Crystal Mountain to host The North Face Masters of Snowboarding for the first time Salt Lake City, Utah— February 4, 2010— Fresh off the tour’s first stop, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding (TNF Masters) arrives at Crystal Mountain, Washington, February 9-12, 2010, for the first time in the event’s history. Big-name pros, along with up-and-comers from around the globe, will battle it out for the $15,000 prize purse on Crystal Mountain’s rugged slopes. Proposed venues for next week's competition are Northway for day 1 and The Silver King, Crystal's crown jewel, for the finals. TNF Masters, in its third year, attracts the world’s best big mountain snowboarders, including Travis Rice, Mark Carter, Rob Kingwill, Ralph Backstrom, Ryland Bell, Michelle Locke, Shannan Yates, and Susan Mol.“It’s a unique opportunity for riders in the Northwest to have a prestigious event like the The North Face Masters of Snowboarding in our mountains,” says Jacob Hase, a local competitor. “Not only is it an opportunity for local riders, but for non-locals to experience the awesome terrain of Crystal Mountain.” “There is nothing quite like hiking to the Silver King with the fresh air rising up from Mt. Rainier’s foothills,” says Crystal Mountain Ambassador, Sky Risvold. “You share this experience with all of the fellow mountain lovers during such a prestigious event. It is truly a dream come true.” The key word at Crystal Mountain is variety. As the largest ski area in Washington, the mountain features 2,600 acres of everything from gentle cruising groomers to challenging steeps and backcountry adventure. To give you the most for your money, Boyne has invested millions in top-of-the-line lifts, lodges, restaurants and grooming machines. Two six-person lifts and two high-speed quads ensure you’ll spend less time resting and more time enjoying the slopes. Crystal is located just 76 miles from Seattle and is nestled on the northeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park. Rider: Travis Rice 
Daily uploads of videos, photos, and stories will be available throughout the weekend on thenorthfacemasters.com and tour media partner SNOWBOARD magazine’s site, www.snowboard-mag.com.

 Designed to cater to the motivation, talent and skill of world-class big mountain riders, TNF Masters serves as a qualifier for the Freeride World Tour’s Nissan Tram Face at Squaw Valley, California. The top male and female winners of each TNF Masters tour stop qualify for the event. Mark Carter and Shannan Yates won the first stop of The North Face Masters of Snowboarding at Snowbird, Utah. 

The North Face Masters is a three-stop tour of competitive big mountain snowboarding. Big mountain snowboarding challenges a snowboarder’s creativity, athleticism and personal limits. Competitors at Crystal Mountain will face tight chutes, steep powder stashes, and variable snow and weather conditions.

 TNF Masters attracts big mountain snowboarding competitors from all around the world. All male and female snowboarding competitors above age 18 are invited to participate. Registration is open at thenorthfacemasters.com.

 The North Face Masters of Snowboarding Presented by Primaloft is supported by The North Face, Primaloft, Subaru of America, Mountain Sports International, Comcast Sportsnet, SNOWBOARD Magazine, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, Crystal Mountain, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort . 

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding 2010 Series Schedule
 Stop #1 – Snowbird, Utah – January 23 – 24
 Stop #2 – Crystal Mountain, Washington – February 9 – 12
 Stop #3 – Kirkwood, California – February 25 – 27 The North Face Masters of Snowboarding 2010 Series Schedule
 For media registration please go to thenorthfacemasters.com press on the registration button; create your own user account. Any time you want to sign up for an event, you can simply go to your user account info and click on the event you want to sign up for. REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT Nicole Greener – Athlete Relations and Communication Mountain Sports International – [email protected]