With Baldy and Dollar Mountain at their doorstep, children in the Wood River Valley couldn't find a better place to spend their winters. The benefits provided by nature are augmented by a wide variety of local skiing and snowboarding programs that provide no end of new things to learn.
But all those classes and teams and races can be bewildering to parents unfamiliar with the local snow-sports scene. Here's a guide to what's available.
Free-skiing and snowboarding
The Sun Valley Ski and Snowboard School offers a four-weekend-long program for Blaine County school students in January.
The Snowsports Camp is designed as a learn-to-ski program, but accepts skiers and boarders of all abilities. It begins on Jan. 14 and runs both Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 5. It consists of a morning session, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., or an afternoon session, from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can sign up for both if they like.
The first day's classes meet at Dollar Mountain, and will move to Baldy as participants' abilities allow. Sign-up begins the weekend of Jan. 7 at the River Run ski school desk.
About 300 children participate in the program each year.
The next step up is the ski school's Allmountain Freeride Team. It's for skiers and boarders age 6 through high school of at least intermediate level. The program meets Saturday mornings from Dec. 3 through March 18.
Instructors provide kids with a wide variety of experiences, including free-skiing, moguls, super pipe and terrain park.
"The whole idea is high-quality, team-oriented coaching for kids not interested in competition," program coordinator Steve Thompson said.
However, Thompson said, participants learn some racing skills through drills designed to improve carved turns.
Groups are formed by ability first, then by age. They meet at 9:30 a.m. at the River Run Children's Center, and go to 12:30 p.m. Due to the holidays, the program does not meet on Dec. 24, Dec. 31 and Feb. 18. Cost is $450 for the season. About 80 kids participate.
Daily ski and snowboard lessons for children are available on Dollar and Bald mountains from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include lunch.
Lessons start with the Tiny Tots program for 3- and 4-year-olds on Dollar. Kids move up to the Dollar Cubs, for 4- and 5-year-olds, and the Dollar Bears, for 6- through 12-year-olds. Those who are at least 6 and of at least intermediate ability can join the Baldy Eagles. Rates are based on one- through five-day tickets.
New from the ski school this year is its "Mommy and Me" program—a one-hour private lesson for children ages 3-4 and their parents.
"The parents can tag along and learn how to interact with their kids on skis," said Supervisor Tom Sbertoli.
Learning skiing for young children, Sbertoli said, "should be like going sledding or building a snowman—that level of fun."
"Mommy and Me" lessons are available any day on Dollar Mountain at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. Cost is $85.
Sbertoli said the ski school is placing more emphasis this year on providing instructors with kids-specific teaching tools. He said that includes an Advanced Children's Educators clinic from the Professional Ski Instructors of America.
Ski racing
Season-long racing programs are available for children age 7 and up through the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and the Hailey Ski Team.
Both teams train after school and on weekends on Baldy. Both have excellent coaching staffs. The difference is in price and the athlete's level of commitment.
"We're more of a grassroots-type program," said Hailey Ski Team Program Director Galen Webster. "Part of our mission is to keep costs down and make scholarships available."
Webster said the team is oriented toward young kids and toward older kids who don't want to sacrifice school time to travel to races.
"Academics are very important to us," he said.
Webster said that at about age 15, racers need to decide whether they want to compete at the FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) level. He said that requires a big commitment of both time and money, and a willingness to miss a lot of school. He said some children start with the Hailey Ski Team and switch to the Sun Valley team when they get older and decide they want to make that commitment. He pointed to former U.S. Ski Team racer Picabo Street as an example.
The Hailey Ski Team accepts skiers from ages 7 to 11 on its Intro Team. Intro Team members learn to ski all over Baldy and have the option of racing in NASTAR races and local non-sanctioned races such as the Arkoosh Cup, the Kindercup and the Slush Cup. Skiers ages 8 to 12 can participate in the Home Team, which develops basic skills through weekend training.
Depending on interest and ability, skiers can move up the racing ranks as far as the J1-2 Team, whose members compete in USSA Intermountain Region races.
Cost per winter for the Hailey Ski Team's programs runs from $495 for the Intro Team to $2,995 for the J1-2 Team.
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's entry-level alpine program is the Alpine Development Team, for children who are at least in Grade 2. Emphasis is on fun, skiing skills and learning to thrive in a team situation. Participants must already be able to ski on Baldy.
Ski racers can move up to the Alpine C, B and A teams. A Team members race at the highest levels of junior ski racing in the West.
Costs for alpine ski programs range from $690 for the Development Team to $3,995 for the A Team. Programs include fall dry-land training. Season ski passes are available for $320.
Snowboard racing
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's Snowboard Development Team is for kids in Grade 2 or higher. It is oriented both toward children who know they want to become good racers or who just want to have fun with their friends while becoming a better rider. As with skiing, riders can progress to the A competition Team.
Costs for snowboard racing programs range from $665 for the Development Team to $2,595 for the A Competition Team.
Freestyle competition
Season-long competitive freestyle for both skiers and boarders begins with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's Freestyle Part Time Team. Participants free-ski all over Baldy and spend some time on the mogul course on Roundhouse Slope. The program's intent is to build a strong foundation of all-around skiing and boarding skills.
Athletes who want to be more involved can join the Freestyle Full Time Team. The team trains six days per week all over Baldy, as well as on the mogul course and half pipe.
Tuition for freestyle programs ranges from $650 for the Part Time Team to $1,870 for the Full Time Team.
Cross country skiing
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's Cross Country Development Team trains two days per week at Lake Creek or Quigley. Emphasis is on fun and technique development. Skiers can move up to the Cross Country Comp Team, which trains year-round.
Costs for cross-country programs run from $350 for the Development team to $3,100 for the Comp Team.
Carol's Dollar Mountain Lodge, which opened last year for Christmas, is the new headquarters for youth skiing and snowboarding lessons on Sun Valley's popular bunny slope. Photo by Willy Cook
