The Valley Sun

The Yellow Jackets strive to make your day on Baldy the best one ever

If your ski day on Baldy begins on the River Run side of the hill, chances are, the first person you will meet will be a member of Sun Valley’s Guest Services – better known as the Yellow Jackets. This corps of 45 is on site, every day, all over the mountain, with the goal of providing 100 percent guest satisfaction. From the moment you park, to the time you are finished with après ski, they are there to help make your experience in Sun Valley the very best it can be.

“We are basically the goodwill ambassadors for the Resort,” explained Guest Services Supervisor Linda Bowling. “We are all people people. There is nothing we enjoy more than welcoming our guests to the mountain and helping to make sure the day is as great as it should be.” To that end, Yellow Jackets take care of everything from keeping the traffic moving at pick-up and drop-off, to providing wagons to help carry gear from the River Run parking lot to the lifts, to answering any questions about conditions and weather, recommending runs, and much more.

Guest Services wants you to love Baldy as much as they do

On the mountain, guest services can be found in every day lodge and on many trails. They are available to help in any way. “If we see a guest consulting a trail map, we approach them and ask if they need assistance or a suggestion,” Linda said. “Let’s say someone is at the top of Flying Squirrel and wants to head over to Seattle Ridge. Instead of explaining the route to them, we will often ski them over. It’s a great opportunity to show off the mountain, get to know a guest and reach out in a meaningful way.”

“It’s a pretty intuitive job,” agreed Yellow Jacket Alec Barfield. “We are the eyes and ears on the hill. We really enjoy being the first and last people our guests see. We are available to help in any way we can. We even help Ski Patrol when we are needed to assist at accidents or call in possible problems. We’re everywhere!”

Linda said that’s exactly the point. “We are the frontline at the mountain. It’s our goal that a guest feels like he or she has made a connection in Sun Valley. We not only help on Baldy, though. Based on what our guests tell us, we might recommend cross-country at the Sun Valley Nordic Center, visiting Galena Lodge, a Gallery Walk. We let people know about our great restaurants, cultural events, family activities, just about everything.”

Guided ski tours are also part of what is offered by Guest Services. Each day at 11 a.m. the incomparable Allan Patzer, Director of Skiing, leads tours on Baldy that both acquaint guests with the hill and provide a great historical perspective on Sun Valley. Allan is encyclopedic in his knowledge and colorful in his delivery. Interested parties are invited to meet at the Mountain Room View at River Run Lodge daily to enjoy this two-hour adventure that is appropriate for those of intermediate ability and up.

“Guest Services is such a fun job,” Linda said. “We get to welcome people to our little corner of paradise and share everything we love about Sun Valley and the Wood River Valley. It’s nice to go to work every day.”

–RES

Local legend Allan Patzer leads daily tours of the mountain

Gail Dwyer's smile says it all -- we are glad you are here

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Meet Roger Lloyd, one of Sun Valley's most charming ambassadors

With the busy Presidents’ week holiday right around the corner, Sun Valley Resort is expecting many guests from all over the country and world, arriving to enjoy this season’s amazing skiing and boarding, world renown cross-country, restaurants, shopping and nightlife. The first impression many visitors will get of this magical area is from Roger Lloyd of the Resort’s Guest Services. By the time guests have traveled the 20 minutes from the airport to the Sun Valley Lodge, a true insiders’ look at what makes this area so special will be theirs.

“I love that short drive to Sun Valley,” Roger smiled his signature wide smile. “It’s my opportunity to introduce everyone to Idaho, to Sun Valley. I chat with our guests about everything from recreational opportunities to the Lewis and Clark expedition.” He laughed, “I am full of interesting facts.”

There is almost no one who has come by his interesting facts more honestly than Roger. As a 35-year veteran with the Sun Valley Company, and a 42-year resident of the Wood River Valley, his jobs have included everything from helping to build Baldy and Dollar’s high speed quad chairlifts to lift maintenance to guest services. With brothers Jimmy and Mike (who is director of Sun Valley’s Ski Patrol), the Lloyd brothers boast 100 years with the company.

When Roger Lloyd picks you up at the airport, getting here is half the fun

Even once the airport shuttle pulls into the Lodge porte-cochère and guests embark on what is sure to be a memorable vacation, Roger is always around to help answer questions, make recommendations and simply check in on how things are going. “I love it when people approach me in the Lodge lobby or around the resort and have questions,” he said. “Whenever possible, I also like to walk our guests to their rooms after they check in, so we can keep the conversation going and I can ensure that everything is to their liking.”

The great snow this year is making Roger’s job easy, according to him. “There are so many exciting things going on in Sun Valley right now. From the snow sports, to all the new menu choices at our Resort restaurants and the mountain day lodges, to the culture, shopping and entertainment, I am having no trouble at all recommending activities that I know will be well received.  Ketchum and Hailey are hopping, too.  It’s a great season here.”

When you arrive in Sun Valley, make sure to keep an eye out for Roger. He is one of the area’s greatest ambassadors.

“Whether it’s one of the movers and shakers in town for the Allen & Company conference each summer, a family that is bringing the third generation to Sun Valley, or a first-time visitor, we value each and every guest that comes through our doors and are thrilled to share our history, traditions and community with them,” Roger said.

And his favorite part of his job? “When a guest asks me to recommend a local realtor,” he laughed. “Then I know they will be coming back. And coming back. And coming back.”

–RES