NEWS/REC SUN VALLEY RESORT
REC
NEW SEASON, NEW TOYS From rocker skis to green snowboards, it’s time to check out winter’s new gear DEANNA DARR
Sun Valley: Classic winter escape.
SUN VALLEY SAVINGS
out with their own version of the rocker ski, including K2, Vogel and Solomon, but it’s K2 that is coming out with a limited edition tribute ski for Shane McConkey, who died last year while BASE jumping and whose designs were the basis of the rocker ski. Proceeds from the 500 pairs of the numbered tribute ski will be donated to
LAU RIE PEARMAN
OK, so you want to hit the slopes in Sun Valley this winter but ponying up $82 for a day pass seems a little, ahem, steep. There’s some good news: Sun Valley Resort is still offering some early season specials on passes, as well as some ski/ lodging combos. The 2009-2010 winter pass, which includes six days of skiing at Snowbasin in Utah, will set you back $1,999, but you can save nearly a grand and still get some serious time on Baldy with the 20-day pass for $1,000. Still too much? If you’re a card-carrying, full-time college student, you can take advantage of a new-this-year $249 College Six-Pack, valid for any six days during the season. Trick is, this one is not for sale via phone or Internet, and cannot be bought until the season actually opens. If you’d be happy with a discount, the resort is offering a season discount card for $160, or a weekend discount card for $60, both of which will get you on the lift for a reduced rate. If you’d prefer to skip the crowds and ski the shoulders of the season, the Early/Late pass gets you access to the renowned runs from opening day through Dec. 14, and then from March 29 until the end of the season for $199. For those who consider themselves avid bunny-hillers, a season pass for Dollar Mountain runs $300 for adults or $150 for kids age 5-12. But, since a jaunt to Sun Valley usually requires at least one night’s lodging and food, the resort is also offering a few package deals, starting with a Thanksgiving Package good Wednesday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 29. Get four nights’ lodging, three days of skiing and a full Thanksgiving dinner starting at $282 per person (plus tax). The Pre-Holiday Package (Friday, Nov. 27-Sunday, Dec. 20) will set you back $67 per person double occupancy or $107 single for a night’s stay and one day of skiing. Good news is that this deal can be booked for several days, making it quite the bargain. The resort also expanded its Ski Free Special: Stay any number of nights in a standard or medium room at the Sun Valley Lodge or Inn between Saturday, Dec. 19, and March 25, 2010, and you pay $94.50 for the room (double occupancy) and get a free day lift ticket for each day you stay. Of course, most of January is blacked out, but it’s still a deal. For more info on deals at Sun Valley, visit sunvalley.com or call 800-786-8259.
of binding is perfect for those who are still trying to figure out what works best for them on the hill. For boots, the focus remains on fit and comfort, regardless of the discipline. Last year, Solomon introduced a custom shell for Alpine boots that allows the boot to be stretched just by the skier’s foot without the need of a stretcher, making things far more customizable, Cremer said. When it comes to board boots, Cremer said the industry is moving toward a boalacing system, which allows for easy, onehanded adjustment with a tight fit. Snowboards themselves are continuing a trend that first saw light just a few years ago. Now, reverse camber boards are all the rage. “Everyone was trying to buy or build [a reverse camber board],” said Evan Cecil, salesman at Newt and Harold’s. The board moves the contact points down the board, giving it the distinct appearance of a bird in flight when seen in profile. While Cecil said it’s a matter of preference among riders, the reverse camber boards have been continually selling out. Boards are also going increasingly green this year as well. One standout company is Lib Tech, which uses soy-based top sheets and sidewalls, low-VOC epoxy resin and renewable forest product for the cores, in addition to an impressive list of Even snowboards are getting curvy with the popular reverse camber boards at Newt and Harold’s. environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques. Snowboard manufacturing is not good for the environment, Cecil said. “They’re all McConkey’s family. McU Sports is the only both the tips and tails, giving them a slightly petroleum-based products, but everyone’s retail location in the Boise area that will be bowed profile and, combined with broader trying to lessen those impacts.” selling the special ski. width, make them ideal for powder skiing. Nordic skate skis continue to get lighter, Shellhorn also points to Armada’s Al“People are loving it,” said Megan Shelland Fischer has upped the ante this season pha1 as being one that has proven popular horn at Greenwood’s Ski Haus. with a new ski that reduces since it’s not as wide as some Chuck Cremer, hard goods manager at the swing weight via a keyofferings and its light weight McU Sports, said the inspiration for the dehole. The RCS Carbon Lite makes it more of an all-terrain sign came from waterskis, which are wider BOGUS BASIN SKI Hole Ski has a large keyhole ski than many other offerings. in the middle than they are at the ends. EDUCATION FOUNDATION’S SKI SWAP cutout in the tip of the ski, Women-specific skis are Over the past few years, various manufacFriday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, giving hard-core speed skiers also continuing to gain moturers have been playing around with the Nov. 7 at Expo Idaho. a slight weight advantage. design, experimenting with how much curve mentum, with more manuGet there early and check “It’s very important for facturers expanding their to put at what point in the ski. out Pages 20-21 for details. some skiers,” said Idaho offerings. Shellhorn said the Now, most of the companies have Mountain Touring ski buyer industry is quickly approachreached some level of consensus, creating Jared Rammell with a laugh. ing a 60/40 split between men’s and woma range of rocker skis for different needs. Whether that hole in the tip makes a en’s skis, and the trend is not unnoticed. Need a more versatile ski? Look for one difference will probably depend on the “Women are responding to it,” she said. with early rise in the tip, but little to none perspective of the skier, but there will “They appreciate the fact that they have in the tail. Want to be able to pull some undoubtably be more than a few willing to more choices now.” serious jumps in the terrain park, with the test it out. This year, bindings are also getting a bit option to land backward? Look to the other Of course, those who might not be able of an overhaul thanks to the Schizo from end of the scale for something with lots of to afford new gear this season can always Marker. Like its split-personality name rise at both ends of the ski. try their luck at scoring an early set of rocksuggests, the binding allows skiers to move “They’re making powder and crud so er skis at the Bogus Basin Ski Education it up to 3 cm after it has been mounted, much easier than the traditional powder Foundation’s Ski Swap Friday, Nov. 6, and letting skiers customize their ride depending skis, but they still carve on the trail super Saturday, Nov. 7, at Expo Idaho. For more on the daily conditions or their mood. well,” Cremer said of the new rockers. information, see Picks on Page 20. Shellhorn added that the moveable style Nearly every ski manufacturer has come This year, it’s all about the curves. When it comes to the season’s latest skis, the curves can be found at the tips and tails of the latest rocker skis. In this case, “rocker” has more in common with a rocking chair than a leather-clad musician. Slowly introduced over the last few seasons, rocker skis feature a higher rise at
—Deanna Darr
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| NOVEMBER 4–10, 2009 | BOISEweekly
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