What is Smartstyle? Do you know "Your Responsibility Code?"
What is the most important "Get Smart" tip for Freestyle Terrain Park riders?
Skiers and riders will all be challenged by these questions and rewarded with answers and free prizes January 16-22, 2010 when Sun Valley celebrates the National Ski Area’s Association "National Safety Week."
A heads-up, fun approach will be taken to heighten the awareness of slope safety in Sun Valley – on Baldy, at the new Super Pipe, in Dollar Mountain’s new Terrain Park and throughout both mountains.
And, the Smartstyle message will go off-mountain and into the classroom when the Sun Valley Ski Patrol, avalanche dogs and Terrain Park personnel meet students at Hemingway and Hailey Elementary schools. Third, fourth and fifth graders at Hemingway will be visited Tuesday, January 19 and the same grades at Hailey Elementary School will host the Sun Valley Mountain Dept. staff Wednesday, January 20, 2010.
Because Sun Valley Resort takes the safety and well being of its guests very seriously, skiers and riders on Dollar and Baldy will be invited to participate in a variety of safety oriented activities throughout "National Safety Week."
This will include:
1. Free Mountain Ski Tours with a special emphasis on safety (meets 10:30 am, top of Baldy every day except Tuesday and Thursday).
2. Mountain Trivial Pursuit (check lift towers for questions at the bottom and answers up top).
3. Free prizes for correctly answered questions on safety.
4. The Hot Packet: Jan. 16 through Jan. 22 take a tour through Dollar Mt. Terrain Park with local pros, terrain park staff and special guest. Sign up at Dollar from 10 am to 11 am for the 11-12 tour or sign up at noon to 1 pm for the 1 to 2 pm tour. Then talk about what you’ve learned with complimentary hot chocolate.
5. In celebration of "National Safety Week" Pete Lane’s Sports will offer 20 percent off helmets at all locations.
For more information please call 208-622-6136 or visit www.sunvalley.com
*Answer to Get Smart Tip:
ALWAYS stay clear of all landings.
YOUR SKIER RESPONSIBILITY CODE
1. Always stay in control.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way.
3. Stop in a safe place for you and others.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
5. Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
7. Know how to use the lifts safely.
Locals Tai Barrymore, Colter Brehmer and Hannah Haupt, along with 25 others skiers from throughout North America, threw down big tricks and wowed the crowd this weekend at the URTUR FIS NorAm in the SuperPipe on Lower Warm Springs. Barrymore had one of the biggest runs on Friday, finishing a close second behind Evan Schwartz. Brehmer finished ninth over all and Haupt ended up second for the ladies behind 2010 X-Game skier Megan Gunning.
Saturday’s runs were stunners as well with Barrymore hitting some of the biggest tricks of the day and skiers and boarders crowding Lower Warm Springs to watch the action. Go to www.URTUR.com for results or check back later for Saturday’s results and photos of the comp.
Thanks to the athletes, the SVSEF, URTUR and Sun Valley Company for putting on the event!
We never thought that this day would come, but today was the limited opening and testing of the new terrain park on Dollar built buy SPT. Local athletes Tai Barrymore, Colter Brehmer, Mal Prior, Chase Josey, and Conor Davis met at 8:00 this morning to get to know/test the park and give some feedback. Everyone seemed super stoked just to even have a park, and to have one of this caliber was icing on the cake, lots of icing. So far, the park features include ten rails/boxes, smaller progressive jumps to learn on, and two big kickers. The kickers are about 45ft from the lip to the knuckle and the landings continue for about another 100+ft, making huge airs possible. The park will officially open to the public tomorrow so grab your gear and head over to Dollar!
“Don’t be fooled by the snow report because the skiing in Sun Valley is amazing right now. The snow making has been off the charts this year as we opened on Thanksgiving day with 3,000 foot vertical runs from top to bottom runs on both River Run and Warm Springs sides. I’m super impressed with the new management (at Sun Valley Company) and their commitment and willingness to improve the facilities. The super pipe will be open prior to Christmas and the new Gondola is top notch. I’ve been skiing every morning and racking up 30,000 vertical feet before noon. There is no place I would rather start the season than right here at home, getting my legs strong…”
It is snowing in Sun Valley! There is a Winter Weather Advisory in effect until Sunday and they are calling for three to five inches of new snow in the next 24 hours.
The inch of new snow that accumulated overnight on Friday made for some seriously happy skiers and boarders early Saturday morning. The soft layer of fresh snow over the machine-groomed terrain was pretty packed for most of the day, but the skiing was still good. With the opening of Ridge, Blue Grouse, and Lower College on Friday, the most snow and the most terrain of the season made for a day of soft snow, weekend-crowded slopes, and some fun turns. Lookout Express also opened to the delight of many, though plenty of cold skiers and boarders were still seen riding the Gondola to stay warm.
Ski team kids covered the mountain, amped to get the race season started. The Snow Sports School was also busy, with ski and snowboard lessons taking place all over the mountain. The mini Terrain Park on Lower River Run was packed with riders in bright jackets, tall T’s, and big pants. The lodges are busy, with kids racing to get the chocolate chip cookies in Warm Springs Lodge when the bell rings and friends crowding around the new River Run fire pit. ‘Tis the season for things to get busy and for the snow to keep falling!
There is a lot to be said for Christmas time in Sun Valley. Ketchum is busy. Restaurants are packed. Hotels are filled. There are late showings of movies at the theater. There is live music abound. New faces and old friends are everywhere. Family visits. It snows. Often it snows a lot. Like last Christmas, for example, when the ready-for-some-snow community woke up on Christmas Day to a good two feet of snow, the best Christmas present ever. Late December brings Christmas, snow, and New Years. There is plenty to do, and everything is bright and festive. The skiing is great.
As a local kid, I was brought into this world in a hospital down the road that has been turned into a dorm and raised on Baldy. Now, I have moved back to my cherished hometown and favorite mountain as an almost-adult. And it has been expectedly great. And the most unexpected treasure of returning to Sun Valley after an eight year absence? Skiing in November and early December. Skiing on weekdays. The skiing right now.
I haven’t skied Baldy outside of Christmastime in eight years. Eight years ago I was in high school. George W. Bush was soon to be sworn in. The Arizona Diamondbacks had just won the World Series. A postal stamp cost 34 cents. Wikipedia was just being introduced to the cyber-world.
So now, at 25, I have moved back to Sun Valley and discovered the best thing outside of 2 feet of snow on Christmas; skiing on a weekday in November. The slopes are empty. The snow is soft. Turns are wide and the sun is even shining. Friends are meeting at the top for some lunchtime turns and kids are hanging out on the pleasant Warm Springs deck.
The guns are running on trails that have yet to open and they are calling for snow this weekend. But this week, I’m going to go and enjoy the sun, snow, and skiing of Baldy on a weekday in November. I hope you can join us.
SUN VALLEY TO CELEBRATE NSAA "NATIONAL SAFETY WEEK"
