Sun Valley Blog

The Sun Valley Snow Tubing Park

By: Mike McKenna

If you’ve never been snow tubing, well then I’m sorry to report that you’ve lived an unfulfilled life. Sure, most folks who’ve never tried snow tubing might not think they’re missing much. But whoever said, “Ignorance is bliss,” obviously has a serious misunderstanding about the word “bliss.”

Bliss actually means “a perfect untroubled happiness,” which pretty much sums up how you feel while spending an hour or two snow tubing. And the best part of the blissful act of snow tubing is that it can be done by anyone from four to 84. Basically, if you can sit and giggle at the same time, you can enjoy snow tubing.

“This is soooo much fun,” squealed four-year-old Athena Sterios, between hoots and giggles as she and her cousin, Jack, took a break from skiing to spend some time at Sun Valley’s Snow Tubing Park at Dollar Mountain recently.

“This really is pretty fun,” Athena’s grandmother, Patti Anderson, said as they got ready to swoosh down another run.

Jack and Athena take a break from the slopes for some fun snow tubing.

Not to be confused with its watery, warm weather cousins of boat or water-ski tubing, snow tubing is basically sledding in style. Participants ride a large “Magic Carpet” up to the top of the snow covered hill, pick a run, then hop on the glorified inner tube and with a shove from a friendly attendant it’s time to slide on down the hill. There’s something about the sensation of sledding down a snowy slope that just makes you smile—and makes youngsters laugh unabashedly. Snow tubing sort of makes you feel like you’re riding a frozen water slide.

For obvious reasons, the sport has been growing in popularity nationwide and it’s now tough to find a ski area from little mom-and-pop places in New Hampshire to the largest resorts in California that don’t have a snow tubing park. The ski industry is now calling snow tubing, “ the rising star of the slopes.”

“It’s a great alternative for people who don’t ski or snowboard but still want to have a fun winter experience. It’s also a fun thing to do if you just want to take a break from skiing or as a fun thing to do après skiing,” said Jon Golden, who’s worked at Sun Valley’s Tubing Park for a couple years. “People from all ages and all walks off life have fun when they come here.”

No wonder snow tubing is growing in popularity. It’s the type of simple outdoor activity that can put a smile on anyone’s face. It also offers kids (and the kids in all of us) an opportunity for a few gloriously blissful moments. The type of boundless joy that kids remember their whole lives.

“Can we go again? Can we go again?” Athena and Jack asked after each run, before bounding back up to the top to giggle and squeal in delight as they zipped down the hill again. The sound of kids laughing is good for the soul, so snow tubing must be pretty good for it, too.

[The Sun Valley Snow Tube Park is open daily from 11am to 5pm. Warm hats and gloves are recommended, but there are no other clothing requirements. Check here for ticket information.]

Snow tubing is good clean fun for the whole family.

The wintry views from atop the Snow Tube Park are pretty impressive.

Don’t miss all the incredible Nordic ski action going on as part of this weekend’s Boulder Mountain Tour!

The Nordic Festival’s main event.

The Boulder Mountain Tour will be crowning new champs this weekend.

by Alec Barfield

Originally an alpine destination, Ketchum has developed a nordic reputation. With an extensive network of trails running through unmatched scenery and more than enough sunshine to merit the name, Sun Valley and its surrounidng area has become the ideal haven for both the casual and competitive cross-country skier. Yet our moniker of “Nordic Town USA” stems from more than just sunshine and backdrops not uncommon in the West. We’ve merited the title because of passionate individuals, like Boulder Mountain Tour founder Rob Kiesel, who are responsible for the races and programs that ignited this community’s love of the sport.

This year’s Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT) is dedicated to Kiesel, who passed away in October. As the founder of both the BMT and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation cross-country program, Kiesel was a major force for nordic skiing in this valley and he will be missed by many. Fortunately, his legacy shall continue strongly: over 800 people are registered for the 37th edition of a race on Saturday, February 4th. Launched in 1973, it is one of the country’s longest running nordic events, well-respected for its longevity, speed and extremely high level of competition.

Beginning at Senate Meadows, just east of Galena Lodge, and finishing at the Sawtooth National Recreation Headquarters, the Tour is a 32-kilometer long (19.8-miles) “jaunt” along the base of the Smoky and Boulder mountain ranges. The course crosses six different creeks, while following the larger Big Wood River down the valley. And with the recent snowfall, the setting and the course couldn’t be more breathtaking.

 For the non-elite, there are a couple of ways to enjoy Saturday. Obviously, spectating is welcome and expected. For those hoping to watch the Tour, buses will be traveling from Hemingway Elementary in Ketchum to both the start (from 7-9 am) and the finish (from 9-11 am), as there will be no public parking anywhere near Galena Lodge. In addition, registration is still open for the Half Boulder, which is an informal 15k (9.3 mile) race starting at Baker Creek that coincides with the BMT course and begins shortly after the pros cross the finish line. As of now, there are already 110 skiers signed up for the latter. Although limited parking will be available at Baker Creek, more buses will be running from Hemingway between 9 and 11 am.

So if you missed the excitement of Sun Valley Nordic Festival, be sure to check out its culminating event this Saturday, the Boulder Mountain Tour, as well as the Boulder Mountain demo day at the Sun Valley Nordic Center on Sunday. Because as much as I love skiing Baldy, this week belongs to “Nordic Town USA,” a celebration of cross-country skiing and the people who brought it to Ketchum.

Official Schedule

Friday: Boulder Mountain Tour Expo (10 am – 8 pm) at the Ketchum YMCA for registration, souvenirs and sponsor booths.

Saturday: Boulder Mountain Tour (10 am) and Half Boulder (11:30 am) races and awards ceremony (6 pm) at a location TBD.

Sunday: Boulder Mountain Tour Demo (10 am), featuring equipment testing from sponsors.

NordicTown USA is in its glory with this weekend's Boulder Mountain Tour.

A roundup of our favorite on-mountain refueling options.

By Katie Matteson

We all get tired and cranky. I will be the first to admit that I am completely susceptible to the “Hangry” attitude that comes with being hungry and tired at the same time. And often times, on the mountain, in the middle of a pretty epic powder day, it can hit me the worst.

Not being much of a cook, and being even less of a breakfast-lover, there are days I have headed to the mountain with nothing but a cup of coffee in my belly. And on a good day, I perhaps had a piece of toast and banana before clicking into my powder skis. One such incident happened only weeks ago on a bright, snowy Saturday when skiing with my step-dad. Upon noticing that I was struggling through each turn and had a huge frown on my face, he suggested, as any good parent does, that we stop in to the Lookout and take a break. Rather than taking a leisurely snack/lunch/brunch break (at 11:00 AM, it really wasn’t time for lunch yet), he grabbed two glasses of water and dropped a NUUN tablet in each. Five minutes later, we were dropping into Lefty’s Bowl, he was skiing just as good as ever and I was feeling completely rejuvenated.

A day on the mountain, at any level can be exhausting. Breakfast is always key but carrying snacks always helps. So to help out those other non-breakfast eaters, or anybody that needs a little help refueling on the hill, we created a roundup of our favorite fueling options for Bald Mountain:

1.     NUUN: These “Optimal Hydration” tablets work wonders, upping your electrolytes and readying you for a few more laps in the bowl.

2.     Sun Valley Bar: This delicious fruit, nut and seed bar fits perfectly in your pocket and was originally created right here in Sun Valley. Now repackaged and distributed by Good N’ Natural, it still gives you the same Sun Valley Bar pick-me-up.

3.     Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies: Chocolate chip cookies almost always hit the spot, so they definitely do the trick on the mountain. Or stop by the Warm Springs Lodge when the bell rings for some of their fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies, eat half and stash the other one in your pocket.

4.     Tanka Bars: This bar is kind of new to the scene and is perfect for someone looking for the gluten-free option. Made from cranberries and buffalo jerky, it also gives athletes the protein other solutions might be lacking.

5.     Clif Bar Shot Blocks: My friend pulled a peach flavor Shot Block out of her pocket last weekend and it totally hit the spot and gave me the energy I needed for some more powder shots in Frenchman’s, completing its mission of “replacing carbs and electrolytes during activity.”

6.     Haribo Gold Bears Gummi Candy: One of the best endurance athletes I know, a gnarly mountain biker and Nordic ski coach, always has a bag of this classic gummy bears handy for any time she bonks.

Don’t miss the 2012 Sun Valley Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Ski and Heritage Museum (KSVHS)on Wednesday, February 1st at 4:00 pm. The celebration includes live music, drinks, and a brief presentation and speech by each athlete.

This year’s class includes Alpine Committee selections: Dick Durrance, Warren Miller, Janette Burr Johnson, Pete Patterson and Michel Rudigoz. The Nordic Committee has selected Bill & Annie Vanderbilt, N’tala Skinner, Charley French, Hans Muehlegger and Jenny Busdon

Th Sun Valley Nordic Fest kicks off this weekend!

The Sun Valley Nordic Festival kicks off this weekend!

By Katie Matteson

And we’re off!

We all know the great alpine skiing around here, the numerous skiing prodigies raised around here and the world-renown competitions hosted here. But for those not so, well, gravity-inclined, there’s a pretty big Nordic skiing scene around here as well … But really, who are we kidding?? The Olympic Norwegian Nordic Teamtrained here, we host one of the biggest Nordic events of the season, the Boulder Mountain Tour  and our local racers are some of the best in the world. So the Nordic scene here isn’t just big, it’s HUGE! So massive and impressive, in fact, that Sun Valley has recently earned the official title of “NordicTown USA!”

And one of the biggest highlights in NordicTown USA is the annual Sun Valley Nordic Festival. Starting this weekend here in Sun Valley, the event features a plethora of events like the Blaine County Recreation District’s (BCRD) Ski the Rails Day, a randonee race, training clinics with Fischer athlete Nicole DeYong, Alturas Lake Ski Day and après dinners, lectures, clinics, the downtown jam and Sprint Races. All culminating in the epic Boulder Mountain Tour. (A complete schedule is available here: www.svnordicfestival.com.)

It’s bound to be a busy week of Nordic skiing and celebrating around the Valley, so here is write-up of the five events we won’t be missing during this year’s Sun Valley Nordic Festival!

 1. Skin It 2 Win It Randonee Race!

Saturday, January 28^th, 10:00 AM

Dollar Mountain

This premiere Randonee Race will have teams of 1, 2 & 4 persons skinning from the base of Dollar Mountain to the summit where they will remove their skins and ski back to the start to hand off their baton to the next teammate. Racers will complete as many laps as possible in 5 hours. The distance is approx. 1.3 miles and 600 vertical feet.

This is a fund raising event for the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center. Entry fee is $50/person and must be entered in advance. No registration day of race! Racers are encouraged to secure sponsors to cover entry fee and beyond. Hot drinks & food will be provided for racers. Awards will be same day at Dollar Lodge @ 4:30. Prizes will be awarded for fastest lap, most laps completed, best costume and most money sponsored.

Costumes are required!

Galena Lodge.

2.  Galena and the Trails Winter Benefit

Saturday, January 28^th, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Limelight Room, Sun Valley Inn, Sun Valley

Don’t miss the annual Galena & The Trails Winter Benefit this year on January 28th, the first day of the Sun Valley Nordic Festival. The Benefit is the annual celebration of our community trails and lodge supported by the BCRD. All support from the Benefit goes to the annual costs of maintaining the trails and lodge facilities. For a full list of live action packages for this year’s benefit, click here.

Don’t forget to buy your tickets now, they’re going fast!  Purchase tickets online at bcrd.org!

Highly-acclaimed Nordic ski coach Rick Kapala.

3. Nordic Lecture: Building a Bigger Engine

Monday, January 30^th, 7:00 PM

The Community Library, Ketchum

Join Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Head Nordic Coach Rick Kapala for a presentation on how to improve your physical capacities for cross country skiing. They’ll cover training physiology, workout design and training monitoring as key elements in managing your training plan.

4. NordicTown USA Downtown Jam and Sprints

Thursday, February 2^nd, 4:00 PM

Downtown Ketchum, at the intersection of 4^th and 2^nd.

Quickly becoming the “can’t miss” event of the Sun Valley Nordic Festival! World-class sprints with Olympic caliber athletes, kids races and accompanying music all in one! Get some dinner with Galena Lodge onsite, grab a warm drink and enjoy the bonfire and on site winter artwork after checking out the amazing sprint races!

Tim Snider and Sound Society are going to rock the Ketchum Downtown Jam and Nordic Town USA Sprint races! Tim has traveled to Europe, Cuba, Morocco, Spain, Indonesia, and much of Central America in his ongoing journey to study the world’s different styles of music. Blending American roots, world beat and Latin rhythms into an inspired sound that has been dubbed “World Rock,” the group creates a high-energy performance that gives its audiences an irresistible desire to dance. Some say it is just foot-stomping soul-stirring goodness!

Grab the kids, bundle up and get ready to watch the races, dance and then compete in the legendary World Snowshoe Dance Competition. Refreshments will be available for purchase and the bonfire will be going!

5.  2012 SWIX Boulder Mountain Tour

Saturday, February 4^th, 10:00 AM

Senate Meadows (Start area)

One of America’s longest running and most respected cross-country ski races, the Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT) is the Wood River Valley’s winter treasure. Drawing a field from across the country, and across the spectrum of abilities, the BMT welcomes all. The race traverses the spectacular Boulder Mountains for 32 kilometers of breath-taking beauty and world-class competition. Some of the finest skiing to be found anywhere on the planet combined with warm hospitality and first-rate race organization.

The Ketchum-Sun Valley Ski & Heritage Museum.

Preserving the History of the Wood River Valley

 By Alec Barfield

The Sun Valley Heritage and Ski Museum  (KSVHS) is best walked into when it’s snowing. Of course any season will do, the property is a tree-filled compound of traditional white barns with green trim that is picturesque year-round. But when it’s snowing the museum beckons like a warm fireplace, the hearth by which we can gather and hear stories of Wood River Valley’s rich and colorful history. For reasons that don’t need explaining, this collection honoring skiers and winter soldiers, architects and local celebrities simply kindles brightest when it’s white outside.

First leased by the KSVHS from the National Park Service in 1993, the museum sits quietly on Washington Avenue and 1st Street. The interior, however, was renovated in 1995 and is now contemporary, with exhibits organized spaciously between the separate Heritage and Ski Museum buldings. The first of these are the Jimmy Griffith and the Don and Gretchen Fraser collections, which are housed in the latter. Regional history at its finest. The photo and award displays tell the stories of three Sun Valley residents, each a legend in the sport that has defined this community for more than 75 years.

Ski movie posters form Warren Miller's films.

The ski protion of the museum is a tribute to these heroes and others, an extensive presentation of those who have contributed so much to shaping this resort community. Stroll through the “Ancient Skiers” exhibit and you’ll find rare photos of Andy Hennig, vintage Sun Valley ads from the 1960s and a mountain of classic images depicting life and sport in Ketchum. Equally significant is the fact that the Ancient Skiers Club, a group of individuals who have been skiing since before World War II, recently had a gathering at the museum—living additions to a museum that already features many of the club’s members.

What’s incredible about both the Heritage and Ski Museum is how personal many of the holdings are to people in this Valley. Although 75 years is monumental, the Sun Valley Story, which is also an exhibit, remains a foggy but memorable experience. Yet this won’t be the case for long and the Historical Society is committed to preserving both the recent and bygone eras of Ketchum and Sun Valley. As much as people love to walk the photo-filled hallways of the Sun Valley Lodge, it’s truly a blessing that we can expand our knowledge and appreciation by visiting a substantial museum, who’s only goal is to collect and preserve regional history.

Who knew that Freidl Pfeifer, Sun Valley’s second ski school director, helped to train 10th Mountain Division in the 1940s? Or that Stanley Underwood, the architect behind the historic Sun Valley Lodge, was famous for establishing the now standard aesthetic of National Park Service buildings? Whether you consider these mere pieces of trivia or details that reveal the center-most fabric of our community, the Heritage and Ski Museum is a cultural asset worth exploring.

The 10th Mountain Division exhibit.

For instance, there’s the visually diverse, “Warren Miller and the Art of Ski Cinematography.” Miller started his illustrious career in the River Run parking lot, where he lived in a trailer and causally filmed with friends. Relics of his path from there to Hollywood dot the walls of this exhibit. There are timeless posters of Miller’s “Beyond the Edge” and “Ski People,” there’s a projector running other famous movies and there’s even a large collage of ski cartoons sketched by the iconic director himself. However, it’s temporary, so go examine the artifacts of this great pioneer before it’s too late.

Another highlight, which has permanent status, focuses on another prominent Sun Valley character, Ernest Hemingway. Housed on the property’s third barn, is the hallway of “Hemingway in Idaho.” More than just a few classic images, the exhibit is a full and elegant presentation of Ernest Hemingway’s two decades of living, writing and hunting in the Wood River Valley. This collection of photos is just one of many reminders in the Heritage Museum that the story of this place extends beyond skiing, even if winter sports does anchor so much of its history. So if you’re a fan of Hemingway, this unassuming celebration of the author in an area he loved is a must-see!

Yet “Hemingway in Idaho” and “Art of Cinematography” are just the beginning. The Ski and Heritage Museum has eight permanent collections, with three temporary exhibits currently in circulation. They also host weekly events, like February 1st’s 2012 Sun Valley Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, during which a handful of candidates will be chosen and their plaques placed in the Ski Museum, next to the likes of Bobbie Burns and William Janss. Although only one of many dates on the KSVHS calendar, the ceremony symbolizes the museum’s function; it is the community’s time capsule, that fireplace of memories, while also being the window out which we can admire the present. History is made everyday, and it’s wonderful that the museum recognizes the on-going nature of its subject matter by recognizing Sun Valley’s latest icons.

If you have time on snowy (or even a snowless) afternoon, make a stop by the Heritage and Ski Museum. Wander the exhibits, attend one of the many lecture or just let the legacy of the Wood River Valley warm your soul before returning to the harsh storms of the present.

The hallowed halls of the Ski & Heritage Museum.

Current Exhibitions

Ski Museum:

The Ancient Skiers

Gretchen Fraser, Don Fraser and Jim Griffith

Sun Valley Ski Hall of Fame

10th Mountain Division of the United States Army

Warren Miller and the Art of Ski Cinematography (temporary)

The Sun Valley Story: An American Original (temporary)

Heritage Museum:

Mining in the Wood River Valley

Discovery of Elkhorn Springs: Pre Historic Native Americans in the Wood River Valley

Hemingway in Idaho

The Architecture of Gilbert Stanley Underwood and The Sun Valley Lodge

Women’s Work: Women and the Settling of the American West (temporary)

Form Over Function … or Safety First?

A Guide to fitting and buying helmets.

By Laurie Sammis

If we are really honest with ourselves…we have to admit that for many Mountain Diva’s form comes before function. You know the drill and you’ve seen them on the hill (perhaps even secretly admiring them from afar). It’s the perfectly pulled together Diva with the color-coordinated outfit and somehow matching accessories. The fact that she has the latest in ski technology and can shred the mountain like a pro just adds to the awe factor.

But, when it comes to helmets, every Diva (especially mountain mamas) knows the mantra: SAFETY FIRST.

Why safety first? Well, we need to set a good example for our kids, as well as our sisters and peers. And since we are often the ones purchasing helmets for our kids, it is even more important that we know the essentials—and the DOs and DON’Ts of proper helmet fitting.

The good news is that helmet design has come a long way since the classic Bell downhill ski helmets first hit the slopes. They are now lightweight, aerodynamic and well padded (some even have extra soft ear flap choices). They also come in lots of shapes and sizes (to fit every head shape) and are offered in a dazzling array of colors, designs and finishes (Mountain Divas rejoice…you can still feel like you are choosing form over function, even if it is safety first)!!

To help you make the right choice, hear are a few tips on getting the perfect fit, followed by a quick rundown on some of the more popular helmets you’ll see on the slopes this winter:

Getting The Right Fit

1. Measure Your Head. Ski helmets are generally sized based upon your head circumference (usually measured in centimeters). Even the ones that use a Small, Medium, Large scale are  based on head circumference, so measure your head and compare to the manufacturer’s size chart. Measure one inch above the eyebrows all the way around. Measure kids’ head circumference in the same manner. (Jump to the end of this blog for a conversion chart of centimeters to inches.)

2. Try On Several Brands. Be sure you try BEFORE you buy. Remember that ski and boarder helmets, just like heads, come in lots of different shapes and sizes, and there is one that will be the best fit for your head. The wrong shape will feel too tight (and may even pinch or have “hot spots” in certain areas) or will be too loose at the top or on the sides. Keep trying. Just like Godilocks, there will be one that will fit “just right.”

3. Check the Fit. This is really important for fitting kids helmets. A helmet should fit securely, but not so tight you have pain. “The helmet should feel snug around the crown and shouldn’t move around too much,” says Greg Bearce, supervisor at Pete Lane’s Warm Springs. If it feels like a good fit, try the following test:  gently hold the helmet in place and try to turn your head from side to side, then up and down. The helmet should feel snug and should have very little room for movement (less than an inch), and should not obscure your vision.

4. Bring Your Goggles. Be sure to bring your goggles to make sure they fit your helmet. Otherwise, you may find yourself at the top of the mountain on a powder day without proper visibility, because your goggles are too big or too small to fit your helmet.

5. Ski Helmets for Children. Whatever you do, don’t buy a helmet that is too big or it will be useless. This is especially important when buying for kids or trying to recycle helmets for younger siblings. Resist the temptation to buy a helmet for a child to “grow into” because the fit will be wrong and the helmet won’t be able do its job of absorbing the impact and preventing concussions.

6. Don’t  Wear a Beanie or Hat Under Your Helmet. “This is one of the biggest fashion misconceptions out there,” says Greg Bearce, supervisor at Pete Lanes Warm Springs. “A beanie is var far the worst thing you can wear under a helmet because it prevents the helmet from doing its job,” adds Bearce, “it just allows for too much movement, doesn’t let the helmet do what it was designed to do and can lead to the compression injuries that cause concussions.” Bearce notes that some of the really thin skull caps can work under helmets because they conform exactly to the head. But when in doubt, just avoid any thicker under layers—having the room to fit a hat or beanie probably means that the helmet is too big and is not a proper fit anyway.

Helmet Style, Accessories & Options

Now onto the more creative part of helmet buying. Once you have the proper fit, you can get down to the details of style, color and accessories. Remember that different age groups have different priorities when choosing helmets—some are attracted to aerodynamics or accessories (wireless audio system ear flaps or full cell phone and in-line components) while others (especially younger kids) are drawn to the more immediate visuals of cool colors, metallic finishes or unique designs. And if you can’t find the perfect combo, you can always consider decals or stickers to add a design of your own.

Smith Intrigue

Smooth, flowing lines and elegant finishing details complement the Intrigue’s low profile Hybrid Shell construction. Combining AirEvac 2 ventilation and a soft, fleeced tricot lining beneath a refined collection of designs, the Intrigueis the ideal helmet for women of discriminating tastes. It also has the option for the Skullcandy™ Audio System (an added bonus for Divas who like to carry their tunes with them down the mountain). And it comes a wide range of fantastic colors, including Black Pearl, White Pearl, Shadow Green, Antique/Coral, Bronze Fallen, Petal Blue Briston, Shadow Purple Baroque, White Fallen.

 Smith Voyage

Revolutionary new technology discreetly concealed behind a bevy of stylish accents, the all-new Voyage will take you on a trip you never thought possible. Using revolutionary Hybrid In-Mold technology to minimize mass and maximize ventilation, the Voyage offers up the ultimate in performance without sacrificing one ounce of style. This patented technology weighs in a little less (at 450 grams/16 ounces) than the Smith Intrigue and currently comes in White, Black, Ivory Bristol, Ultramarine Night Out, Frost Gray Stereo or Paris Pink Baroque.

GIRO Seam

Giro’s Seam is the perfect all mountain helmet. An improved Thermostat™ vent system, Giro’s Stack Vent, and a feather light weight will keep your temp under control, your goggles clear and your comfort level at an all time high. Finish it off with the best fit system ever made (with an adjustable wheel in the back to help dial in the perfect fit) for a snow helmet and you are ready for a full day on the mountain. Lots of Giro accessories (like stereo ear flaps and other adjustments) and a wide range of colors make this a popular and functional helmet for both kids AND adults. Available in Matte Brown, Matte White, Matte Pewter, Cyan Tiles, Matte Black, Matte Red, Black Towers, Matte Blue Sunset, Matte Grey Stripes.

POC Skull Comp — Bode or Julia

The ultimate race helmet, upgraded. The Skull Comp is now updated to version 2.0, adding a new unique safety feature. After finding that today’s race skiers repeatedly hit gates hard and risk to deform the liner, we shifted the core material to multi impact EPP. On top of the liner, we use a thin outer shell in combination with our patented Aramid membrane penetration barrier, APB. To optimize the energy absorption properties, pneumatic honeycomb pads made of polyurethane are inserted into the multi impact EPP liner. Great fit, performance and protection over and overagain!

There are two editions of the POC Skull Comp, one designed by Bode Miller and one by Julia Mancuso—both extraordinary athletes at the top of their sport. Bode Miller rides with his POC Skull Comp Pro Model helmet in green and white. There is also a Poc Skull Comp Pro – Julia that is blue and white in honor of pro racer Julia Mancuso. And, as if the extreme protection and functionality weren’t enough, the Julia edition Skull Comp comes with a kit of Swarowski Crystals to make your own Julia style tiara.

A pro race helmet with Wwarowski Crystals…Mountain Divas REJOICE!!

Finally, form plus function.

Giro Seam, Mtn Blue Sunset

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Jonna Mendes showing off her Olympic form.

A chat with Olympian, National Champion, former US Ski team member, and Sun Valley Ski Academy Director of Recruitment Jonna Mendes.

By Katie Matteson

Two-time Olympian and four-time National Champion, Jonna Mendes knows a thing or two about skiing. Skiing since she was three and a member of the Heavenly Ski Foundation’s Alpine Team since she was eight-years-old, Jonna worked hard to balance skiing and academics throughout her youth and her career, learning the values of time management, hard work and sacrifice.

Now, as the Recruiting Director for the new Sun Valley Ski Academy  (SVSA), which provides housing, academics and winter sports opportunities in conjunction with the Community School and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF), she gets to help young athletes achieve their dreams in a balance, supportive atmosphere in a community where skiing is life. Jonna talked with Lift Line about growing up in a ski town and some of the positive things happening in the Sun Valley ski community.

 “Time management. That was singly the most important thing I learned from skiing,” she says. “Balancing elite-level skiing, maintaining good grades and traveling, it is hard not to see how important ski racing can be to kids. Beyond that it was about confidence and travel. All have been things that carried straight through to college and into my professional life.”

“My parents wanted me out of their hair,” Jonna jokes about her introduction to skiing. “Learning to ski, like so many other kids raised in a ski town, is a form of daycare. I first learned to ski when I was three and as soon as I could, at the age of eight, I joined the Development Team of the Heavenly Ski Foundation. Now, my 17-month-old already walks around the house with his skis on. There are so many life skills to be learned on the mountain, so I do really hope he skis competitively.”

 “It’s amazing it didn’t happen sooner,” she says of the new ski academy. “So many incredible skiers have come out of and through Sun Valley, it’s amazing there wasn’t already a ski academy. Now that the buzz is just beginning, I can only imagine the places the SVSA will go. Sun Valley has the skiing and the community. The SVSEF has the world class athletics and the Community School has the stellar academics.”

“The Cross-Country and the Alpine programs here are so strong.,” Jonna  syas. “Everything from the training to the competition opportunities, it is amazing.”

“The other day I watched the freestyle kids stay in the park for 4 and half hours straight. The coaches had to make them take a break. The freestyle program is becoming a bigger and bigger reason that kids want to come here,” she says. “The new facilities that SVCo has created are a big draw for snowboarders and freestyle skiers.

“The biggest benefit of the SVSA is that there are NO COMPROMISES,” Jonna proudly states. “If they came to the SVSA, young athletes wouldn’t have to sacrifice one thing to make another work. Instead, it is just about if you will apply yourself academically and in your training, you’ll succeed. There is no rushing through the school week, getting in a car, driving to the mountain, rushing back. It is all at their fingertips. And they have the support that the need to take advantage of everything the SVSA, the SVSEF, the Community School and the town has to offer.”

I may have been on the US Ski Team, competed on the World Cup and raced in the Olympics but before that I was just like the SVSEF kids, a rug rat on the mountain giggling and laughing,” Jonna recalls. “All of my achievements have been because of people who supported me, the coaches, the scholarships I received, the teachers…It is important to understand what a difference it made in my life and what a difference it can make in the life of all the athletes at the SVSA.”