The Valley Sun

Skooter Gardiner and Sean Glaccum of Ski Patrol fashion a safety "temple" atop Baldy for Safety Week. The power tools don't look too safe, but don't worry, they are pros.

It’s that time of year: great snow, bluebird skies and Safety Week. The Safety Week campaign, sponsored by the National Ski Area Association to help make the sport we all love so well, the safest it can be, kicks off Saturday. If you ski on Baldy or Dollar from the 19^th through the 26^th, you will know there is something special going on. According to Sun Valley Ski Patrol’s Sean Glaccum, patrollers are working hard to make the campaign both informative and fun.

The educational part of Safety Week focuses on helping skiers and boarders know how to keep the mountain as safe and enjoyable as possible for everyone. First and foremost to Patrol’s education component is “knowing the code.” The National Ski Patrol Responsibility Code is a mountain user’s reference that everyone, from seasoned skiers to absolute beginners, should be familiar with. In case you missed the oversized posters detailing the Code on the Christmas and Challenger chairlifts, here they are:

(1) Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

(2) People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
(3) You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
(4) Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
(5) Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
(6) Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
(7) Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

Members of Sun Valley Ski Patrol have also been in area schools this week, helping children understand the importance of skiing safe. Glaccum said this is one of everyone’s favorite parts of Safety Week. “The kids are great. They really listen and they get it,” he said. “Reaching out to the community is meaningful for all of us.”

The fun part of Safety Week takes many forms. Right now, an absolutely mammoth safety “temple” is being erected on the top of Baldy.  Patrol’s amazing avalanche dogs will make personal appearances at the top of the gondola. The first Tucker Snowcat will be on display at Dollar. Correctly answered safety trivia will win you a free cocoa. There are prizes, buttons and schwag galore.

Everyone in the Sun Valley mountain family is getting in on Safety Week.  Snowsports instructors are emphasizing both chairlift safety and “lids on kids” — the importance of properly fitting helmets. To help with this second initiative, all retail outlets on the mountain will answer any of your helmet questions and help you find a perfect fit. Safety also comes with comfort and knowledge, so Guest Services is out in force, helping mountain users acquaint themselves with the layout of the ski runs. Folks at the ticket counters are doing the same and will happily go over mountain maps with you and make suggestions that suit your ability level and interests.

Many very safe helmets are available at Brass Ranch at the base of River Run

Another important (and free) service will also be provided in honor of Safety Week. Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports will offer ski binding checks to help people stay in their skis when they should, and release out of their skis when they shouldn’t. The program is available at River Run, Warm Springs and Dollar, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The binding check takes about 20 minutes and requires your skis and one of your boots. Feel free to leave your skis and boots overnight to take advantage of this service (not to mention warm boots the next day).

Last year, Sun Valley’s Ski Patrol was rated number one out of 425 national patrols in their ability to interface effectively and helpfully with skiers and boarders on their mountains and with the community at large. They are motivated to hold on to the distinction, so expect to see a lot of white crosses all over the hills this coming week.

As I always say, our Patrol members are some of the most qualified, helpful and friendly people anywhere. They are EMT’s, Paramedics; explosives and ropes experts. They love their job. They are here to help.  Be sure to say hello to one this week and thank them for all they do. Also give a shout out to Guest Services, the people at the ticket windows and all mountain employees. They are all doing their very best to make sure you are having the time of your life, and staying safe.

–RES

Both chairlift and terrain park safety will be emphasized next week

Baby, it’s cold outside. Even the most stalwart and hearty skiers among us have eyed the mountain these past few days with some trepidation. When temps on the Valley floor are in double-digit minuses and we are in the midst of a cold snap (that will thankfully end by week’s end), indoor activities look pretty inviting.

Shopping at Brass Ranch is an option in the Lift Ticket Exchange Program

If you are on vacation in Sun Valley right now, and took advantage of a multi-day pass (good thinking – best bang for your buck), you may hesitate when considering taking a day off from mountain, no matter the weather.

To the rescue? Sun Valley’s Lift Ticket Exchange Program that allows you to exchange your ticket if you change your mind. If you wish to take a break from the slopes and hold a multi-day (three or more days) ticket, you may exchange one day for other appealing activities.

Have you had your eye on a new ski parka or accessory at either the Brass Ranch or Pete Lane’s in the Sun Valley Village? Perhaps now is the perfect time to buy a new, cozy layering piece. Maybe there is a beautiful Sun Valley memento calling your name at the Sun Valley Signature Gift Shop. With this exchange program, you can receive $40 off your purchase at any of these fine stores.

Or does nothing sound better than a massage after a few days of aggressive shredding? With this program, you can close the door on the outside world and enjoy a relaxing and regenerative half-hour massage at the Sun Valley Salon & Day Spa located in the Lodge. For this, plan as far ahead as you can and make a reservation. It is a popular option.

Chef Findlay's food at the LDR is a perfect indulgence

Or take the whole day off and focus on dinner. Your exchanged lift ticket gets you a seat at the table for Chef Adam Findlay’s Four Course Tasting menu at the elegant Lodge Dining Room. Chef Findlay’s finely crafted and imaginative offerings rely heavily on locally-sourced, seasonal fare and everything he prepares is divinely delicious. This option, available every evening of the winter season except Sundays, and between February 16 – 24, will be a treat for your taste buds. (Alcohol and gratuity are not included).

Go ahead! Try cross-country skiing for a day at the lovely Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center

If you are not concerned with the cold and would like to try a different outdoor activity, your lift ticket may also be exchanged for a turn on the ice at Sun Valley’s storied outdoor rink (rentals included), combined with $20 off of lunch at Gretchen’s Restaurant in the Lodge. If working a different set of muscles appeals to you, then try a day of classic or skate cross-country skiing at the luxurious Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center. A trail pass and complete equipment rental is included. And for the truly adventurous among us, your unused lift ticket will also provide $40 off the day rate for a trip with Sun Valley Heli-Skiing. The snow in the backcountry is among the best it’s been in years. This choice may be booked by calling 208.622.3108.

Don't worry, great skiing will still be there when you return to the hill

The great news is that the snow on Baldy and Dollar is also superlative and worth braving the cold for. If you layer up and head to the hill weather-ready, the skiing is really, really good. The other good news is you’d like a day off, you can enjoy something else great Sun Valley has to offer, guilt-free.

The Lift Ticket Exchange Program is available from now until March 31 with some blackout dates. Please take your lift ticket to the Sun Valley Village Recreation Center or to the ticket window at the River Run Day Lodge prior to participating in other activities.

Call 208.622.2135 or 208.622.6136 for more information and take a break! You deserve it.

–RES

Buckle up, it's time to learn to snowboard

Part of me, a small part, but a part none-the-less, has always wanted to try snowboarding. Or, in truth, to try it again. A few decades ago, when the sport was new, I rented a board and went glibly up Quarter Dollar with my brother. On my first run, I was upright, oriented downhill and felt pretty confident when I caught my back edge and knocked the wind out of myself. No more snowboarding.

So it’s always been in the back of my mind to give it another go – this time with some instruction and a mature sense of self-preservation. Holding me back were fear and finances. So when I got wind of Sun Valley’s new deal-of-the-century, called SunStart, it was time to head over to Dollar, meet my fabulous instructor, Liz Wallace, and try it again.

SunStart offers beginner skiers or snowboarders full gear rental, a Dollar lift ticket and two hours of group instruction for $39. No, that is not a misprint. $39 all-in. You can try skiing if you’re a snowboarder, snowboarding if you’re a skier. If you’re 13-years or older and have always wanted to try an alpine sport, now is your chance.

My morning started at the Dollar SnowSports desk where I checked in for my lesson. Reservations for SunStart should be made 24 hours in advance whenever possible to ensure proper staffing. Lessons begin at 10:30 a.m., and you are advised to arrive at Dollar about 30 minutes earlier (probably a bit more on weekends) to fill out your paperwork and get your equipment.

Snowboarding boots -- reason alone to try the sport

Next stop was down the hall to Pete Lane’s to gear up. Like any regular renters, SunStarters first fill out a form on the store’s computers. Unlike a regular rental, however, when you take your slip to the desk to get fitted, your equipment is already paid for. That always feels good. Then a nice young man brings you boots and helps you slip into them – Cinderella style. After about one minute of wearing snowboard boots, I can honestly say, they are as comfortable as everyone says – big and warm. That should be enough to get skiers with boot issues to at least try snowboarding. I brought my own helmet and goggles and wished I had brought a roll of bubble wrap in which to encase myself when my Burton beginner board was delivered and it was go-time.

Admittedly, I was pretty nervous. I tried to put my inauspicious start to snowboarding 20 years ago out of my mind and concentrate on Liz’s gentle reintroduction to the sport. Her wide smile and infectious enthusiasm soon had me believing that snowboarding really was fun and was something I could do. As both a ski and snowboard instructor (one of the few), Liz is very credible when she says, “don’t worry.”

We began the two-hour lesson with baby steps: here is how you buckle your front foot in the binding, how you stand on the board, how you walk with it on your foot. Check, check, check. We then hiked a few feet up the bottom of Dollar and learned the always-useful equivalent of side-slipping. Check again. Next, it was on to the Magic Carpet. A few “successes” in staying upright on my board led Liz to believe we were ready for Quarter Dollar.

I didn't recall Quarter Dollar ever looking so steep

Now, one of the parts of snowboarding that worried me most, was getting off a chairlift. I have seen too many boarders wipe out before they have even started a run to assume this skill is easy to master. It turns out, it’s also not as hard as I imagined. My step-by-step coaching probably didn’t hurt, either.

By the end of my lesson, my scorecard read as follows: Three out of three successful chairlift rides. One run down the steeper side of Quarter Dollar, mostly side-slipped and “garlanded” (basically turns only to one side). Two runs down the gentler side of Quarter Dollar where I actually linked a few turns. Fifteen – my approximate number of falls (none painful).  Pretty high — my new found appreciation for snowboarding (and snowboarders).

If you are in a rut, or have always been curious about skiing or snowboarding, you couldn’t pick a more convenient and affordable time than now to get onto the snow. SunStart, offered as a part of National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, runs through January and can be reserved by calling the SnowSports School at (208) 622-2289.  The last day to reserve your SunStart lesson is January 28.

Get out there and try something new. No excuses!

Thanks to Liz and the great team at Dollar for making this one positive experience.

–RES

All smiles with Liz, who will literally hold your hand while teaching you to snowboard

Day one of DIVAS -- the terrific coaching team motivates the group

The standard definition of the word di·va  [dee-vuh, -vah] is: Italian, literally, goddess, feminine of the divine, god. The term has evolved in modern times to describe famous female opera singers (no idea why) and then devolved to a term for a woman that must have her way exactly, or no way at all.

Danielle Carruth, our intrepid leader

But there is another definition of DIVAS, specific to Sun Valley: Idahoan, “Die Incredible Vimin Alpine Shredders.” And for 90 local women skiers, this is the only definition that matters. Sun Valley’s DIVAS are skiers of intermediate ability and above who take part in an eight-week clinic, skiing one day a week with a rotating cadre of some of the mountain’s best coaches. It’s women teaching women and it’s such a big success, that in its third year, DIVAS has a wait list. According to Snowsports Supervisor Nick Maricich, the DIVAS program is the top women’s clinic in the country and is being emulated by many other resorts. Yay us!

What makes the program so popular? The answer is as diverse as the skiers. In a pre-season questionnaire sent out by DIVAS co-founder and Sun Valley skiing royalty, Danielle Crist Carruth, each woman was asked what she hoped to get out of the clinic. Possibilities ranged from improving bump technique, to improving confidence; from skiing with the girls and making new friends, to getting away from the kids for three hours. I just appreciated being asked what I wanted for a change and chose D: all of the above.

This Monday morning, on day one, I joined 29 other shredders at the base of the Warm Spring Lodge. In my second year of the program, I was excited to be there. My inaugural year as a DIVA was not only a huge boon to my ability to carve pretty round turns, I also met some great people and laughed – a lot. This year, with the goal of finally conquering moguls and pulverizing powder, I took my turn skiing down in front of a slew of coaches, praying I didn’t fall or disqualify myself from the group that also wanted to ski varied terrain.

The ski off helps coaches put skiers in appropriate groups

I was placed with five fun women  who shared similar goals. The always positive, extremely helpful and very entertaining DIVAS co-founder Nicky Elsbree was my coach du jour. Each week is themed and the focus on Monday was balance – apropos for women at the beginning of a New Year. For the next two-and-a-half hours, Nicky helped us work on our balance from every angle.

Being a DIVA is an exercise in balance in itself. Most of the 90 women up there every Monday, Tuesday or Friday are balancing multiple commitments, from jobs to children to spouses and volunteer gigs. The three hours we carve out each week for ourselves, carries over to everything else. As one of my fellow DIVAS said on the lift, the valley spread out beneath us, if we don’t get out here and enjoy where we live, we may as well live anywhere. Amen. Skiing with DIVAS forces you to focus, to quiet the never-ending mental “to do” list, to be present.

Nicky Elsbree demonstrates balance

For those interested in adult specialty ski programs, Sun Valley has something for everyone. DIVAS also offers a beginner clinic called DIVAS 101 and the Snowsports School runs popular programs including Mountain Masters, Masters Race, Ski Club and the new men-only program, ARCS.

If you’re here for the winter, or most of it, these clinics are probably the best way to get excellent instruction at a great value, while meeting new friends and enjoying the mountain lifestyle.

Please call the Sun Valley Snowsports School at (888) 490-5950 or email snowsports@sunvalley.com and find your inner diva.

–RES

Here are my impressions of the new Ski Patrol 101 program, in no particular order.

• In December, it is still midnight dark at 7 a.m. at the base of River Run.
• If you are lucky enough to be drawn to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, be sure you’ve had at least one cup of coffee upon arrival (if you’re a grown-up). You are expected to be awake, alert and ready to work.
• Sun Valley’s Ski Patrol has the most breathtaking office anywhere in the world.
• I had no idea how much went into getting the mountain safe and open in the morning, even when it hasn’t snowed.
• The Patrol is made up of some of the funniest, kindest people in the Valley.
• Hopping on the back of a snowmobile behind Mike Davis, zooming to meet a “hot” helicopter landing drill, made my morning.
• I will never be hired as a Ski Patrol member but it was fun to play one for a few hours.
  

  How Ski Patrol greets the day

Enter to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience

For those of you who haven’t heard about Ski Patrol 101, here are the basics. Every week, a lucky winner (plus a friend) will be chosen at random to work as a patroller on a Saturday morning. You enter by submitting your information on an iPad kiosk at either the River Run Lodge or in the Recreation Office in the Sun Valley Village. If your name is drawn, Ski Patrol will phone you with the good news and meet you at the base of the hill on your assigned day. You will attend the morning meeting and be put to work at any of the dozens of tasks completed by Ski Patrol each morning between 7:30 a.m. and the mountain’s open at 9. Patrol will ask what you are interested in helping with, which could be as simple as riding a snow machine to the Bowls to make sure the cat track is in good shape, to more advanced prep requiring more advanced skiing ability. It truly is appropriate for anyone who is comfortable on Baldy.

Here is what the basics don’t tell you. Sunrise on Baldy from the vantage of the Ski Patrol Hut is perhaps one of the most jaw-dropping you will ever experience. The quality of the light is a hot orange/pink and flows over the top of the mountain like the tide coming in. Hopping on the Christmas Lift in near darkness, then skiing off at the top as the sky turns from grey to purple to gold is something I will never forget.

Assessing the day ahead at morning meeting

After participating in the morning meeting that covers everything from snow conditions, weather conditions, grooming and skier numbers, I was off with my personal Patrolman, David Schames to “help.” When asked what I would like to do, I glibly replied “drill” and “drop gates” without really knowing what that involves.

So off we went down Ridge and Blue Grouse (did I mention you get first tracks as part of this endeavor, too?) to the cat track below. There, a bunch of very competent patrollers waited patiently while I inexpertly drilled post holes into the snow and tried to help set up boundary fences. Then it was off to drop gates – something that sounds easier than I found it to be. We skied down the very edge of Christmas Bowl, opening chutes that lead into the Bowls. The terrain was kind of steep and lumpy in there (and I truly had not had enough coffee) and “dropping” a gate is not a passive drop at all. You tug hard at a bungee-type rope, trying to get the right angle so it snaps open, before neatly coiling it on a post. I was not brilliant at it.

Watching the sunrise with Dave Schames and Jack Sibbach

I was excellent at my last task, however. That morning, Patrol was working with Sun Valley Heli-Ski on a “hot” drill, landing a copter behind Lookout Restaurant, loading it with Patrol and flying off to a mock emergency on some other peak. Excitement was high as the radio announced the imminent arrival of the helicopter. The Hut cleared out, as people jumped on snowmobiles or picked up ropes behind them to be pulled up the hill. I jumped onto the seat, held on to Mike Davis and was very thankful no one had suggested I tried to “ski” behind the machine. We roared up to Lookout just as the helicopter landed and it was amazing to watch the drill begin. We are all in very capable hands whenever we are on that mountain.

Ski Patrol, with Heli-Ski, prepping for any emergency

Whether or not you really “help” during your time at the hill, is somewhat irrelevant to Ski Patrol 101 (thank goodness). What the experience did for me is demystify some of what the Patrol does and make me truly appreciate the job and the people who do it. The Hut is open to visitors at any time and the sign outside that reads “welcome” is telling the truth. Stop by and say hi.

Becoming a Ski Patroller for the morning was exciting, humbling and just plain fun. Thanks to David, Jack Sibbach and the rest of the crew for being so gracious and patient and letting me have a glimpse of what goes on behind-the-scenes on the mountain I love so well.

–RES

The 22-foot superpipe opens on Sunday. Game on!

The headline? Sun Valley’s new highly-anticipated Olympic-size 22-foot (deep) superpipe will open for business on Sunday, January 6. Taking shape on Dollar’s Old Bowl, this will be one of only three 22-foot pipes currently open in America. One more reason to be sure to include Sun Valley in your winter vacation plans.

The Zaugg “Pipe Monster”, the largest pipe groomer in existence, is busy at work, prepping the extreme feature. According to the Zaugg website, the machine was designed by aeronautical engineers to work much in the same way as an airplane wing. It is lightweight, flexible and able to withstand high stress — traits that might also be useful to those brave enough to jump in.  The combination of this monstrous machine and the know-how of Sun Valley’s Terrain Park experts, is creating a pipe that allows tricks people once thought impossible — like jumps 20 feet above the deck.  Epic.

Practice makes perfect in the Progression Park

According to Sun Valley’s Brian Callahan, guru of all things Terrain Park, now is the perfect time to get comfortable on the ever-evolving and growing jumps, rails, jibs, pipe and other features specifically built for Dollar. “The Progression Park is open and is a great place to get comfortable,” he said. For people like me who don’t know what a Progression Park is, as Brian explains it, it is a an “extra small terrain park with features appropriate to beginners. It’s the perfect place to learn how to unweight your skis or your board, to get air and really enjoy using all the surfaces.”

For those already comfortable catching air, the medium parks are also up and running on Dollar. These jumps and rails are X-Games and Slopestyle caliber, according to Brian, and offer endless possibilities for fun.

Past seasons on the cross course proved a huge hit with the kids. This year will be no different, just better and better.

And if that isn’t enough, the Family Cross Course is in its final stages and will be completed on Sunday. This track lets skiers and boarders bank curves, jump and tuck to the bottom, in direct competition with up to three others. It is a kid favorite, for sure.

Just in time for the amazing Revolution Tour, coming to Sun Valley in March, a huge snowmaking effort is underway, preparing the competition boarder cross course. Be sure to come to Dollar from March 17 to March 22 to watch the best of the best compete in Halfpipe, Snowboardcross, and Slopestyle. The course used by the Revolution athletes will be open to the public, but requires completion of a training session.

In fact, safety on all terrain park features is of the utmost importance to Brian and his team. Sun Valley Snowsports has instructors specifically trained to teach in the park and pipe and will offer special camps and lessons to familiarize users with what’s available on Dollar throughout the season. Call the Snowsports School at 208.622.2289 to sign up for a lesson or clinic to ensure the safest, most enjoyable day at the park ever. Then, let her rip.

Come play in Dollar's Terrain Park

–RES

As the sun set Christmas Eve, only the silhouettes of dozens of Snowsports instructors were visible atop Dollar

Just after 5:30 on Christmas Eve, I stood atop Dollar Mountain, watching the lights from the Sun Valley Resort burn brighter by the minute. The winter sun retreated, leaving a fat, hay-colored moon in its stead. Behind me, in front of me, and on every side, congregated dozens of Snowsports instructors. For the most part, conversations were subdued as friends greeted friends and took a moment to survey the scene below, unanimously proclaiming it one of the prettiest Christmas Eve nights in recent memory. As this ever-multiplying group waited for the Torchlight Parade to begin, the quietude was interrupted sporadically by an impromptu Christmas carol or a shout of excitement.

Instructors' skis were lined up and ready to go at dusk

I took it all in from the front of a line that stretched, I am guessing, a few hundred people back. Beside me, stood long-time ski instructor Hans Thum, smiling his trademark kind smile. He promised that all would be fine – he had his eye on me. Coming from a legend who has skied the Sun Valley Torchlight Parade 44 times, I felt reassured and grateful.

Because truth be told, I had been nervous all day about the endeavor. Although I have watched this dazzling tradition many times, I always watched from a distance. I hadn’t an inkling of the level of expertise required to participate — something I failed to consider when I asked (begged?) to ski. But standing there, as the temperature dropped and it grew darker and darker, I worried. My worst fear, as a non-Snowsports instructor (not even close) was that I might ruin it for everyone. I fretted about not being able to see where I was going. I worried that I would catch my coat on fire. Most of all, I dreaded an ignominious tumble down Old Dollar that would disrupt the perfect slalom of the parade route and take out the skiers and snowboarders behind me. Or what if I missed a turn and sailed off course, torches illuminating my humiliation?

The charming and gracious Hans Thum led me through parade prep and then down the hill

But once the end of the wildly popular Nutcracker on Ice was announced via radio, it was go-time. Positioned safely between two Austrians, both of outstanding skiing pedigree, the call came to light the torches. Plastic caps off, a torch firmly in each hand, we lit the overgrown matchsticks by striking them end-to-end. Suddenly, the black surroundings glowed red and a battle cry went up among the crowd.

Up close and personal with the makeshift torches

“Stay right behind me!” Hans reminded as we pointed our skis down the slope and held the torches away from our bodies. As the line began to snake down Dollar, skiing became hypnotic. Ahead of me, I focused on the tails of Hans’ skis, working to stay in his perfect tracks. The rest of the torches blurred ahead of me and out of the corners of my eyes. The snow on Dollar was textbook-perfect soft corduroy that kicked tiny plumes of powder into the flames. Down we went, effortlessly. After a turn or two, I couldn’t remember what I had been nervous about.

About three-quarters of the way to bottom, the first fireworks exploded overhead and everyone in that long, long series of s-turns began to cheer. Instructors ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, from “new hires” to seasoned pros, snowboarders and skiers alike, guests like me — held our torches high, all proud members of the Sun Valley family beneath that sparkling Idaho sky.

Photographer Charlie Webster captured the view from the top of Old Bowl on Monday night

As the slope flattened and I approached the crowd standing outside Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge, the only thought in my head was, “I want to do that again.” As someone who is rarely at a loss for words, I could find none appropriate as I stood in my skis, beneath the firework finale. Magical is too trite. Inspiring isn’t quite right. I think I will go with transcendent and leave it at that.

–RES

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night (courtesy Charlie Webster)

Meet Charlie Kucher: groomer and tour guide extraordinaire

I must admit, “pulling up” in front of Roundhouse Restaurant in the world’s biggest snow cat, “the BEAST,” is as close to feeling like a rock star as this forty-something mother of three has gotten in a long, long time. When we parked near the stairs leading up to the famed restaurant, the door swung open and I stepped, drenched in spotlights and dusted with a light flurry of snow, onto the mammoth treads. I paused for a moment taking it all in: the brightly lit restaurant festooned for the holidays, Ketchum’s lights twinkling far below, the massive and alien-looking snow cat beneath my feet. I extended my hand, reaching for that of the gracious gondola greeter and, I hope, leapt gracefully to the ground. What a ride.

This modern day caravan heads up River Run

The experience began hours earlier, before evening fell like a blanket over Baldy. At 4 p.m., I reported to the daily groomer’s meeting as one of the first lucky people this season to get a ride on the fabled BEAST. You, too, can partake of the story you are about to read by entering your name for weekly raffle drawings that allow guests to watch the country’s best grooming team at work, all from the driver’s vantage point.

At the meeting, I began to understand why our mountain has a reputation for the best grooming anywhere. The swing shift, on duty from 4 p.m. to midnight, is comprised of seasoned pros who work the seven cats. The graveyard shift takes over from midnight to 8 a.m., ensuring the best snow surface possible for the 9 a.m. open. The group, all men, spoke in a dialect with which I am not familiar, discussing feathering, tilling, pushing and winching.  Foremost on the mind of Grooming Manager Kerry O’Brien, however, was the huge winter storm expected to hit Ketchum Monday.

I look the BEAST in the eye

The light decorative flurries falling Saturday afternoon may have been a portent of great things to come, but for me, they set just the right mood for my adventure. I met Charlie Kucher, a grooming supervisor and my driver/confidante for the evening, right before I met the Prinoth BEAST. I liked both right away. As Charlie advised me to (not so gracefully) hoist myself into the BEAST’s cabin, I was immediately impressed. That cat is huge. Weighing in at a few mature elephants, and featuring a back tiller that is four-feet wider than traditional cats, this 520- horsepower, half-a-million dollar machine is a sight to behold. Once Charlie switched her on and maneuvered out of the oversized garagery at the bottom of River Run, the BEAST began to climb the mountain like it was taking a leisurely stroll.  No gasping for breath here.

Control central

Seated comfortably in the space-age cockpit, Charlie worked the levers and buttons that raise the blade (the plow-looking grill in the front that cuts the snow), and the tiller in the back (that processes the surface and leaves nice lines of corduroy), like the conductor of a large orchestra. We traversed the mountain on the aptly named cat tracks until we reached the top of Warm Springs. There, we (not really we, Charlie) dipped the blade of the Beast over the edge of the trail and off we went, pointing straight down Warm Springs, as the lights below began to flicker on.

Driving down Warm Springs

As we chatted about family, Charlie’s past life (commercial fisherman, chef), his passion for skiing and why he loves his job (teamwork among all the mountain operations departments), tempus fugit. Up and down Warm Springs we journeyed, from I-80 to the Lodge where Charlie showed off some pretty sweet u-turns. I knew on Sunday I would be proud to ski the run I watched Charlie so meticulously and lovingly groom.

Then it was off to Roundhouse – a vintage jewel tucked into snowy folds of fabric at 7,700 feet above sea level. I intended to hop on the gondola and return to my non rock-star life, but Roundhouse beckoned. Saturday was the first night dinner was being served and the restaurant was full and festive. Not needing much convincing, I grabbed a seat at the new rustic wooden bar and soon had the distinction of being the first guest to be served dinner there. The food, the bartenders Mike and Matt, and the ambiance were the perfect nightcap to an amazing afternoon.

Mike and Matt, the welcoming committee at Roundhouse's new bar

To enter the raffle so you, too, can have this once-in-a-lifetime experience, you need only fill out a free entry form on Ipads available at the Sun Valley Recreation Center in the Village or at the River Run Ticket Office. One winner will be chosen to ride every Friday and Saturday night throughout the season and dinner at Roundhouse may be combined with the ride, space permitting (and with L’Addition the guest’s responsibility). Winners are announced a day prior and must be 18 years old. Please call 622-2135 for more information.

– RES

Welcome to the Beacon Training Park on Baldy

If you stand in front of the Ski Patrol hut on Baldy (which can be found tucked under the mountain’s chin and is easily identifiable by the many white crosses it flies), and orient your skis straight down the hill, after a few turns, you will end up at the new avalanche beacon practice center. Delineated by an oversized wooden gate and marked on either side with stakes, this is an area in which five transceivers or beacons (the oversized-cell-phone-looking equipment that transmit an electronic “beep” and should be worn by all back and side-country skiers) are buried. The practice arena opened for the season on Tuesday and is free to use.

“We invite the public to come with their beacons and hone their skills,” Skooter Gardiner of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol explained as we side-slipped down to the field. “It’s open when the mountain is and it’s an excellent resource.”

Ski Patrol's Skooter Gardiner demonstrates how to use the park

The beacons are buried beneath the snow on the unofficial run “Christmas Bridge,” that spans Christmas Ridge and Christmas Bowl above the trees. A special dial affixed to the vertical beam of the gate allows users to customize their experience. Dial in how many transmitters you want to search, set your beacon to receive, and follow the signal. A sign next to the dial explains exactly how the system works and how best to use it. The equipment was a gift from Dr. Rick Moore, an orthopedic surgeon who is an avid skier and good friend to Sun Valley Ski Patrol.

As I am a novice at beacon training, Skooter dialed up two transmitters on which to practice. Given today’s user-friendly equipment, it is not hard to get the basics of beacon use, but it is obvious that practicing with one is the only way to get good at using one. The basics are: hold the beacon parallel and flat to the snow’s grade and point it downhill. An arrow on the screen points toward the beeping transceiver and indicates how far you are from your target. A “bull’s-eye” appears on the screen and the beeping intensifies when you are very close. Then it is time to mark a probable area and search with an avalanche probe until you hit the steel plate that lets you know you found your mark. The exercise reminded me a sophisticated game of “hot and cold” played by children.

My beacon's "bull's-eye" indicates that I am close to the buried transceiver

But proper training for snow emergencies is no game. “Ski Patrolers often come out here three or four times a week to practice,” said Skooter. “It’s like anything else, the more something becomes second nature, the more successful you will be in a real-life situation.”

If you ever go into the backcountry or have children who do, the new beacon practice center on Baldy is an easy, interesting and readily accessible way to practice vital skills. Having the equipment isn’t enough. Taking a basic avalanche course isn’t enough. Practice, practice, practice.

Rest assured, even if you keep to the groomers, it’s good to know that our already highly-qualified Ski Patrol (filled with EMTs, Paramedics, explosives experts, firefighters and some of the best skiers on the hill) are also out there regularly and rigorously doing their beacon homework.

Members of Ski Patrol prepare to keep the mountain, and our guests, safe

– RES

Filmmakers work on getting the right shot on Dollar

What do you get when you combine some of the world’s premiere Red Bull-sponsored freestyle athletes, huge features on Dollar Mountain and a top-notch film crew out of Los Angeles? You get the scene at the base of Dollar this weekend. The amazing guys from SPT, the team that works with Sun Valley’s Brian Callahan to create our ever-evolving terrain park, are the subject of an action-packed, high-flying reality television show that is scheduled to air in April. Sun Valley will be featured in the first episode of this series, spotlighting SPT and produced by National Geographic.

Preparations are full speed ahead, readying for the arrival of the Red Bull athletes. Midweek, SPT was building two rail pads into an airbag (yes, just like it sounds – a huge airbag that the athletes land in). Snow making is going full bore toward the top of Dollar, creating a 65 to 80-foot jump that will launch these guys into our thin mountain air.

SPT, which stands for Snow Park Technologies, is one of the most-sought after consulting teams in the world, creating special projects on snow. Frank Wells of SPT is one of the guys who make the magic happen — designing and building awesome (in the true sense of the world) terrain parks and half pipes, competition courses and staging on-snow productions and events. Though he has worked all over the world, Frank loves Sun Valley.

The morning meeting brings together Frank Wells of SPT, the production crew and Bryant Dunn of Sun Valley Ski Patrol

“Sun Valley is one of our favorite places to come and to work,” Frank said, sipping coffee outside Carol’s Dollar Lodge. By 9 a.m., he had been up and down Baldy, secured some footage of a spectacular Idaho sunrise and found time to get in a few turns. He said everyone loves coming to Sun Valley, staying at the Resort and swimming in the Lodge Pool — “the only hot tub you can dive into!” Amir, part of the film production team and a first-time visitor to Sun Valley agreed, “That pool is great.” He and his colleagues are also enjoying the night life on Main Street and are generally having a blast and working hard.

Back on Dollar, Frank and his team brought in some special fierce-looking Snow Cats for this effort, allowing for the creation of the exact features required by the project.  Everything is in place and in control, except that one variable no one can control – not even Frank: the weather. The great news is Sun Valley is expecting two to five FEET of snow to fall above 7000 feet by Monday morning. The challenging news for Frank & Co. is that we are expecting two to five FEET of snow to fall by Monday morning. But Frank, the filmmakers, and, for sure, the athletes, don’t mind a challenge. They are extreme freestylers after all. Let the action begin!

–RES

Red Bull athletes will fly from these epic jumps this weekend

Getting ready to make movie magic