If all this fresh powder wasn't enough of an excuse, this month, a Washington-based organization will let us ski and board with a purpose: to help fight and cure cancer. 

Hope on the Slopes (HOTS), Ski & Ride for a Cure was founded by Dave Ludwig in 2003. Ludwig, an active skier was inspired by the popular Relay for Life and set out to create a similar fundraiser for skiers and snowboarders.

That's when HOTS, Ski & Ride for a Cure was born. The group puts on fundraisers across the country that invite children and adults to show off their skills on the mountain in order to support cancer research. It's a friendly competition that awards prizes to winners based on the combination of their number of runs, vertical feet (tracked by a small device attached to jackets), and overall money raised by them or their team. The organization now has 19 events nationwide, including one at Colorado's Breckenridge Ski Resort, which will host it's eighth annual event on February 23. Hit the slopes solo—or bring friends and family and compete as a team—to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

The event goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but you'll need to get there early to get your ticket. Prizes will be awarded to a winner in every age group. Stick around that afternoon for a speaker and a silent auction.

Get Involved: Register for the Breckenridge fundraiser here.

—Image courtesy of Timothy Faust