The Valley Sun

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.

Sun Valley ski instructor Brook "Trout" Leiphart.

Brook "Trout" Leiphart

By Mike McKenna

Since the very beginning, some 75 years now and counting, Sun Valley has been heralded for having one of the best ski school programs in the world. It’s one of the big reasons the ski area has been so well respected and much beloved for so long. That’s because the school at Sun Valley not only teaches people of all ages to ski, they somehow teach folks to love the sport.

My oldest son, Jack, who’s soon to turn four, has been participating in the Little Spuds Sessions. After just a few sessions with a member of the "Redcoats," as Jack calls the instructors, his progress has been amazing. He can now ski Quarter Dollar from top to bottom without any help of any kind. Heck, he’s even carrying his skis to and from the truck–at least most of the way! And now, I not only look upon my young shredder with pride, but also with a serious sense of relief. No more getting dragged down the hill by a giggling kid!

Brook "Trout" Leiphart has been my son’s instructor and Jack likes to tell us how " my Redcoat Brook" taught him how to "make pizza,"  "turn like a plane" and "fly like Superman"

As his nickname implies, Brook "Trout" is very active in the local fly fishing community, regularly volunteering for the Hemingway chapter of Trout Unlimited, and has been a ski instructor at Sun Valley for 11 years. He spends the summers teaching trap and skeet shooting for Sun Valley Company.

Brook carved turns through a handful of fun questions about life as an instructor in Sun Valley.

Where did you learn to ski?

At Ostego  in Michigan when I was around three or four.

 What’s your favorite part of being a ski instructor?

I was in the real world working a real job, but I wasn’t happy. So I decided that I wanted to do something worthwhile with my life. I don’t have any kids or any debt so I could afford to do something like this and I really enjoy it. Teaching kids to ski is very rewarding and worthwhile. Plus this job helps me reach my goal of skiing 1/3^rd of the year, 122 days.

Another Little Spud has been taught how to ski--and to love the sport--at Dollar Mountain.

What is your favorite ski run?

On Baldy it’s Can-Can because it only has natural snow and on Dollar it’s Otto’s Run.

 What’s your favorite thing to eat for lunch?

Good old PB & Js from home.

 What’s the best part of life in Sun Valley?

Being able to ski here and taking advantage of everything else this place offers. This truly is a "no lift line" mountain. I’ve spent seasons in Park City and Lake Placid and no place beats Sun Valley. We’re really spoiled here.

What are your favorite non-skiing activities?

Fly fishing and I love hiking above timberline. I’m trying to hike all nine 12,000-foot peaks in Idaho. I’ve already hiked the highest points in all 50 states. I’m #111 on the Highpointers‘ list.

Who is your hero?

Sir Edmund Hilary. I was born on the day he summated Mount Everest.

What’s your motto?

Enjoy life.

Sesame Street Knitwits make kids (and the kids in all of us) happy.

By Mike McKenna

One of the best parts of being a kid is that you get to wear fun and funky stuff that you wouldn’t be caught dead in as adult–unless, that is, you’re going to a Halloween party or it’s a flashback day on the mountain like an ode to the ’80s.

With that in mind, the SV Shred crew checked in with the staff at Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports at Dollar Mountain to find out what kind of fun kid’s stuff has been flying off the shelves this season. So here are a few of the top cool kids’ items this year:

Sesame Street Knitwits

These one-size-fits-all, New Zealand wool and fleece-lined hats and gloves that resemble Sesame Street favorites like Grover and the Cookie Monster or wild animals like owls, pigs and even wookiees have been a huge hit. Knitwits not only keep kids (and some adventurous adults) warm, they make the wearer easy to spot in a crowd and put smiles on the faces of the rest of us. "They’re so cute. They’ve been flying out of here," says Stephanie Cook, a cashier at Pete Lane’s.

Neck Gaitors

Sometimes called "buffs," micro-fleece neck gaitors come in a variety of colors and designs and can be used to keep a lot more than just necks warm. A lot less bulky but no less warm than most scarves, they also can be used to cover faces and be twisted into make-shift hats as well. And Pete Lane’s at Dollar is even offering a sale on buffs with Sun Valley’s 75^thAnniversary design on them for a mere $4.95, while supplies last.

Helmet covers are a great way to add some warmth and style.

Colorful Skis and Helmet Covers

Atomic has a line of unique and colorful skis designed specifically for kids that not only help youngsters shred the mountain, but do so in style.  Helmet covers not only help kids keep warm on cold and windy days, they also make spotting a child in the sea of young shredders much easier. They come in a wide variety of colors and styles.

"The fun part of this job is seeing the kids get so excited about skiing," Stephanie explains with a big smile.

[And don't forget to check in with Pete Lane's for some great deals. This week they're offering 25% off on all RED helmets and Anon goggles in both kids and adult sizes.]

Dollar Days/Rail Jam

Saturday, April 7

Dollar Mountain

Hobson Memorial Ski Race

Saturday, March 24

Dollar Mountain

Contact SVSEF:  726-4129

Sun Valley Telemark Series

Dollar Mountain Family Cross Course

Sun Valley Tele Boarder/Tele-Cross

Course closed for racing 12–4pm

Freestyle Intermountain Division Championships

Catch the air at Dollar Mountain!

Friday, February 24, 2012 – Slopestyle

Saturday, February 25, 2012 – Half Pipe

Events start at 10am each day.

Looking for something fun to do for the whole family, or for a different take on aprs skiing? Snow tubing at Dollar Mountain is it! Read all about the growing sport for kids of all ages here. (Photos courtesy of Mike McKenna.)

Nicky Biddle Elsbree

Mom (of two), 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 collegiate ski racer, wife, mother of two, DIVAS Program co-founder (along with Danielle Crist Carruth) and Sun Valley SnowSports School ski instructor extraordinaire Nicky Biddle Elsbree last week. Here is what she had to say about life in the mountains.

Sun Valley SnowSports instructor and DIVAS co-founder Nicky Biddle Elsbree

First Run in the A.M.?  On a Powder Day…Upper River, the road less traveled. On any other day it would be Graduate for a groomer, as it’s so sweetly falls away…

Last Run of the Day? Plaza… Picabo’s Street…whatever you want to call it. It’s a nice little secret–if your legs can handle “one more.”

Favorite Run on a Sunny Day?  Maybe a groomer..and I don’t know exactly why, but there’s something about skiing Squirrel with the sun on your back and your shadow stretching slightly ahead. Also any Bowl on a sunny day.

Best Run on Baldy? Exhibition and Lefty’s are my favs when they are ripe for the taking. They are interesting and challenging: right, left or straight down the middle.

Favorite Lunch Spot?  I’m not big on combining lunch with skiing. I just don’t have time to get bogged down and prefer to just snarf down a snack. Although my body somehow requires a Bowl of Soul for Apres, no matter what the time.

First Memory on Skis?  I have two (hundred). The first real memory was going down a patch of parental packed snow on a hill in our neighborhood. We’d get lugged up (again by the parents) and ski down…or at least try.  The packed snow hill (involving shovels) represented a huge effort on the part of my folks and there are some fun pictures to prove it.

The second is letting the rope tow at Nashoba Valley (MA) whirr through my mitts as I tried to get brave enough to really grab on and go. That thing was fast and furious. And scary. But it had the advantage of making the ski down seem easy.

When did you learn to ski?  I learned when I was 2 years old. The between-the-legs, work-my-parents-back method was our only option. Lucky for them we figured it out pretty fast. Unlucky for us, my big brother and I both broke our legs at 5 and 3 years old (at Stowe and Nashoba the same winter). After that, we figured it out a little better, so it was easier on everybody.

Favorite Memory on Skis?  That’s tough as there are memories galore. Eastern skiing, western skiing, dabbling in Europe, good days and GREAT. My fondest memory of skiing (as recently as two hours ago) remains the FREEING feeling that magically happens while on the slopes. There is nothing on earth that compares.

Favorite Off-Mountain Activity?  Let’s see…with kids, I’d have to say sledding, tubing and hockey. Without kids, I gotta give nordic skiing the nod, even though it doesn’t happen very much. It is great for the dogs and good to clear the head and inhale that mountain air while getting exercise!

Do you have a skiing or mountain obsession (something you couldn’t live without)?  Hats. I pretty much love hats and could not live without them.  I do wear a helmet as it’s the right thing to do, but oh how I love my hats. Oh, and ski apparel too (jackets, pants, outerwear)…but I’ve really gotten a grip on that. Really.

Why Sun Valley–what do you love about it?  I love Stoecklein’s Baldy poster from way back.  It evokes what Sun Valley is to me: magnetic, peaceful, wondrous, alluring, changing, quiet, western. And after one year (tops): HOME. And now, 23 years later, it’s still home.

What is Your Passion?  I’m passionate about coaching. It seems I’ve found my niche in ski coaching and instructing, adults and kids alike. I like to empower people to become better and it lights me up when they do.

What is your job on the mountain? I am in the midst of year seven with the Sun Valley SnowSports School, and count my blessings every day, as I’m a ski instructor and there are a lot of times when it doesn’t feel like a job. It hardly feels like work on an early-up powder morning with clients (most of whom become, or have become, friends) or while skiing, and laughing, with “my” Thursday Smith kids. So guess I am a living example of the philosophy that you should do what you love and it usually works out.

Parting Thoughts… When my parents come out to visit, I always say thank you (for taking the time to teach us how to ski and introducing us to the industry and the mountain and the lifestyle). Thank you.

The happy couple at Dollar Mountain. All photos courtesy of Dev Khalsa.

There is arguably no a better place on the planet to hold a dream wedding than Sun Valley, Idaho, especially if you’d like your nuptials take place in a winter wonderland. Jessica and Tyler Budzianowski are just such a couple. Here they share their thoughts on getting married in Sun Valley on a crisp winter evening,  early last December.

Thanks to Dev Khalsa for the terrific photographs and SunValleyMag.com’s Hitched wedding blog for sharing the Budzianowski’s magical wedding with us.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SUN VALLEY?

Jessica grew up in the Wood River Valley and has since shared all that the Valley has to offer with Tyler. We couldn’t imagine a winter wedding anywhere else! We wanted our wedding to have an Idaho feel to it, and incorporated many characteristic Sun Valley and Idaho aspects. Jessica has worked at both The Pioneer and The Kneadery for many years and we wanted to share these special places with our family and friends.

 HOW DID YOU MEET?

We met through mutual friends. Jessica’s sorority sister married a gentleman that worked with Tyler, and the two had been trying to set us up for years! Finally, we met at a summer picnic and never left each other’s side.

HOW DID YOU GET ENGAGED?

In 2008, Jessica introduced Tyler to the outstanding Sun Valley Christmas Eve celebration of the ice show, torch light parade and firework show. Every year we continue to go to the Valley to enjoy the epic Christmas Eve celebration. On December 24^th, 2010, we took the Gondola to The Roundhouse for an early afternoon drink prior to the ice show. Neither one of us had been to the Roundhouse before, and wanted to experience the iconic building. As we were both enjoying a blue bird day and looking out over the beautiful view of the Valley from the Roundhouse, Tyler got down on one knee and proposed!

NUMBER OF GUESTS?

90

WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING THEME?

Classic, Idaho, vintage, rustic winter and black tie.

COLOR PALETTE?

Pewter / silver, black and off-white.

ANY CULTURAL TRADITIONS?

We created a few unique traditions of our own for the wedding. We got married at 8:00 PM, outside, in 14-degree weather and offered a dessert reception after our wedding. For the "first dance," Jessica danced with all of the special men in her life – uncles, cousins and a close friend. We love good wine so we also had a Wine Ceremony during the wedding ceremony, sharing a glass of wine. We had also prepared letters declaring our love for one another and packaged them up with a special bottle of wine that we will enjoy on our first anniversary.

WHERE WAS YOUR HONEYMOON?

We spent a few extra days in Sun Valley at the Lodge and in Stanley at the Sawtooth Hotel and hope to take a real honeymoon in 2012.

WHAT WAS THE BRIDE’S FAVORITE MOMENT?

At the first sight, when I was walking up to Tyler sitting on a chair lift at Dollar Mountain. The sun was brilliant, the snow machines were blowing and it was just us, sharing a precious moment of love. Even though it was 14 degrees out, I would have never known!

THE GROOM’S FAVORITE MOMENT?

Walking down the aisle together after we got married to Van Halen’s "I Can’t Stop Loving You" with my beautiful bride by my side. For our first Christmas together, Jessica surprised Tyler with a trip to Las Vegas to see Van Halen, his favorite band. How else would we walk out??

BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

Like any out of town wedding, it’s important to keep in communication with your vendors and trust who you’re working with. We didn’t encounter any challenges, as our incredible planner, Amanda Seaward, was always a step ahead of us and worked with all of our vendors with ease!

TIPS FOR SOMEONE PLANNING A SUN VALLEY WEDDING?

1.    Use a wedding planner, at least for the day of the event! Your planner can help you navigate through your visions and help you prioritize. And of course, manage the day of the wedding. You want to enjoy, not worry about details!

2.    Go Local! There are a lot of great resources and vendors in the Valley, all with a variety of pricing.

3.    Spend quality time with your photographer prior to your wedding. I highly recommend having the same photographer take your engagement photos. This is a time that you can get to know each other and learn one another’s styles and needs.

4.    Come a week early and enjoy the Valley while finishing up last minute details!