SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN RESORT ” After two years of overwhelming success, including more than 275 total participants, four world records and a successful marriage proposal, 24 Hours of Sunlight is gearing up for year three.

The event will be held three weeks later this year than it was last year. Planning to take advantage of the full moon, the Feb. 23-24 date will not only give participants more time to train, but also may bring slightly warmer temperatures.

As a skiing/skinning/snowshoeing/snowboarding/splitboard event unmatched by any other in the country, the race will involve competitors trekking up the mountain and skiing/boarding back down. Over and over and over again.

In 2006, Greg Hill set the record for most vertical feet skied in 24 hours with 51,100 feet, Jonathan Baker set the same world record for snowboarding at 20,215 feet, and

Polly Samuels-McLean set the world’s best mark for vertical feet ” 31,110 ” skied by a woman. Last year, Glenwood’s Mike Schneiter became the first local to get in on the world record action, besting Baker’s mark by recording 36,048 feet on his splitboard (a board that splits in two to hike up the mountain, and comes together to form a snowboard on the way down).

This year’s course will begin at the base area at Sunlight and go up Dotsero to Loop Run, up Loop to Rebel, and right off of Rebel into the Parks where there will be the Turn Around Tent. On the way down, participants will descend The Parks to Beaujolais, to Sundown and back to the base.

The elevation change from bottom to top is 1,483 feet.

As always, the race will be open to individual participants, pairs or teams of four or five. At least one woman has to be on teams with five members.

Outside of the competition, Sunlight will again be hosting a party at the lodge throughout the competition. Last year bands played until 2 a.m. and food and beverages were offered non-stop.

Registration is open for the event, and teams or individuals that sign up before Jan. 15 get a $25 discount per person and are entered to win a $1,400 alpine touring package (Movement skis, Crispi boots, Rottefella bindings and Leki poles) from Ute City Cycles and Skis.