Every fall, the nonprofit Lake Eldora Racing Team (LERT)—which comprises Eldora Mountain Ski & Snowboard Club (EMSC) and Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA)—hosts a massive sample sale in Boulder that is the don’t-miss outdoor gear bargain shopping event of the season.
In-the-know locals line up before the doors open to get first dibs on killer deals on skis, boots, helmets, goggles, outerwear, puffy jackets, sweaters, base layers, neck buffs, hiking shoes, trail-worthy coolers, and socks.
For this year’s event, in addition to brands like Argon 18, DCurve Optics, GreenGuru, Head, Himali, Kari Traa, Kastle Skis, Krimson Klover, LaSportiva, Phunkshun Wear, Rovr, Sweet Protection, and Zeal—and many more to come—shops like A Racer’s Edge in Breckenridge, the Pro’s Closet, Outdoor Divas, Fuxi Racing, and Eldora Mountain’s base area ski shop will be on hand to liquidate last year’s stock and closeouts. It’s the perfect opportunity to gear up for the season.
The event kicks off Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. (and runs until 9 p.m.); it continues on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at The Avalon (6185 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder).
Every winter, the Eldora Mountain Ski & Snowboard Club (EMSC) serves 400 Front Range athletes, from entry-level ski racers to to free riders to snowboarders to FIS-level post-graduate ski racers. Credit: Courtesy of EMSC
The Annual Sample Sale is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for EMSC and SMBA, a 501c3 that supports hundreds of youth through programming in alpine racing, freeride, snowboard in winter and mountain biking in summer. Last year, with the help of this critical fundraiser, the nonprofit supported nearly $45,000 in scholarships to families in need, ensuring young people who want to participate in these mountain sports have the opportunity. SMBA also provided a program for 4th and 5th graders to teach them how to ride a bike and to mountain bike while also obtaining and building 30 bikes for kids who don’t have bikes.
Founded in 1975, EMSC has been a staple in the Boulder community by supporting young athletes in multiple disciplines, from alpine ski racing to slopestyle and big air, from junior racing all the way to the World Cup. In 2022, EMSC was named the Development Club Of The Year by US Ski and Snowboard.
Stay posted on the growing list of vendors at
@emsc_skiing (Instagram)
EMSC on Facebook
emsc.lertprograms.com
Top photo caption: Storm Klomhaus, a University of Denver 2020 NCAA giant slalom champion and member of the US Ski Team, trained as a junior racer at Eldora Mountain. Credit: Roger Kimball
