The Courier
NEWS
Soldier Mountain to Host Training Camps for U.S. Ski & Snowboard
from Tony Harrison - Ski Idaho The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals at Sun Valley Resort in March isn't the only event drawing members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard to Idaho this winter. Nearby Soldier Mountain just signed an agreement with the slopestyle teams for the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team and the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team to host the inaugural annual training camps in December and late March. The Southern Idaho ski area, best known as the resort actor Bruce Willis used to own, will build a training facility for the slopestyle teams to train on as part of the Soldier Mountain Snow Training Center, which serves competitive athletes throughout the Western U.S. Designed by world-renowned terrain park builder Charles Beckinsale, the site will support the slopestyle teams' needs for large-scale jumps, which are part of competition but not widely available to train on. Beckinsale will personally construct the training facility on the run Canyon underneath the High Trail Express Lift (Chair 1). The three-year partnership has allowed Soldier Mountain to enhance its snowmaking system, with the resort recently acquiring new state-of-the-art TechnoAlpin TR10 snow guns. The move doubles Soldier Mountain's snowmaking capacity and will ensure skiers and riders enjoy full top-tobottom coverage on the runs North Ridge and Canyon. "This is a huge win for a small, independent ski resort like Soldier Mountain," GM David Alden said. "One of the things that makes Soldier Mountain so attractive is that we're small enough to be nimble and eager to try new things. And U.S. Ski & Snowboard's financial and philosophical commitment to a small ski area like Soldier Mountain will ensure we offer a sustainable domestic training venue for the world's best snowsports athletes for many years to come." Leadership at U.S. Ski & Snowboard concur. Teaming up with a small mountain complements U.S. Ski & Snowboard's affiliation with the Indy Pass, with Soldier Mountain one of seven Idaho Indy Pass partners. And the resort's proximity to Utah -- Soldier Mountain is less than 5 hours by car from U.S. Ski & Snowboard's headquarters in Park City -- eases logistics and is a good fit with the team's Easy Green environmental initiative by reducing the carbon footprint of its training. "Soldier Mountain has presented us with a unique opportunity to build world-class jumps in the USA at a time of year that will give our Slopestyle teams a huge advantage going into the competition season," Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team Sport Director Rick Bower said. Stifel U.S. Freeski Team Sport Director Skogen Sprang agreed, adding the teams are "excited to explore a new location that is so passionate about freeskiing and... continued on page 2...
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
November 20, 2024
Vol 48 Num 47
Dietrich & Carey For Championship
On Friday, the Dietrich Blue Devils took out Tri-Valley 71 to 40 in the 1A semifinal football game sending them to the State Championship game this Thursday at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello. They will face off against long time rival, the Carey Panthers who crushed Garden Valley 70 to 0 last Friday. The 1A Championship game will begin at 7:00 p.m. In 2A football, the Hagerman Pirates ended their season with a 22 to 50 loss against #1 Butte County.
November Small Business Soldier Mountain Highlands & Huns
Senator Jim Risch, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of Soldier Mountain Highlands and Huns in Fairfield as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for November 2024. SMH Ranch will be recognized for its contribution to Idaho in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate. "Dennis Stitt founded Soldier Mountain Highlands and Huns, a 120-acre Scottish Highland cattle ranch at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains, to promote a healthy lifestyle and preserve the heritage of small farmers and ranchers," said Risch. "Through his work, Dennis is feeding the world one steak at a time and mentoring fellow veterans interested in agriculture." Idaho is consistently ranked one of the best places in the country to do business. Each month, Senator Risch selects an Idaho small business that exemplifies the Idaho values of hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and exceptional commitment to the community.