<div>The first and only dry ski slope at Burning Man needs your help to return to playa this year!
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<div>In 2023, we did something that had never been done in Black Rock City before. We built a fully operational dry ski slope in the middle of the Nevada desert… and we've been back every year since.
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<div>Each year, we pour every spare moment and our own personal funds into the project, rallying volunteers in hopes that communal effort will help us turn our crazy idea into a reality. But the slope has reached a scale where two people can no longer personally underwrite what has become an iconic gift for thousands.
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<div>We now need to raise $25,000 to bring the slope back. And we need to raise it quickly.
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<div>We have given everything we have to bring this gift to playa. Now we’re asking the community to help us keep it alive.
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<div>Every contribution brings us closer to getting the slope back to playa.
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<div>Whether you can give $10, $100, or more, every dollar goes directly toward storing, transporting, repairing, and operating the only dry ski slope at Burning Man–free for the entire community.
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<div><strong>Who Is Black Rock City Snow Club?</strong>
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<div>We're a community of snow sport lovers who embody the Burning Man principles both on playa and on the mountain.
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<div>The entire operation is co-run by just the two of us: Dylan Hogan (aka Major Trouble) and Rachael Gingery (aka MORE!). While we have dedicated campers who support our efforts, the financial liability, planning, and responsibilities fall solely on us.
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<div>We're not billionaires. We don't have an art car and we're not a sound camp. In hindsight, that probably would have been much easier.
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<div>Instead, we bring one of the most unique interactive experiences to playa, along with a full “rental” fleet and the campers to staff it and keep people safe.
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<div><strong>The Slope Has Become Burning Man Famous</strong>
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<div>Because word of the ski slope had spread through social media and our Kickstarter, we were shocked the first year when nearly half the people who came to ride brought their own gear to playa, and started lining up before we even opened.
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<div>As our campers arrived, they couldn't contain their amusement after seeing several cars in line, driving into the desert in the middle of summer, with skis and snowboards strapped to the roof. It was the perfect amount of Burning Man absurdity.
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<div>Since our (sl)opening day, the slope has seen hundreds–if not thousands–of riders. Our rental shop is typically open during event week from 3-5 p.m. and 7-11 p.m., so people can shred the gnar on Esplanade, overlooking the playa while being cheered on by everyone at the bottom… and at least one obnoxious camper with a megaphone.
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<div>In 2024 we added a kicker, and talented riders were finally able to get some air: front flips, 360s, and all kinds of tricks. This year, we plan to bring even more après vibes with high-energy music on the slope, as we partner with our sister camp BRC Ski Resort and Entheos, who is bringing a full-stage setup.
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<div><strong>The Slope Is Truly a Labor of Love</strong>
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<div>As absurd as our gift is, what keeps us going is the reaction from those who get to experience it.
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<div>From the guy in the wheelchair whose friends carried him to the top so he could sled down, to our friend who said it immediately took him back to sledding in childhood, to the boarder who lost his brother–only to learn that the scaffolding infrastructure was designed by Rob Giustina, who built the slopes they used to ride together in Tahoe.
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<div>If you've ever ridden it or stood at the bottom cheering people on, you know the joy it brings.
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<div><strong>"The Girl Who Fell" Wants to Keep Burning Man Questionably Dangerous</strong>
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<div>You may recall hearing about the girl who fell 20 feet off an art installation on playa in 2024 and landed in the hospital with a fractured spine, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a bruised spleen.
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<div>That was Rachael.
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<div>The irony of that happening on another installation–when we bring something that seems like it should be one of the most dangerous things on playa–was not lost on us.
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<div>But that's the point. Burning Man is supposed to be a little dangerous.
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<div>That said, we still take safety seriously.
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<div><strong>Safety Third… But Not Really</strong>
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<div>Older burners may remember "The Wedge," a 45-degree incline covered in astroturf on playa that was responsible for numerous serious injuries. When we first built the ski slope in 2023, people mentioned “The Wedge” so frequently that we did what Burners do... we made stickers.
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<div>But the slope is definitely #notthewedge, and here's what we do to make sure:
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<li>Trained campers staff the slope during all hours of operation
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<li>One lead on-site at all times carrying a radio directly to medical
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<li>All skiers and snowboarders are required to wear helmets
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<li>Proper gear inspection and adjustments before every ride
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<li>Sobriety and safety checkpoints as riders prepare to go up
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<li>Annual check-in with ESD to confirm no serious reported injuries from riding the slope
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<li>Planned safety and structural upgrades each year
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<div>We've operated for three years without a single serious reported injury. That's something we're genuinely proud of and work incredibly hard to maintain.
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<div>But the only way we can bring the slope and operate it the way we do is if we bring it as a camp.
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<div><strong>We Receive Zero Support From the Org </strong>
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<div>We bring a large-scale interactive experience to the playa, but because we operate as a theme camp, we are ineligible for the art grants available to installations. That means we receive zero funding from the Burning Man Organization while also having to purchase our own tickets and personally cover every cost required to bring the slope back each year.
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<div>When the org placed us on Esplanade last year, we asked for a grant anyway. We were immediately denied.
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<div>Everything we've built has come from our personal investments, camp dues, fundraising efforts, and the generosity of the community.
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<div><strong>Camps Are Struggling This Year and We're No Exception</strong>
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<div>It's no secret that Burning Man has changed, and we know we're not the only camp struggling this year. The impact of the decisions made by the org’s leadership paired with the current economic climate have left us staring at a potentially serious financial problem.
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<div>Some of our core campers can't attend this year and finding new ones has been a challenge. There's been a shift toward "bucket list" culture where many attendees are looking for camps that offer the most amenities at the lowest cost. As you might imagine, there are plenty of camps whose gifts and operating expenses are lower than ours.
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<div><strong>We Did Our Best to Close the Gap</strong>
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<div>We poured months of planning and weeks of building into each of the two fundraiser events we threw this year in the Bay Area. We gave it everything we had, called in every favor we could, and produced two events at a fraction of the market cost–and still came up shorter than we'd hoped.
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<div><strong>We Need Your Help Now</strong>
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<div>Snow Club is a two-person labor of love, and somehow we've pulled off something truly unprecedented three years in a row. But we're not in the same position we were in when we started.
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<div>Dylan has been building his career as a music producer and DJ, Major Trouble, since 2024. Rachael was laid off in 2024 and, after recovering from her infamous fall, started her own coaching business.
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<div><strong>Life evolves, same as Burning Man. And here we are.</strong>
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<div>We've given everything we have to bring this gift to playa. Right now we're asking the community to help us keep the Burning Man spirit of questionably dangerous interactivity alive.
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<div>If we don't raise enough to cover expenses by August 15, some tough decisions will have to be made - and our hearts may be broken.
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<div><strong>How You Can Help</strong>
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<div><strong>CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOFUNDME</strong>
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<div>We need to raise $25k to make the slope happen. Every dollar raised goes directly toward:
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<li>Year-round storage ($12,000)
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<li>Transportation and logistics ($8,000)
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<li>Safety upgrades, structural improvements, and repairs to the slope ($5,000)
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<div><strong>CAMP WITH US</strong>
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<div>Camper dues help offset our overall costs and we need hands to make it happen. We are actively recruiting campers to help us build and run the slope. If you know someone looking for a camp, please have them fill out an application at brcsnow.club.
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<div><strong>CONNECT US TO RESOURCES</strong>
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<div>We're always looking for ways to minimize costs. If you can connect us to resources for storage, transportation, or scaffolding and wood materials, please reach out!
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<div><strong>SPREAD THE WORD</strong>
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<div>If you don't have the means to contribute, sharing this fundraiser with your network goes further than you might think.
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<div>Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your support. We hope to make you proud out there.
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<div>Communal Effort got us here. It's the only thing that gets us back
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<div>See you in the dust or the snow… whichever comes first! ❄️
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Julie Haner

Joseph Vehling

Brandon Skari

Patrycja Ulijaszyk

Chris Powell

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No Holes Barred Comedy Club

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Back The Burning Man Ski Slope Builders (Not Billionaires)

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