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The Grand Traverse is a ski mountaineering race, from Crested Butte to Aspen. Beginning at midnight, racers ascend 7800 vertical feet and trek 37 miles... crossing the finish line at the base of Ajax. Ahead of the March 25th event, Aspen Public Radio’s Alycin Bektesh caught up with teams that are hoofing it for a bigger cause. To check out the full story on these teams, click here.

Team Camp to Belong

Liz Onufer lives in Victor, Idaho, and is racing the Grand Traverse for Camp to Belong. She is an avid backcountry skier, but after losing a friend in an avalanche she stopped cold — until this season, with the greater mission of connecting foster children with their siblings.

“There were points over the last few years where I didn't know if I would go back to backcountry skiing which was so hard for me because I absolutely love it out there,” she said. “It's where I find my true spirit. If these kids can get by and survive literally every day, which I know is a challenge for them, then I can push myself back into places where I know that my heart truly is even though it scares me.”

Because Onufer works nine to five during the week, she is only able to get in a fat-bike ride or a quick run. On the weekends she goes out with her boyfriend and race partner Trevor Garner on seven to eight hour ski tours in the Tetons. Her boyfriend is a natural athlete. It was only in her early 30s that Onufur began to incorporate fitness into her life, losing 60 pounds. Along with the physical training, she and her boyfriend are also trying to prepare for the tough moments along the race course.  

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Reporter Alycin Bektesh speaks with Liz Onufer about training for the Grand Traverse and raising funds for Camp to Belong.

“The first couple hours I think the excitement and everybody around will kind of fuel us but come three, four, five in the morning, I am a little more concerned,” Onufer said. “Because we've been out in the dark for a while and it's a few hours before sunrise and that's when it gets really mentally challenging.”  

  About the organization: Camp to Belong is an international nonprofit organization that has been actively reuniting brothers and sisters place in separate foster, adoptive or kinship homes through Summer Camp Programs and year round events since 1995.

Siblings may not have the opportunity to read bedtime stories together at night, have breakfast together, cheer for each other at school functions or share precious holidays–all the things that typical siblings get to do each day. Siblings are often taken for granted. Yet, the sibling relationship can be our longest relationship in life.

Camp to Belong’s primary goal is to provide a sense of belonging to youth as individuals and as siblings, giving them opportunities to share childhood memories together and among other youth in the same situations. For more information on the organization,click here.

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