Helly Hansen announced today that its 2012 season is now open for registration. Fans of the series will see the addition of two of North America’s premier mountains, Vermont’s Killington Resort and British Columbia’s Kicking Horse, to its wildly successful Big Mountain Battle roster. Helly Hansen also added intermediate and 12 and under categories, making this event accessible to skiers and snowboarders of all levels.

“Helly Hansen’s Big Mountain Battle series has seen huge growth in just four short years. We’ve welcomed new sponsors, new resort partners, and our participation levels are nearing capacity,” said Marshall Rutman, marketing manager for Helly Hansen North America. “I am excited to have Killington and Kicking Horse on the schedule for 2012 and I’m confident that competitors are really going to appreciate the expanded categories we’re introducing for this season.”

Helly Hansen’s Big Mountain Battle is a unique event that challenges two-person teams to a three- hour-long, exploratory big-mountain course, consisting of designated runs, lift rides, one to two hikes, and hidden checkpoints. This season, each mountain’s ski patrollers will set the course, as well as the time to beat.

Helly Hansen’s technology partner, Flaik, will, for the fourth year in a row, provide real-time stats on each team with its real-time GPS tracking device. Race officials will monitor each team’s Flaik device as it transmits location, speed, and altitude information every few seconds to race officials.

Keystone will kick off the Big Mountain Battle series on Jan. 28; followed by Taos, Feb. 4; Fernie, Feb. 11; Squaw Valley, Feb. 18; Stevens Pass, Mar. 11; Killington, Mar. 17; Kicking Horse, Mar. 24; and Park City, Mar. 24. The top advanced team from each event will win $2,000 in Helly Hansen gear, as well as free entry to the final Battle in the Bowls in Aspen/Snowmass on March 25.

Flaik, PrimaLoft, Contour, Smith, Dakine, Powder Magazine and Outside TV support the Big Mountain Battle.

Cost for the event is $90 per team and includes two Helly Hansen LIFA® base layers valued at $45 each. For more info and to register online, please visit www.bigmountainbattle.com.