LINDSEY VONN TO GO WHERE EPIC BEGINS IN MINNESOTA:

AFTON ALPS ON OCT. 4

Vonn Returning Home Strong and Ready to Ski

WHO:

Minnesota-born Lindsey Vonn, the most decorated ski racer in American history and representative for Vail Resorts (which now includes Afton Alps) and its Epic Pass. Vonn is making a strong comeback after a devastating injury, surgery and months of rehab and physical training.

Its always a treat to return to my roots in Minnesota and meet my youngest fans who remind me so much of myself when I was just starting out, said Vonn. Im thrilled that Afton Alps is now part of the Vail Resorts family and cant wait for skiers here to experience all that the Epic program has to offer at its resorts around the world. Its truly a resort where epic begins.

Known as the most decorated female ski racer in American history - and quickly gaining on "all time" status - Lindsey Vonn is one of the few world-class, four-event ski racers. She is the only American woman to ever capture downhill gold at the Olympics and the only American woman with four World Cup overall titles. She has since captured a U.S. record 59 World Cup wins. In addition to her 2010 Olympic downhill gold and super G bronze, she holds five World Championship medals, including double gold in 2009.

WHAT:

Vonn is returning to her home state of Minnesota and Afton Alps Ski Area to greet fans and aspiring ski racers, sign autographs, and talk about Minnesota being where her Epic beginning started and any of the kids in the audience can also grow their talent to epic proportions with hard work and dedication.

Her visit comes during Aftons annual Fall Fair and Swap, Minnesotas unofficial kick-off to the ski season. Family fun includes hay rides, chairlift rides and a ski and snowboard swap.

The public is invited to attend this free outdoors event that will also include other family activities and refreshments.

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 4, 2013

5 5:30 p.m. Vonn to visit with 50 young skiers from Afton Alps development teams

5:30 p.m. Media interviews available by RSVP

6:00 p.m. Public event Vonn to speak to her fans on stage and sign autographs

WHERE: Afton Alps - 6600 Peller Ave. S. in Hastings, Minnesota

MORE:

Afton Alps is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., a leading mountain resort operator in the U.S. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Afton Alps is the largest ski area near a major city in the Midwest with 48 trails on nearly 300 acres, 18 lifts, four base areas, night skiing and riding, tubing and an 18-hole golf course. For more information on Afton Alps, visit www.aftonalps.com.

Vonn represents all of Vail Resorts world-class mountain resorts, including Afton Alps, as well as the revolutionary Epic Pass which features unlimited, unrestricted skiing and riding at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Eldora in Colorado; Canyons in Park City, Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Furthermore, Epic Pass holders have the opportunity to extend their skiing and riding adventures from the U.S. to Europe with five free days at the renowned mountain resorts of Verbier, Switzerland, five free days at Arlberg, Austria and five free days at Les 3 Vallées, France. For more information about the 2013-2014 season pass line-up or to purchase a pass online, visit www.epicpass.com.

EpicMix Racing will also be launched at Afton Alps this winter, a social application that enables skiers and riders of all abilities to track their vertical

feet, earn digital pins for on-slope accomplishments and even race against Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn using their NASTAR race time to earn

gold, silver and bronze medals. Race times, digital medals, overall leaderboards and leaderboards with just family and friends will all be available on

both the EpicMix website and mobile application.

CONTACT: A limited number of media credentials are available for interviews and exclusive access to the celebration. Contact Molly Steinke at molly@nemerfieger.com or 612-309-1677 for details.

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Molly Mulvehill Steinke

Senior Media Relations Specialist

Nemer Fieger

952 278 3142 direct

612 309 1677 mobile

@MMSPR Twitter