I was heading down to the Thunder Chair at Jackson Hole, Wyo., when I saw the bodies tangle. A skier going way too fast, cutting across skier’s left had turned his head for a split second to look back at his buddy who was yelling, “Look out!” Just then the biggest wreck I can ever remember seeing happened. The skier smashed into a heelside snowboarder. Thankfully, though she was seeing birdies circle her head, she was fine. The skier had dislocated his shoulder, bent his pole and delaminated his ski. Ironically, they were the only two people in the bowl NOT wearing helmets.
Utah Ski Deaths
In Utah this week, a New Jersey man without a helmet struck a tree and died while skiing with friends at Snowbasin. He wasn’t as lucky as those Jackson peeps. Frank Maddaloni is the fifth person killed among Utah’s mountains so far this season. While past seasons saw spikes in avalanche deaths, this season runs the gamut among heart attacks, tree trauma and slides.
Last month (January), in Utah’s first avi death of the season, experienced backcountry guide and author Tyson Bradley triggered a slide on Gobblers Knob that carried away his client who apparently ignored directions and followed too closely. The 600-foot-wide rip across Whitesnake sent Salt Lake resident Douglas Green over 2,500 feet of terrain and 1,400 feet of vertical at speeds near 60 to 70 mph. Green, 49, died at the scene.
A week later Summit County Search and Rescue uncovered the body of 50-year-old Stephen Jones. A 60-foot wide, 500-foot long avalanche in Lamb’s Canyon buried the Wanship, Utah, skier.
Accidents have happened inbounds as well with a 67-year-old Utah man collapsing from a medical condition at the base of Tombstone lift at Canyons earlier this month and a 60-year-old Utah man dying in a snowboarding accident on an intermediate slope at Park City Mountain.
This latest cycle of warm temps, rain, snow, warms temps again will lead to some seriously sketchy backcountry conditions in the Wasatch over the next few weeks so if you are heading out the gates make sure you know before you go, have the right gear, an experienced backcountry partner and wear a helmet (in bounds and out). Think safe, be safe this spring.
I gotta get up to Whistler. Winter, spring, summer. The behemoth resort just doesn’t quit impressing folks with their sense of progress, growth and out-the-charts party scene. In the spirit of everreaching resort endowments, Whistler Blackcomb will drop a cool $8 mill on winter and summer projects around the mountains.
“These projects demonstrate our commitment to ensuring our guests have the best possible experiences when they come to our mountains,” says Dave Brownlie, President and CEO of Whistler Blackcomb. “Reinvesting in our operations and continuing to provide new offerings to guests year after year is something we are very proud of.”
This year’s mess of projects are aimed directly at newcomers to the British Columbia area. Summertime guests should be on the lookout for work on the Harmony Lake, Peak Express Traverse, and Whistler Summit Interpretive Walk hiking trails on Whistler Mountain, and the Alpine Walk hiking trail on Blackcomb Mountain. Operators will resurface and widen each of the trails to improve their usability and access. The Samsung Alpine Theatre in the Roundhouse Lodge which shows historical films about Whistler’s past gets moved to the lower level of the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb and will expand.
For next winter, the ski and snowboard learning terrain in the Olympic Station area on Whistler Mountain will get even more beginner-friendly terrain, and the Olympic and Fantastic runs will be regraded to make them more accessible to novice skiers and riders. Whistler Blackcomb will be installing two new, covered, magic carpet lifts at Olympic Station and 25 new, energy efficient snow guns. Plans also include re-grading the Upper Whiskey Jack run above the Chic Pea Hut to make it less steep; something beginners should be psyched about.
The Roundhouse Lodge gets an added 6,000 square feet in the form of a new upper and lower deck and a new “umbrella bar” with a collapsible roof that can open and close like an umbrella depending on the weather. These upgrades give guests an extra 160 new outdoor seats. Oh, and the umbrella bar is heated so it can be open year round.
The GLC (Garibaldi Lift Company) will renovate the section of the patio overlooking Skier’s Plaza- a new roof, heaters and fire pits, 90 outdoor covered seats- making Whistler’s signature slope-side après spot even more hopping.
What can I say? Whistler is just one of those places that keeps upping their game. You have to put it on your travel bucket list whether you relish a summer mountain visit or crushing it on winter slopes.
It’s not official yet but the National Ski Areas Association may have a new Guinness Book of World Records record. On Friday, January 8, the entire U.S. ski industry came together to go for the “World’s Largest” coordinated ski lesson as part of National Learn to Ski and Ride month. Organizers are estimating at least 6,000 lessons were taught across the country from the East coast to Alaska.
Mary Jo Tarallo, spokesperson for the National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month said, “January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and we thought a fun event like this would serve as an ideal kick off and a way for us to get everyone talking about ways to stay active during the winter months.”
Utah transplants like Nancy Lynn actually waited through the holidays to take advantage of the event and Learn to Ski Month as a whole. “Anyone who loves being outdoors needs a winter hobby but I’m intimidated by skiing. The lesson was a great introduction,” she said. “I was scared in the morning getting dressed; I was lost at the resort but finally found the ski school and rentals. We had six in our group and the instructor taught us super basic stuff. It builds your confidence. Pretty soon you’re going up and down, learning to walk with these things on your feet and feeling ok if you fall. By the end, I didn’t want to stop or leave. The mountains are beautiful. It was worth it just to go there and be out in this beautiful scenery, doing something.”
While crappy snow in the east and midwest affected lesson numbers at ski areas there, nearly 150 of the original 164 locations were able to offer lessons in their local time zones. Ski Utah, in particular, partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to bring nearly 500 school kids out for a free, first-time lesson.
Learning to Ski at Snowbird. Photo by Nancy Lynn
“So far we’ve seen individual resort participation numbers ranging from just a few people to over 250 people,” said Hugh Reynolds of SNOW Operating and one of the organizers of the event. “This is the first year of the initiative, and to walk away with a new world record makes this all the more successful.”
The official Guinness World Record participation numbers are expected to be announced at the National Ski Area’s Association National Tradeshow and Convention taking place May 18-21 in Nashville, Tenn.
Those who missed out on Friday’s event, however, can still get massive breaks on lessons through the end of the month. Just check out these deals in Utah:
First-time local skiers only. A local is defined as anyone with a current Utah driver’s license. Without a Utah driver’s license, a photo ID accompanied by a current Utah property tax form, Utah utility bill or Utah business paycheck stub will be accepted
Clinic Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost: $45 for the package, per participant ($15 for a lift ticket, $15 for ski rental equipment and $15 for the clinic).
Helmets are optional and available at no additional charge. Limited to the first 55 registrants, 13 years or older. Anyone under 18 years, a parent or guardian must sign a ski Rental Agreement and Acknowledgement of Risks Agreement the day of the program, prior to the start of clinic.
Reservations must be made prior to January 28, 2016, by calling Deer Valley Resort at 888-754-8477 or 435-645-6648, referring to “Ski Utah Learn to Ski Program.” One lesson (clinic) per participant.
Check-in Time: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Snow Park Lodge. Anyone checking in after 8:30 a.m. is not guaranteed a lesson and will not be able to receive the discounted lift ticket or ski rentals.
Sorry. Newbies. You had only one chance at a deal. If you missed the big January 8 group record day but still want to ski PC there’s a Full Day Never Ever lesson starting at $225 inc rentals and ticket.
Reservations are required. 801-745-3772 ext.127 or 128. The good news is that Powder offers a full day lift ticket so you can stick around and practice after your lesson is over. You must mention Learn to Ski Month promo at time of reservation to receive $45 price.
Must pre-register a minimum of 24 hours in advance. Offer is subject to availability. Must request this program when registering. Learner will receive a Learner’s Permit Pass” entitling the learner to five additional discounted adult group lessons ($75 instead of $110) subject to availability AND five additional days of skiing for half price! The Learner Permit is good for the rest of the current season only and is not transferrable. One per guest.
Ages 7-15 will get a $25 discount on follow-up Mountain Adventure lessons at the regular rate of $168.
Reservations Required: (801) 947-8222 or mountainschool@snowbird.com
2 1/2 hour morning lesson (lesson time will be from 10 am – 12:30 pm
Offer will be valid on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. January 19, 20, 26, 27
Must be purchased in the Ski and snowboard school office.
Guest will be asked to provide valid Utah Identification.
Guest will be placed in a 1st time (beginner) lesson.
Olympic ski legend and Deer Valley’s iconic ambassador Stein Eriksen has died. The Norwegian champion known for his impressive coif, impeccable ski technique and eponymous lodge passed away quietly at his Park City home on Sunday, December 27, 2015, surrounded by family. He was 88 years old.
Stein was one of the most recognized names in the ski world for more than 60 years. The first alpine skier to win triple gold at a world championship, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and ambassador and father of freestyle skiing, Stein Eriksen parlayed all that he knew and loved about the sport into an incredible career that spanned almost six decades and changed the face of alpine skiing worldwide.
He was one of the few athletes able to successfully turn his passion for skiing into a lifetime career. He served as Director of Skiing for more than 35 years at Deer Valley Resort and lent his name to the internationally-renowned luxury hotel, the Stein Eriksen Lodge.
“Stein Eriksen was the vision behind the development of the Lodge that carries his name. His celebrity charisma created a special ambiance whether within the Lodge, our restaurant or out on the mountain, that was warm and inviting,” noted Dennis Suskind, President of Stein Eriksen Lodge. “He was a real friend and will be missed.”
Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley president and general manager said, “He was a true inspiration and we are honored to have had him as a part of the Deer Valley family since the resort’s inception…His presence on the mountain will be profoundly missed.”
Born December 11, 1927, a handsome Stein shot to fame at the 1952 Oslo Olympic Winter Games, where he took the gold and silver medals in the giant slalom and slalom events, respectively. Two years later he went on to win three gold medals at the World Championships in Åre, Sweden in 1954, making him the first alpine skier to win the world championship ‘triple gold.’ Almost immediately after the Olympics, Eriksen moved to the US to teach Americans to ski “like Stein”; first at Sun Valley, Idaho, then Michigan’s Boyne Mountain, Heavenly Valley, Calif., and Sugarbush, VT. A reporter for the Saturday Evening Post in 1967 described Sugarbush’s ski school director: “He is easily the most flamboyant figure in U.S. skiing. . . . He has blond hair and blue eyes, and his dazzle could not be greater if the colors were reversed”. Every Sunday afternoon Stein swan dived 30 or 40 feet over the Sugarbush exhibition slope at speed (on his usual 220-centimeter skis), into a forward flip, an aerial maneuver credited as the forerunner of the inverted freestyle aerials. Stein taught at Aspen and Snowmass, Colo., before Utah’s brand-new Deer Valley Ski Area welcomed the dashing pioneer in 1981.
Eriksen was awarded the Knight First Class honor in 1997 by His Majesty the King of Norway as a reward for outstanding service in the interest of Norway and the Royal Order of Merit for his contribution to the world of sports and his commitment to the people of his homeland. In recognition of his pioneering spirit and contribution to the early development of the ski industry, Stein received the Pioneer Award from the Intermountain Ski Areas Association (ISAA) in 1998. Eriksen served as an Olympic Ambassador at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, at time that coincided with the 50th anniversary of his Olympic medals. Eriksen was inducted into the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Hall of Fame in 2013. In April of 2015, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Utah Sports Commission. Eriksen was also awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Ski Tourism by World Ski Awards in 2015.
Stein was a frequent celebrity on Deer Valley’s slopes, posing for photos, kissing the ladies and available for hire as a guide. In 2007, Eriksen, then 80, suffered a significant health blow when he collided with a 9-year-old boy on Deer Valley’s Lost Boulder run. He was sent to the hospital for surgery on a broken wrist and collarbone but reports said he had trouble waking from the anesthesia. Up until then, Stein had never worn a helmet. Five years later, he spent a week in the hospital for “neurological symptoms.”
While he continued to greet guests in the lodges of Deer Valley over the last few years, his presence on the slopes waned. Now, it is gone altogether but it will never be forgotten. Stein Eriksen is survived by his wife of 35 years, Francoise, son Bjorn, three daughters, Julianna, Ava and Anja and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by son Stein Jr.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Stein Eriksen Youth Sports Opportunity Endowment. A private memorial will be held for family followed by a celebration of Stein’s life, details are TBD.
After controversy, delays, zoning battles, the doors finally open to Hidden Peak’s crown jewel Dec. 26, 2015. The Summit was part of Dick Bass’ and Ted Johnson’s vision when they first founded Snowbird in 1971, but it’s not so easy building things on federal land. Forty-four years later, the 23,000 square foot “The Summit” opens for year-round dining and epic views.
The lodge replaces the old patrol shack and outhouse at the top of Hidden Peak. Patrollers not only have a headquarters fitting of their mountain stature but guests can finally have a viable option for dining during their ski day. They won’t have to traipse down steps and feel like they’re eating in somebody’s basement (The Birdfeeder in the Tram center) and they won’t have to fight for a Formica butt disk in the vintage Mid-Gad Restaurant.
Now, there’s The Summit with indoor and outdoor seating for breakfast and lunch, 360-degree vistas, a retail outlet, a Snowbird information kiosk and fancy bathrooms all accessed from the top of the Aerial Tram- with or without skis. The buffet itself will feature authentic French rotisserie cooking in addition to the usual ski fare. There is space for private dining, weddings and meetings upstairs on the second level.
Photo by Matt Crawley
The day lodge is a cog in the extensive $35 million capital investment project for 2015 that also involved a complete overhaul of the Cliff Lodge rooms. I was fortunate to be invited to test drive a new room this month. Gone are the funky windows between the shower and the bedroom. They were Dick Bass’ invention; demonstrating his desire for guests to see the Canyon from any place in your room.
Personally, I miss the window but I can see how it might be awkward for families. The new rooms have an executive-stay feel with clean lines, neutral colors and a soft, supple bed. The WiFi works without issues, and even on the fourth floor all’s quiet. Really, that’s all you need after a hard day of ripping The Bird.
Photo by Matt Crawley
The official grand opening of The Summit will take place on Saturday, Dec. 26, at 10 a.m. Foot passenger Aerial Tram tickets on Saturday, Dec. 26 cost $17 per person.
