More Than 1,000 Residents in This City Gear Up to Simultaneously Take Shots of High West Whiskey As Part of a Cold Weather Tradition
A large number of Colorado residents will take a shot of High West whiskey together from the world’s longest shot ski. (Photo: AP Photo/Denver Post, Karl Gehring)
The seventh annual Park City Shot Ski — in which a large number of people simultaneously take a shot of whiskey at the same time — is this Saturday, and the event will attempt to break the record for world’s longest shot ski — a record held by the rotary in Breckenridge, Colorado.
The participants will shoot High West whiskey in the fundraising event expected to involve 1,360 participants, the Park Record reported on Tuesday. Breckenridge claimed the record with 1,350 participants last year. The event will be hosted by Park City Sunrise Rotary.
The Park City Rotary plans on having all of its 21-and-up participants take a shot from a half-mile ski run at the same time.
“There are 535 skis that we put together with screws, bolts and wing nuts,” Park City Shot Ski Organizer and member of the Park City Sunrise Rotary Club Connie Nelson said, according to the Park Record. “It’s a big undertaking to put the skis together, we had engineers rig a U turn on it so everyone can still raise a shot glass to their mouths at the same time.”
The event is currently sold out, but some spots may open up, and Nelson intends to fill them.
“Everyone who registered needs to be at their shot glass by 1:30 p.m. on Saturday,” stated Nelson. “If they aren’t there at that time, we will sell the slot, because we want to fill up the ski.”
Nelson, her colleague Mike Luers and the rest of the Park City Rotary will need to fill those spots if they want to break Breckenridge’s record.
“The Rotary in Breckenridge boasted the longest shot ski in the world, and I looked at Mike Luers and he looked at me and we said, ‘We can beat that,'” Nelson stated.
High West Distillery is providing the whiskey, in addition to barrels and tape used to section off the area for the shot ski, which is projected to take up a half mile and run up and down a city street.
The Shot Ski — a Quirky Way to Imbibe With Friends as Temperatures Drop
Those who reside in warmer climates may be uninitiated to the ways of the shot ski.
A shot ski is exactly what it sounds like: a ski with several shot glasses affixed to it.
After hitting the slopes — or not — drinkers can gather and hold the ski to their faces, downing the shots of liquor in unison.
Although the origins or the shot ski are mysterious, shot skis can be found in cold-weather areas around the world. The Austrian version of a shot ski is called a schnappski. Unlike the American shot ski, Austrians simply place their shots on top of the ski, use their balance and hope for the best.
During the event, High West Distillery will be pouring both whiskey and apple juice for participants who want to experience the shot ski in a booze-free way.
The fundraising event is meant to raise money for local organizations and according to Nelson is on track to raise over $50,000 this year.
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