The Valley Sun

A warm spring day on Warm Springs.

By Katie Matteson

Spring has sprung and conditions, weather, outfits and the mountain are all vastly different than they were in December. So to help you make the most out of the last couple weeks of the season, here are some Spring Skiing Tips from local experts.

As Executive Director of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Don Wiseman has seen his fair share of ski conditions but as a former Sun Valley ski instructor, founder of Sun Summit Ski and Cycle, and Sun Valley local for over 25 years, he has a wealth of knowledge about skis, snow, gear and good ol’ Bald Mountain.

1.) Be prepared for all conditions. Conditions can vary greatly during the spring. It could be icy and hard at the top, and creamy at the bottom of the mountain.

2.) The type of ski that is ideal for spring skiing depends on where and even when you are skiing. If you are headed to the Bowls or Plaza or down into the Ridge South Slopes, a good, fatter, all-mountain ski will work. But if you are staying on-piste, on the groomers, a sharp, fast pair of GS skis will work too.

Meredith Richardson, a Sun Valley snowboard instructor, wicked videographer who makes edits like this, has a few tips for the boarders.

1.) Wax on, wax on. Always have your board waxed unless you plan on hiking down the mountain, slush is not your friend.

The fun of onesies.

2.) During spring ugly is beautiful. This time of year it is crucial to find and wear the most ugly "onesie" imaginable. It is like a rite of passage on the mountain, honoring the trends that came before us.

Drew Daly is a five-year member of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol and perennial guide for Sawtooth Mountain Guides. He might have crashed a snowmobile during his first season on the Patrol, but this Vail native is nothing short of a mountaineering and skiing expert. Here are his tips for  April skiing in Idaho .

1.) Timing is everything. You can have some of the best skiing of the year in the spring, but if you don’t time it right it could be some of the worst. Check the weather forecast and wait for it to heat up a bit. But don’t wait too long or the isothermic snow could swallow you like quicksand.

2.) Be prepared for anything. You never know what you might encounter during a day of spring skiing. Pack your stylish fanny pack with an extra layer for those freak snowstorms. Throw in water and sunscreen for the classic Sun Valley “powder day.”

To read even more local experts’ spring skiing tips and wardrobe suggestions (hint: they all seem obsessed with "Onesies"), check out this story.

Baldy Spring Sun Fest

Sunday, April 15

Celebrate Sun Valley’s spectacular 76th ski season – kissing snowmakers is encouraged!

Ski Baldy on both sides top to bottom and enjoy races, great deals, music & bar-b-que.

All festivities begin at 11am and include BOGO (buy one lift ticket and get one free), the Balderdash fun races, including a special fire hose giant slalom on Lower River Run, kids’ adventures in the Adventure Trail Parks, a costume contest, music by Old Death Whisper and DJ McClain.

Pete Lane’s and Brass Ranch also will offer “Last Run” pricing on some of their best retail merchandise.

By Alec Barfield

I’ve come to the realization that this town has a knack for names that stick. Off the top of my head, here’s a few good ones:

"Marley in Mountains”— pure Rasta brilliance.

"Irving’s Red Hots" — Chicago meets Idaho.

"Whiskey Jacques" — the one and only.

"The Pio"— short and sweet.

"Sun Valley Summer Symphony"— sophistication with a ring.

And that’s just a small sampling of the catchiness. Maybe there’s something in the water. Maybe we’re all sun-drunk. Whatever it is, when it comes to names, locals like quirky and unique. We’re about firsts around here…

Which is why this weekend’s extravaganza is already off to a great start. Say it with me: "Sol Fest." Even my Japanese grandma could tell you that "sol" means "sun" in Spanish. And considering that "sol" is also a homophone of "soul," I’d say that "Sol Fest" is a genius name for what’s happening over the next three days.

Parties. Live music. Skiing down Main Street. More Parties. Lots more music. Plus oodles of Family Fun at Dollar Mountain. What I’ve also realized is that Sun Valley doesn’t mix a great names with mediocrity. When I said "parties," I meant four showdowns at three of Ketchum’s finest establishments: Grumpy’s and Whiskey’s on Friday, Apple’s on Saturday afternoon and Whiskey’s again that evening. And when I said "live music," I meant that there will be seasoned artists, musicians who didn’t just get famous on YouTube, playing at each shindig besides Apple’s (because they’ll be hosting the 4th annual Baldy Poker Run).

Blitzen Trapper

As cool as the Bermuda Cowboys (Friday@Grumpy’s) and Fox Street All Stars (Friday@Whiskey’s) should be, the main event is definitely the Blitzen Trapper show on Saturday. To be clear Saturday, the whole day, is actually the main event. If you’re trying to make a day of it (and I hope you do), then the Saturday’s festivities will begin at Apple’s around nine for the Poker Run. From there, it’s onto the Main Street Party, where Blitzen Trapper will headline a FREE multi-act concerto in Ketchum. Things just keep getting better: afterward there’s going to be a talented crew of long-shirted jibbers sliding across rails at the 511 building. Local favorite, Old Death Whisper, will round out the evening with a 10 o’clock show at Whiskey’s. Not a bad Saturday, eh?

For folks looking for Family-oriented Fun, there will be a Slide, Glide, Ride Relay at Dollar Mountain on Sunday. But don’t worry, the Main Street Party and subsequent Rail Jam will definitely be a good time for little ones. I should mention, however, that Sol Fest is going to be a young crowd. In the company’s own words "Sun Valley Resort is rolling out the red carpet for college students." Yup, everyone’s favorite demographic is getting some love from the nation’s oldest ski resort. Specifically, college students with a valid student I.D. will get 50% off lift tickets and "aggressive" lodging specials. Sounds gnarly.

So if you like wintry festivals with tons of good music and possibly gelande quaffing, don’t get stuck inside this weekend.

It’s time for Sol Fest, everybody. Come join the pun, err, fun!

Schedule of Events:

Friday March 23

      5:00 pm SolFest kick-off party at Grumpy’s Bar and Grill with musical request specialists Bermuda Cowboys

      10:00 pm Southern rockers, Fox Street All Stars, play Whiskey Jacques

Saturday March 24

      9:00 am – 2:00 pm Baldy Poker Run, register at Apple’s Bar and Grill

      5:00 pm Main Street Party. Blitzen Trapper headlines multi-act, free concert

      8:00 pm 511 Rail Jam at 511 Building, downtown Ketchum

      10:00 pm Local troubadours, Old Death Whisper, play Whiskey Jacques

Sunday March 25

      11:00 am Slide, Glide, Ride Relay at Dollar Mountain, a fun event for families and friends of all ages and sizes.

By Steve Reighley

 Are you on college break enjoying Baldy’s steep runs but struggling with Ketchum and Sun Valley’s steep prices?  There are plenty of ways save your wallet this winter ‘s break and still have a great time.  Whether it’s with skiing, dining, or simply getting around town, keep an eye out for new deals and ways to save.

Deals

For skiers, don’t forget to inquire about the College Six Pack, which allows you to ski any six days throughout the winter for the price of just $259.  Saving $43 a day, or the College Triple Play pass for just $139. Now these are tough to beat no matter where you are.

Getting Around

Save some gas money and utilize Mountain Rides.  Sun Valley’s free public transportation system is a great option for getting around town and to and from the ski areas (Baldy and the terrain park on Dollar) without having to spend a dime.  No matter where you’re staying there should be an easily accessible bus stop for one of the many free bus routes.  Hop on board and save time, money and the environment.

Eating Out

If you find yourself dumbfounded by the food and drink prices in ski towns these days, at least one wallet saving option awaits right across the street from Warm Springs Lodge.  No, it’s not a Ramen Noodle outlet store, it’s  Irving’s Red Hots. You can grab a tasty, affordable hot dog and be back on the slopes in no time.  Saving a little extra money for some aprs beers on the sun drenched deck at Warm Springs or for some of Sun Valley’s wonderful nightlife. If you’re looking for a cold beer and some grub after a long day of skiing, check out the happy hour specials at some of Sun Valley’s best restaurants (This article highlighting the Valley’s best Aprs Skiing options).

So if you’re on college break and trying to save a buck, be mindful of options like these and don’t let the high prices keep you from having a good time.

Dollar Mountain Lift Supervisor Julian Tyo.

Dollar Mountain’s Julian Tyo

By Katie Matteson

Julian Tyo loves his job. He gets to hang out on Dollar with park rats and ski-teamers in the winter and move dirt around and ride bikes in the summer. As the Dollar Lift Supervisor for the past two years and a member of the talented Trail Crew in the summer, Julian has been an integral part of some of the "reinvention" of the Original Ski Town. He has seen the terrain parks and half-pipe move to Dollar, creating a mountain filled with thrills for kids and skiers of all ages. He has seen (and helped create) one of the most epic mountain bike courses ever at the National Mountain Bike Championships, held here in Sun Valley last summer. He is an avid telemark skier, one of the Co-Directors of Sun Valley Tele (the longest running tele series in the country), a member of the newly formed Marketing Alliance’s Event Committee and a guy that loves where he lives, works and plays.

 First Run in the A.M.?

Upper College to Flying Squirrel to Warm Springs. Because it fits like an old glove.

Last Run of the Day?

I try not to call such things.

 Best Run on Baldy?

It’s a tie between Limelight and Greyhawk.

 Favorite Lunch Spot?

Kobe Sliders at the Sun Valley Clubhouse.

 First Memory on Skis?

Classic Nordic skis at Mt. Hood with my parents. In my memory, the day went something like this: Dad throwing me in the snow, dad and his friends getting "lost," mom and dad arguing about getting "lost" and burgers at a funky diner in Sandy. I’m fairly certain I had a vanilla milkshake.

 Who First Got You on Downhill Skis?

My five-day foray into snowboarding not withstanding, my fianc first got me on downhill skis at the age of 20 on Mt. Ashland in southern Oregon. Having taken her on a downhill trail for her first time mountain biking, her idea of a good first ski day for me involved one run down the bunny hill followed by a bump run. To this day, she still hates mountain biking and I still hate bumps. My second day skiing was five years ago when she took me to the top of Baldy–tough love!

Favorite Memory on Skis?

Skiing Limelight and Rock Garden on Baldy, Christmas Day 2008, right after the two-foot storm.

 Favorite Off-Mountain Activity?

Summertime putt-putt at the SV Clubhouse.

 Do you have a skiing/boarding obsession (something you couldn’t live without)?

My one piece.

 Why Sun Valley–what do you love about it?

Sun Valley is where I rediscovered myself, fell in love again and where I want to be for the rest of my life. The mountain biking isn’t bad either.

What is Your Passion?

Helping groups succeed and moving dirt. Or is it helping groups succeed at moving dirt? Both for that matter.

What’s your job on the mountain?

This is my second season as the Dollar Mountain Lift Supervisor in the winter, and in the summer I work for the Trail Crew on Bald Mountain.

 How did you get it?

I worked at Pete Lane’s  for three great seasons in the bike shop and the River Run Ski Shop, but ultimately wanted to work outside with the Mountain Department. A friend told me about the position on Dollar and I got hired after a long interview process, starting with the Trail Crew later that year.

 What’s the Best Part about your job?

In the winter I love being a part of the dynamic energy at Dollar–the kids, the terrain parks, the beginner skiers, the adaptive programs, the race teams and the tubing hill. In the summer I love being out on the mountain doing honest work and am honored to have a role in developing lift-accessed mountain biking on Bald Mountain.

Baldy Snowshoe Challenge

River Run Plaza to Roundhouse

March 31

Contact Nappy Neiman:  726-7400

Danielle Crist Carruth

Mom (of three), Sun Valley SnowSports School Ski Instructor, DIVAS Program Co-Founder

By Laurie Sammis

As part of an ongoing Winter Profile series featuring real mountain divas–who are living and working and loving life in the mountains–we caught up with former Alaskan heli ski guide, wife, mother of three, DIVAS Program co-founder (along with Nicky Biddle Elsbree)  and longtime Sun Valley SnowSports School ski instructor veteran Danielle Crist Carruth on Baldy last week. Here is what she had to say about life in the mountains.

Sun Valley SnowSports instructor and DIVAS co-founder Danielle Crist Carruth enjoying her last run of the day

First Run in the A.M.? On a powder day, a quick run down Plaza (Picabo’s Street) before they open the bowls is always in order.

Last Run of the Day? For me, the end of the day is made for poking around in all the little tree stashes that haven’t been found. And there are plenty of them…

Favorite Run on a Sunny Day? Sunny spring skiing is my favorite. Corn snow in the bowls is just tough to beat.

Best Run on Baldy? Any day you are spending a lot of time on the cold springs double chair is a good one in my book, as you really can’t beat the lower bowls when conditions are right.

Favorite Lunch Spot? I love the Club House (as it is affectionately called by locals; but marked on trail maps as Lookout Lodge, at the top of Baldy), and secretly hope they never rebuild it. This is followed closely by Fondue on the deck of Roundhouse on a sunny spring day.

First Memory on Skis? Squaw Valley. Wooden Hart skis. Girls in bikinis.  Picnic lunching in the granite cliffs on a sunny spring day with family friends.

Who First Got You on Skis? Same person who taught my brothers (former Olympians and X-Games competitors Reggie and Zach Crist) and all of our children: My dad Roger Crist, aka Poppa.

When did you learn to ski? I was 2 years old. It was "trial by fire" in my family. If you couldn’t keep up, you were left in the lodge with a coloring book for hours. Sometimes that was preferable!

Favorite Memory on Skis? Hard to pick just one, but my favorite days are the ones when you head up without a plan just because you know the skiing is going to be great and you run into just the right people in just the right places … and you are just part of all that great energy that surrounds an amazing day on Baldy.

Favorite Off-Mountain Activity? Nothing beats hanging out with my family, whether it’s on the mountain, in the living room, or road tripping to Moab or California.

Do you have a skiing or mountain obsession (something you couldn’t live without)? My neck gator. Or my buff in the springtime. I can’t ski without my neck garb. Really.

Why Sun Valley–what do you love about it? I love the people.  There are places with more snow and more gnarly terrain, but there is no place where you can get as much vertical in a day than here. And there is no place with better people to ski it with.

What is Your Passion?  I have to admit I’m pretty passionate about skiing. It sounds simple, but I get a lot of pleasure out of shredding great lines with good friends or helping someone else appreciate this sport as much as I do. I’m incredibly passionate about spending time with my family and friends. There are, of course, lots of ways to do that, but skiing tends to be a pretty good one … and probably my favorite.

What is your job on the mountain? I am a Sun Valley SnowSports School ski instructor. I have been doing this job, and loving it, since college (during Christmas break). So, forever.

What is the Best Part about your job? I love getting people fired up about skiing and the mountain lifestyle.  I think we are incredibly lucky to be able to live here and raise our kids here and play here with such quality people. If just a little of that great energy can rub off on someone else, then that’s not a bad way to make the world a better place.

Taking on the Baldy Challenge.

Top to Bottom in One Month

by Alec Barfield

Every mountain has its secrets. The backsides and their stashes, the lonely two-seaters, the wayward tree lines and everything in between. Local pride comes in knowing where to find the good snow and how to avoid the crowds, both of which require a semi-polished understanding of all of the above.

For some, this February’s first ever Baldy Challenge, a PK’s Ski & Sports sponsored contest to ski the entire mountain, began as a test of that knowledge. I can assure you more than a few people thought, "Ski for a month and I’m entered to win my choice of K2 skis? Done. Let’s go to Averell’s or Apple’s and celebrate."

And if you’ve grew up chasing gates on Cozy and Hemingway, and optimistically dropped $25 to enter the contest, the first few days were likely straightforward. Seattle Ridge and the Bowls: check. Warm Springs: double check. But then you may have encountered those unnamed cat tracks, such as Kenny’s, and realized that the real "challenge" was shredding the hidden, the snowless and the hardly skiable on Baldy, upon which you may have begun to question your resolve. Since in reality, this competition has been more about commitment than anything else. Crustiness will beat cockiness, as it should.

No advantages have gone to the fastest skiers; everybody had before this year’s grand ol’ Leap Day to date and initial the list’s 93 boxes. No advantages have gone to the best skiers; an hour struggling down Inhibition looks the same on paper as getting to Cold Springs in five minutes. Even that local knowledge, as valuable as it is, only made the slightest difference. Need directions finding Stylehung? Call the "Baldy Challenge Hot Line" (PK’s land-line) and stay in the game. The playing field was leveled at the start, Hot Doggers!

Baldy is full of a lot more runs than most people realize.

What’s great about the Baldy Challenge is that the grand prize, to be awarded between 6-8pm at Whiskey’s on March 1st, is wide open. The participants I’ve talked to couldn’t have less in common–other than they mildly enjoy winter. And their approaches have varied, ranging from the slow and steady to two-day marathoners (because skiing all of Baldy is one day is plain ludicrous). Some have carried the checklist to the lifts. Others are making mental notes. Being that this is the competition’s maiden season, there are no proven strategies.

My hope is that the heaps of glory, the rounds of high fives and the piles of smooches (the true prizes!) go to a tortoise, one of the many who put his or her money down and yet had no pretensions of victory, because ultimately the proceeds of PK’s Baldy Challenge go to the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. A new pair of K2s is killer, but there’s nothing better than supporting the next generation, who are the future keepers of Baldy and this challenge.

The annual "Black Ski Mini-Summit" comes to America’s Original Ski Town

 Over the past 75 years, Sun Valley has played host to countless groups, companies, conferences, summits and special events throughout its storied history. It’s been the locale for family reunions for the likes of the Kennedys and the Hemingways. Allen and Company and their list of some of the world’s most powerful and influential people meet here every summer. Countless weddings, press outlets like Powder Magazine and Transworld Business, film production companies, Wounded Warriors participants, the Special Olympics, international Nordic Olympic teams, alpine ski teams from across the country, world class musicians from Itzhak Perlman to Michael Franti, comedians like Bill Cosby and speakers like the Dalai Lama, artists, crafts festivals and so many more have all enjoyed Sun Valley as playground and backdrop for meetings of the mind.

And this week another distinguished group is joining us for some turns on Baldy. As Sun Valley is pleased to once again host the National Brotherhood of Skiing (NBS) for the first time in over a decade! This biennial event, held in Sun Valley from February 25^th to March 3^rd, brings an estimated 1,000 members to our beloved ski town and will infuse the local economy by spending more than $500,000!

"We are excited to return to Sun Valley after 14 years. Our members have fond memories of the resort’s beautiful scenic surroundings and wide range of ski terrain.  We are excited to see what Sun Valley has to offer," said Haymon Jahi, NBS President.

The National Brotherhood of Skiing is making its mark on Sun Valley.

Now in celebrating its 39^th anniversary, the National Brotherhood of Skiing is continuing its mission to: Identify, develop and support athletes of color who will WIN Olympic and international winter sports competitions representing the United States and to increase participation in winter sports. Fitting with the mission, the theme for this year’s gathering is "Dare to Dream."

There are 60 NBS clubs nationwide who represent more than 3,000 members. Support of this biennial Summit enables the NBS to fund its youth athletic programs and their goal of introducing 100,000 youth to winter sports.

As Jahi explained, "Sun Valley’s long and fabled history make it an ideal location to reflect on our past and plan for the future."

We agree.

The NBS plans a non-stop schedule of events during the Summit.  Beyond the skiing, riding and social events, the organization will host leadership meetings and elect national officers.  Summit week’s most popular events will include:

Opening Ceremonies (Sunday, February 26 – Ketchum Town Square)

Avalanche Awareness Seminar (Tuesday, February 28 – River Run Day Lodge – hosted jointly with the U.S. Forest Service)

Picnic-On-The-Hill/ Club Races, (Wednesday, Feb. 29 – Sun Valley’s Warm Springs Parking Lot)

And numerous aprs ski gatherings (Sun Valley’s River Run Day Lodge & other venues in town).

By Katie Matteson

It’s President’s Day weekend here in Sun Valley and besides all the gorgeous, bluebird skiing there is to be had on Baldy, the terrain parks to explore on Dollar and the backcountry skiing throughout the Valley, there is tons of fun to be had around town off the hill as well. Here are three things we won’t be missing over this long weekend!

1.     Marley in the Mountains: The Good Times return this President’s Weekend for the 4th Annual Marley in the Mountains Festival! Come out and celebrate winter and all the Mountain Niceness! The Greatest Show on Snow! Headlining the 2012 Marley in the Mountains Celebration on Saturday, February 18th is Abja and the Lions of Kush. Other musicians include Soulmedic (California’s top reggae performer), Lions Den Sound System and DJ Vision.  Also, Idaho’s favorites Old Death Whisper, Army of Pines, Captain Dano and the Nobodies will perform.  Reggae/hip-hop sensation Obie Won will be the event MC.  And don’t miss the other special guests and surprises! Marley in the Mountains is proud to partner with Sun Valley Adaptive Sports (SVAS) and its Higher Ground program. SVAS will receive $5 for each pre-sold ticket.  Higher Ground would like to welcome all veterans to enjoy a FREE concert ticket. For more info visit www.marleyinthemountains.com.

2.     Leif’s Race: An Olympic-caliber alpine skier, Nordic skier, ski jumper, biathlete and ice hockey player, the great, glamorous, athletic and romantic Swede Leif Odmark was Sun Valley’s celebrated Nordic God from the 1940′s though the 1970′s. He founded the Sun Valley Nordic Center and was also a champion Alpine Masters racer. He founded Leif’s Race in 1992, a tradition that has continued for 22 years. Don’t miss this classic, two-part Sun Valley race, Saturday, February 18^th. This race highlights two of Sun Valley and our beloved mountains’ mainstays, Nordic skiing and Alpine racing. The Alpine GS race starts at 10:00 AM on Cozy followed by a Nordic 5K at the Sun Valley Nordic Center. We promise there are good times to be had! More information is available at www.sunvalleyski.com.

3.     "Love you Forever" Outdoor Art Installation: On Friday, February 17^th, New York City-based artist, Erin Rachel Hudak  (represented by Ochi Gallery will install a variation of her piece Love you Forever in Sun Valley, Idaho.  The original Love You Forever, made of silver and gold mylar balloons, floated just off shore of the Brooklyn waterfront under the Brooklyn Bridge.  An adoring public service announcement to New York, the installation became, if only for just a few days, a celebrated destination. In Idaho, accounting for weather, the piece will mimic balloons, but be fashioned out of fabric.  In the Festival Meadows, across from Sun Valley’s iconic red barn, Hudak’s message of everlasting adulation will ironically be temporary, but lastingly moving.

Coming soon 24 Hours of Sun Valley

Ever wanted to see the sun rise from the top of Dollar Mountain or ski down Dollar Face during an epic Idaho sunset? Well March 23^rd and 24^th, you might just have that chance because the very first 24-hour ski race in Sun Valley is coming our way next month!

 Started by formal local and now Sandpoint resident, Brian Sturgis, as a fundraiser for his young son who was diagnosed with Cystinosis at a young age, the unique ski race started out at Northern Idaho’s Schweitzer Mountain. That race, 24 Hours of Schwietzer has raised almost $400,000 for the 24 Hours for Hank Foundation since its inception in 2008. Now Brian, Hank and the 24 Hours for Hank Foundation is coming our way for the very first 24 Hours of Sun Valley.

With only a handful of other races of this kind in the entire country, this 24 hour event gives you (and your team of three or four) the once-in-a-lifetime chance to ski Dollar Mountain for 24 hours straight. Sun Valley Resort will be raising lights to guide your way throughout the wee hours of the night, there will be a staging area set up in Carol’s Dollar Lodge and prizes will be awarded to the team or individual who has raised the most money or who takes the most runs throughout the day.

So slip in to your most comfortable boots, click in to your favorite skis or board and join us for 24 hours of fun and fundraising during March’s 24 Hours of Sun Valley. More information is available at 24hoursofsunvalley.com