including Red Sox great Jim Lonborg, who happens to be one of the nicest of all the retired Boston athletes. For more details on how to take part, call Martha Bradley 207-797-7130 or check www.sugarloaf.com/charity. Also for details, call 207-237-6903 and for lodging information call 800-THE-LOAF.

Another special event is kicking off soon, this one aimed at ski club members. The ragged Mountain Ski Club is hosting the first Annual Maine Ski Club Day on Sunday, Jan. 20 at the Camden Snowbowl. There will be a fun race, barbecue, and bonfire for $5 per participant. Ski Club members will get a special discount ticket for $10. Call Ann Cole at 207-975-4564 or e-mail [email protected] for questions.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.