Boulder, CO - Brian Allison, a Boulder native who serves as Director of Business Development at Cisco Systems, used to make an annual pilgimage to Silverton Mountain in southwestern Colorado with his brother and close friends. Together they would share a long weekend of steep skiing and male bonding. Then one day, Allison had had the notion to use that experience to give back to the community.


Out of that grew Exceler8s, an organization dedicated to inspiring individuals to accomplish physical and mental achievements in a team and community environment while also giving back to their communities. The group aspires to raise awareness of global issues of concern and provide funds for non-profit organizations to continue their work in those areas.

The group's first gathering was held this past April, when roughly 50 participants from Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts, and California gathered for two days of guided skiing and camaraderie at Silverton. Proceeds from a silent auction, private and corporate donations, totaling $13,000 were donated to The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Basin Project, which aims to restore native fish and streamside vegetation, control non-native vegetation,improve flow patterns and protect river, spring and floodplain habitats. It also addresses issues such as water use and rights, climate change and ecosystem services valuation along the river's run from its headwaters to the Gulf of California.

This year’s annual Exceler8s Festival will be held Feb. 24-26, 2010 on Jones Pass and in Winter Park, Colo., near the river's headwaters. It will feature seminars on back-country/avalanche awareness, water sustainability issues in the Front Range and Grand County, and other related topics. Cat skiing will be offered for half days on Wednesday, and guided skiing for full days on Thursday and Friday through Powder Addition, a new backcountry skiing operation on Jones Pass. Participants with Exceler8s who elect to ski in more conventional surroundings can enjoy reserved terrain at Winter Park Resort at discounted prices.

A dinner with speaker and slide presentation (and footage of the day’s fun) will be hosted on Thursday night at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash. A silent auction will be held during the dinner and participants will be encouraged to have friends and family donate to The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Basin Project. Organizers hope to at least double, if not triple, or attendance at the event this year.

For more information, visit the group's website, www.exceler8s.com.