For the week of March 12 - 18, 2003

Picabo shines as Sun Valley’s charms filmed

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

"Sun Valley is first in more ways than one," Picabo Street said last week at the top of Bald Mountain. "It’s always been a magnet for celebrities. It had the first chair lift, which cost 25 cents to ride."

Street was in town for a fundraising event for the Hailey Ski Team, to visit family and to shoot a segment for the Fine Living Network. The show, scheduled to air before the winter holidays, ranks Sun Valley as one of the 10 best places for a holiday vacation.

Fine Living is the fourth in a series of shows from Scripps Networks that includes the Food Network, Home & Garden Television and the DIY/Do It Yourself Network.

Street, a native of the Wood River Valley and an Olympic gold medalist, said she is enjoying her low key winter season. She’s engaged to be married, and has "nothing to do with racing. I don’t have to be perfect or cater my decisions to my race schedule."

Instead, she is acting as the host of the Fine Living show on Sun Valley. She spent two days shooting on Bald Mountain and around the valley with a film crew.

"What would a winter wonderland be without ice skating. It’s like stepping into a Christmas Card," Street said at the Sun Valley Ice Rink.

Charles Segars, the Senior Vice President of Programming, Production and Network Strategy of Fine Living Network, chose Sun Valley to be included in the show for its low key family appeal, fabulous mountain and romantic history. He called the show the "Opposite of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous.’ It’s all about television you can use.

"The three most important things are reconnecting to family and friends, making informed decisions on money and having the time to spend the money.

"Sun Valley is a place to bring family. It’s not just about skiing, skating and hiking. It has a friendly warm town atmosphere."

Besides the mountain and the ice rink, the crew shot scenes of snowshoing, cross-country skiing hiking, sleighing and walking around town.

"There are good folks up here. All the businesses were very friendly," Segars said.

"My favorite moment was waiting for Picabo to ski down Picabo’s Street. She makes three turns for the camera and then stops to help a woman with her binding. Then runs down the rest of the run for the camera crew."

Segars said advance editors visited many winter resorts before selecting the top 10 for this show.

"They have to find the perfect holiday (location). It should be organic and natural where people live, like they mean it. People are passionate about staying here. They’ll do anything to stay here."

During the airing of the show, a contest will be held. The winner will win the ultimate ski vacation for one week for 14 people. Fine Living has already rented a home in the valley for Christmas 2004.

Stay tuned.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.