Get out! in Teton Valley

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a publication of the Teton Valley News

FREE

Teton Valley News

GetOUT! empowering the community

Winter 2012-2013

in Teton Valley

Invoking the powder clause

Kids’ activities Locals describe a perfect winter day

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 1


2 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


table of contents 8

Winter sports make for strong family bonds

you carry an avalanche air 10 Should bag? Great exercise walking 12 Snowshoeing: on snow

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Non-athletes can enjoy winter, too

wilderness: Safety 42 Winter ethics and courtesies

46 Teton Valley restaurant guide skating: the 14 Ice other winter sport Valley winter by the 47 Teton numbers Winter gear 16 guide: check out 49 Invoking the powder clause what’s available in the Tetons 51 Get Out! calendar 20 Winter residence in Teton Valley 54 Exploring new activities Grand Targhee 24 Automatic passion 56 ski runs Winter in Teton 26 Valley photo page 58 Different winter 30 Teton Valley Map activities for kids map pull out 31Trail section Page 14

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Snowmobile hill climb

and enjoy 39 Relax after a day of snow

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sports

Scott Anderson....... Publisher Rachael Horne......... Managing Editor Ken Levy.................. Writer/Photographer Bridget Ryder.......... Writer Meg Heinen............. Retail Ad Manager Kyli Southern........... Media Consultant Amy Birch................ Art Director Sharon Fox............... Office/Circ. Manager Barbara Gibson....... Circulation Marketing Winter 2012-2013

GetOUT! in Teton Valley

is a publication of the Teton Valley News 75 North Main Driggs, ID 83422 (208) 354-8101 tetonvalleynews.net Front cover: Polar Bear Play, designed and built by Chefs of Victor, including Dan Davis and ice sculptor Michael Hoffman. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy Steaming Yellowstone River. Photo courtesy Steven C. Hill

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Tele turns A telemark skier drops in at the top of Reliable on Peaked Mountain during the Big Mountain Telemark Open at Grand Targhee last year. Get Out! Photo/Rachael Horne

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wildlife

WATCH

Did you know? Moose can be found through much of Idaho and western Wyoming. They are among the largest animals in the Nor ther n Hemisphere. Though bulky, moose are at home in the water and are good swimmers. They can swim for several miles at a time and can even completely submerge under water for 30 seconds or more. On land, Moose can reach up to 35 miles an hour over short distances and can trot steadily at 20 miles an hour. An adult male is called a bull. A female is a cow and a young moose is a calf. Only bull moose can grow antlers. During mating season they bellow loudly to attract mates, usually in the fall. Moose are herbivores and can eat as much as 50 to 60

pounds per day. Moose have digestive systems similar to domestic cattle. Following eating periods, they will rest and return partially digested food from their stomach to their mouths to “chew the cud” and more completely break down their food before swallowing it again.

PHOTO: GABE ROGEL

Moose

Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

Snoot full of snow: A bull moose comes up with a snowy muzzle after foraging for food in a field off Ski Hill Road.

Specs Type: Mammal Diet: Herbivore Average life span in the wild: 15 to 20 years Height at shoulder: 5 to 6.5 ft (1.5 to 2 m) Weight: 1,800 lbs (820 kg) Group name: Herd Source: National Geographic

20

YEARS

CLAIR’S VISION

O U R PA S S I O N 1 9 9 3 • 2 0 1 3 285 E LITTLE AVE • DRIGGS ID 83422 2 0 8 • 3 5 4 • 2 8 2 8 • YO S T M A R K . C O M

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Visit Family Practice Physicians and healthcare professionals specially trained to guide you through every stage of life. Specialists are available to help you with specific health conditions. • Fulltime Orthopedics • Gynecology • Ear Nose and Throat • Neurology • General Surgery • Pain Management

All of our physicians are Board Certified

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354-2302 6 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Perfect tetonday Name: Avery Eddins Who are you? Wife of Faren Eddins, mom to three strapping boys: River, Boston, and Simon; and one sweet baby girl Meadow When did you arrive in Teton Valley and how did you get here? Five years ago, my husband, Faren Eddins got a job with Mouton Law office Describe your perfect winter day in the Tetons. Spending the day with some old friends at our house and just eating and having fun. How would you start your day? We’d eat breakfast at our house, homemade IHOP pancakes and syrup. Then go to the See and Save and find awesome stuff for super cheap. What would you do in the afternoon/evening? Take the kids sledding/snowmobiling around the yard and in the gravel pit by our house. Favorite hangout? My house, when it’s clean Who would you hang out with? Some of our old friends from high school who we still keep in touch with, and our awesome neighbors, the Andersons. What would you eat and drink? It’s always different, but I love to cook, so we’d eat cold weather things like soups, hot cider, cinnamon rolls, gooey Chex mix. My husband Faren would make the drink, as he loves to brag about his punch-making skills. What keeps you here? I love it here! I had a hard time adjusting, but Driggs has been my favorite place to live. Every time I look at the Tetons, I’m so grateful that I get to live in the one and only place in the world where you can see the most beautiful side of them. And I love the people here, the diversity, the culture, and especially my neighbors. Quote you live by? Be not weary in well doing.


Elk

Did you know? In the winter, elk reconvene into larger herds, though males and females typically remain separate. Elk herds return to lower valley pastures where elk spend the season pawning through snow to browse on grass or settling for shrubs that stand clear of the snow cover. The Shawnee name for elk is Wapiti, which means “white rump.” Elk are members of the deer family. In North America there are 5 species of deer: elk, moose, caribou, white-tailed deer and mule deer. All five can be found in Idaho. Sometimes in the winter, elk rely on winterfeeding. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s policy on winterfeeding is to only feed in emergency situations. The National Elk Refuge, in Jackson, Wyo., works to provide, preserve, restore, and manage winter habitat for the nationally significant Jackson Elk Herd. The refuge offers visitor sleigh rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, starting December 17, running through March or early April.

wildlife

WATCH

Specs Type: Mammal Diet: Herbivore Average life span in the wild: 8 to 12 years Height at the shoulder: 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) Weight: 325 to 1,100 lbs (147 to 499 kg) Group name: Gang Source: National Geographic

Elk appear to be staying warm near the heat of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

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The Knight family poses with some of their ski gear at home. In front, Sheila, Alex and James. In back, Thomas and Brent. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

Winter sports make for strong

family bonds

Ken Levy / Get Out! Staff

T

he old saying, “the family that plays together stays together” probably never had more meaning than it does with the Knight family of Driggs.

Sheila Knight who, with husband Brent have seven children, said that’s the family motto. It should be. The whole family skis and indulges in memorable snow sports experiences that have brought them together tighter than the old ski bindings they use on their equipment. “It really doesn’t take a lot of money to have fun in winter activities with the family,”

8 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

said Brent. “The secret is to just get out and do something. You can piece things together so you can get out as a family and have adventures in the snow.”

The family includes James, 21, Arlin, almost 20, Thomas, 16, Alex 12, and three married daughters: Beth 29, Sheena, 27 and Leanna, almost 24. Brent showed an old pair of skis that were made to fit kids by cutting off the tail of the skis. They mounted the bindings at the balance point, “and that’s about as cheap as you can get,” he said. “The three-pin binding makes it a lot cheap-

er too,” said James.

Brent would take James backcountry skiing using the improvised equipment, and “he could ski these skis as well as I’ve seen anybody ski any pair of skis,” said Brent. Keeping costs down includes gathering up old pairs of leather boots, and climbing skins sewn together to fit the skis. Thrift stores and ski swaps come in handy for keeping ski and other equipment costs down, Sheila said. Friends come in handy too. As time goes on, the family upgrades its equipment.

See Knights next page


Knights continued from previous page __________________­­__________________­­

Although most of their children are grown, the family has a wealth of memories and photos of the good times spent Alpine and cross-country skiing, hitting the slopes at Targhee, ice skating and more. Getting the family ready for a day in the snow takes a lot of work. “It seems like sometimes we spend half our day just getting ready to get out by noon,” said Sheila. That includes “making sure we have little piles of stuff for all of the kids, make sure they have all of their stuff before they put it into their backpacks,” said Brent. Coats, sweaters, layers, gloves, hats, water bottles, food all got stuffed into the kids’ backpacks, which doubled as their school packs.

Photo courtesy Knight family

Brent said the family would often ski into the backcountry, then build a fire and have a picnic, whether on the old Pass road, in a canyon or out in the woods. James said one of his favorite family experiences involved a snowmobile pulling family behind en route to a ski location. “We’d have lots of people with us, so we’d have our climbing ropes strung behind the snowmobile,” he said, “and everyone’s on their skis getting pulled by the snowmobile.” With three in the machine and four pulled behind, “it must have been a funny sight to see us coming down the trail,” he said. But when Dad hit a big bump on the trail, everybody crashed real hard, he said. Thomas said backcountry skiing is among his favorite experiences. “Sometimes we’ll get up at like 4:30, and be out the door by 5,” he said, “and we go up to the pass and just ski in the mountains all morning, before the sun comes up. That’s a good start to the day.” “They call it dawn patrol,” said Sheila. “We’ve done some moonlight skiing, which is really a blast.” Those excursions can run until 2 or 3 a.m., she said. James said the family experienced the beauty of the full moon sparkling in the snow on Teton Pass last year. “You don’t have to be on a trail,” said Brent. “It’s

Photo courtesy Knight family

Top: The Knight family stops for a picnic during a day of skiing. Above: The Knight family on a Christmas tree quest in 2003. In front, from left, Sheila, Alex, Thomas, Arlin and James. In back, Brent, Beth, Leanna and Sheena. Right: Brent Knight shows a pair of old skis that were cut and refitted with old bindings to make a functional pair of skis for his son, James.

Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

surprisingly bright, it’s amazing what you can see.” Brent shared an experience when the family boot-packed up Mt. Glory, following the ridge back to the Kid’s Run. Going up to that site, he ended up carrying equipment for the kids. “I had to be prepared to pack my stuff, and their stuff, and sometimes them,” he said, “all on my back.” On one such occasion, the family met a photographer who told Brent that in a few years it would all pay off for him. “I took that to mean that someday these kids will be packing my stuff,” said Brent, 52. “That’s what I’m counting on.” Family ski trips include

cross-country skiing in the national parks, including trips to hot springs, and plenty of Alpine and telemark skiing trips. When the kids were younger, “we tried not to make those trips too intense,” he said. “You want to have easy terrain they can ski on.” Safety is always the first concern, especially with little ones. “We wanted to keep the avalanche danger to a minimum,” he said, and locations are chosen so the family can exit the mountains easily and quickly. Now that the kids are older, “they out-ski me,” said Brent, “both in speed of climbing a mountain or just their ski-

See Knights page 18 Get OUT! in Teton Valley 9


you carry an

avalanche air bag? Shou ld

Rachael Horne/Get Out! Staff

I

n the last few years, the airbag system has made a push to become a backcountry necessity for skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers along with the beacon, probe and shovel. The idea for the airbag is pretty simple. It helps someone caught in a slide remain near the top of the avalanche, help reduce head and neck trauma and it can help increase the visibility of the buried victim for rescuers. Sales for airbag systems have been on the rise. Last season a highly publicized avalanche killed three skiers in the backcoutry near Stevens Pass. A fourth skier, pro, Elyse Saugstad was among the party swept in the avalanche, but survived, she said, largely thanks to the fact she deployed an airbag-equipped backpack. Though equipment alone won’t guarantee safety if caught in an avalanche,

Avalanche airbag packs, which range in price from around $600 to $1,300, have been used in Europe for years, but they have only recently gained popularity in North America. a lot of snow science and avalanche educators agree that it couldn’t hurt to carry one. Rich Rinaldi, owner of Yostmark Mountain Equipment and Yostmark Backcounty Tours said he’s seen the use of airbags rise mostly in mechanized ski guiding, like cat skiing or heli sking operations. For the average

backcountry skier, they are not as commonplace because they tend to be more expensive and a little heavy. There’s also been the argument that having an airbag could cause a sort of false sense of security and people will venture onto riskier terrain. “That’s been the story when transceivers first came out or any of these types of things that could potentially help save your life and that’s the negative side of all this” said Rinaldi. “But if it increases safety then what the heck.” At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the tragic death of a patroller in an avalanche while doing control work in 2010 prompted the resort to adopt a safety policy of airbag packs for all its patrollers and alpine guides. The first ski resort in North America to do so, JHMR followed the steps of many cat and heli-ski ops that were already utilizing airbags. The idea for the airbag was developed

See Airbags next page

A snowmobiler rides through some Teton powder. Get Out! Photo/Rachael Horne

10 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


Airbag continued from previous page ___________________

Enjoying a tenth decade of success in the Jackson Hole, WY and Teton Valley, ID markets

in the 1970’s, by a German forest ranger. The company he formed is today known as ABS, one of the three major producers of airbags, along with Mammut/ Snowpulse and BCA. Avalanche airbag packs, which range in price from around $600 to $1,300, have been used in Europe for years, but they have only recently gained popularity in North America. Other U.S. companies are now getting into the airbag market, too—The North Face and Dakine unveiled airbag backpacks at the ski industry trade show in January, reported ESPN.com. Airbag backpacks help someone caught in a slide remain near the top of the avalanche, help reduce head and neck trauma, and they can increase the visibility of the buried victim for rescuers. “These airbag-floatpacks, under tests, have doubled the victim’s chance of ending up on the surface,” says Chris Simmons, an IFMGA mountain guide and technical representative of Backcountry Access. “All avalanche safety equipment up to this point has addressed rescuing someone after being buried. It’s the other side of the equation that we’re addressing now: preventing being buried in the first place.” As with other products and tools, an airbag pack doesn’t mean you can go anywhere at anytime and survive. According to a study from the Canadian Avalanche Center, it points to statistics saying a pack only adds a 14 percent survivability rate if caught in a slide. The best-case scenario is always to never get caught in the first place. As airbags become more popular, buyers can choose different options such as size of the pack, removable airbags, and type of

Contact us to learn about the incredible opportunities in our beautiful valley. Courtesy Image

ABS Vario SB15 Snowmobiler Avalanche Airbag

trigger. Prices range from just under $700 to about almost $1300.

Matt Faupel

Jenn Honney Dawes

Mack Mendenhall

ABS

ABS was one of the first airbag system companies to arrive on the scene. The original ABS selfrescue system has been developed, manufactured and tested by avalanche experts since 1985. According to the company’s website, they’ve replaced the round and rectangular mono-airbags with the more effective TwinBags system several years ago. They’ve also replaced the mechanical Bowden cable activation system. They patented the ABS Vario system as a “best-practice” solution for the individual demands of freeriders, ski tourers and mountain guides. The twin system consists of the ABS Base Unit with integrated ABS TwinBag system and the Zip-Ons with packed volumes of 15, 18, 25 and 40 liters. The snowmobile line zip on offers a five-liter for shorter tours or the 15-liter for longer rides. The Powder Line offers a lighter, narrower and more compact option.

Toll Free 800.734.6973 | info@grahamfaupel.com

Snowpulse Snowpulse was next on the scene in the airbag game and have been acquired by Mammut. Snowpulse offers the Lifebag line

See Airbags page 22 Get OUT! in Teton Valley 11


Snow shoeing Great exercise walking on snow

Ken Levy / Get Out! Staff

It’s [snowshoeing] considerably more strenuous than hiking, so you should start out slowly on easy, level trails and build up your endurance over time.

sectionhiker.com

Take a hike and get some vigorous exercise at the same time. Snowshoeing offers opportunities to virtually walk on snow, getting some real exercise since you need to raise your feet higher, and walk with a longer and higher stride, with the devices attached. If you’re new at it, start slowly on flat, easy walks on trails and build up your endurance. “It’s considerably more strenuous than hiking, so you should start out slowly on easy, level trails and build up your endurance over time,” suggests Section Hiker (sectionhiker. com). “Buying a pair of snowshoes and poles can be a bit pricey, so it’s best to rent the gear you need [from a] ski area that has groomed trails, until you are certain you want to invest in snowshoes for the long term.” The most important factor when choosing gear will be your combined body weight plus the weight of your gear. “This determines the amount of surface area

12 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

and the size of the snowshoes that you need to float on top of snow, and should narrow your selection immediately,” Section Hiker says. Once you’ve donned snowshoes and are equipped with poles with snow baskets, pick an easy trail to start on. “If you’re a beginner, it’s best to have a more experienced snowshoer walk in front of you to break trail in fresh snow if it hasn’t been packed down already by other snowshoers or cross country skiers,” the site says. “Snowshoeing on fresh powder is fun, but requires more energy.” Generally, snowshoers can hike parallel to backcountry ski trails but should never walk or snowshoe directly on them. In the valley, consider following Teton Canyon Road from the parking areas. Numerous hiking and trail opportunities branch off from the main road. Grand Targhee Resort offers naturalist guided snowshoe tours Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Advanced reservation is required by 12:30 p.m. the day of the tour. Snowshoes and poles can be rented at the resort, which offers the tours free of charge to resort

See Snowshoeing next page


Snowshoeing continued from previous page _______________________________________

lodging guests and for a small fee for others. Participants will learn about the history of the resort, the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and forest and wildlife ecology. Resort naturalist Brigid Sinram leads the tours, which are open to all ages and abilities. The tours last about an hour and are considered easy to moderate. Snowshoers will explore oldgrowth forest, snow tracking, wildlife, geology and winter ecology. You’ll listen for distinct birdcalls, spot tracks in the snow and learn about the forest’s different trees. Grand Teton National Park offers a wealth of snowshoe and cross-country ski tours. The following businesses are licensed by the National Park Service to provide these tours in the park: • The Hole Hiking Experience (866) 733-4453, holehike.com • Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Nordic Center (307) 733-2929 • NOLS/RMB (800) 710-6657: Rendezvous Ski Tours (307) 353-2900 In GTNP, trailheads run from Moose-Wilson Road, from Moose, Teton Village, Phelps Lake and elsewhere. Teton Park Road is closed to vehicles from the Taggart Lake Trailhead to Signal Mountain Lodge, with access at the south trailhead, north trailhead, Jenny Lake trail, and the Taggart Lake-Beaver Creek area. Colter Bay and Flagg Ranch areas also offer trails. For more details download the cross-country skiing and snowshoeing brochure at nps.gov/grte/ planyourvisit/xcski.htm GTNP does not mark its snowshoe trails. Rangerguided snowshoe hikes run from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Call (307) 739-3399 for details and reservations. Yellowstone National Park offers many miles of backcountry snowshoe opportunities. These mainly follow cross-country ski trails and are found in the Canyon, Mammoth, Northeast, Old Faithful and Tower areas. Some park areas could be closed to snowshoeing to protect wildlife. Be prepared for a true wilderness experience and the potential for dangerous and unpredictable weather conditions and wildlife, as well as soft snow and other potential dangers. Talk to park rangers before you make any trip in the park. For details and maps visit nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/skiyell.htm.

Be prepared The National Park Service offers the following guidelines and rules for snowshoers. Take the following items with you: • Water and high energy snack food

Get Out! Photo / Ken Levy

Mike Lillrose, wildlife biologist and naturalist at Grand Targhee Resort, leads a snowshoe adventure with Cub Scouts and Webelos from Pack 185 at the resort March 2011. The adventure included watching and listening for signs of wildlife.

• First aid kit including space blanket • Extra clothing, hat, mittens or gloves • Sunscreen and sunglasses • Map, compass, watch or other navigational aids • Headlamp and repair kit Hypothermia Hypothermia is caused by exposure to cold and aggravated by wind and wet clothing. Warning signs include: uncontrollable shivering, reduced coordination, and incoherent speech. Get the victim inside as soon as possible. If necessary, seek immediate medical attention. Avalanche Hazard For current conditions call (307) 733-2664 for the Bridger-Teton National Forest backcountry avalanche hazard and weather forecast or check jhavalanche.org.

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 13


You’ve got the wind in your face, if you’re lucky enough to be able to skate outside. It’s cold and warm at the same time. It’s a feeling of freedom— being able to go as fast or as slow as you want.

IceSkating  the other winter sport  Bridget Ryder/Get Out! Staff

B

obby Ryan was three years old the first time he remembers gliding across the frozen pond in New Jersey on an eighth of an inch of metal. Well, two eights of an inch—the toddler skates were double bladed. “I have a vivid picture of me taking off for the first time,” he said. Twenty-two years later Ryan has turned his childhood recreation into a full-time career as right winger for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, but he hasn’t lost any of his love for the essence of the sport. Ryan, a New Jersey native who lives part time in Teton Valley, took advantage of the frozen ponds near his home to start his love affair with ice skating. “You’ve got the wind in your face, if you’re lucky enough to be able to skate outside. It’s cold and warm at the same time,” he said. “It’s a feeling of freedom—being able to go as fast or as slow as you want.” Hockey may keep Ryan away from Teton Valley, but the

14 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Kotler Ice Arena provides the youngest and oldest with much the same experience of ice and metal and the freezing freedom that captured Ryan’s heart. It’s not a pond, but it’s pretty close. As December brings temperatures down to way below freezing on the valley floor, the fire hoses supply the water and the season provides natural refrigeration to turn the pavilion near Pioneer Park into the Kotler Ice Arena. This year the rink’s new Zamboni will also keep the ice a more glassy canvass than ever for making the figures that originally gave figure skating its name. Even a hockey player can appreciate that. “It’s a very smooth, delicate, and finesse sport,” Ryan said of ice-skating. He recognizes however, that it might not seem that way the first time. “If you’re watching someone for the first time it’s going to look choppy and sloppy,” he said, But not to worry, he also has

Anaheim Ducks right winger Bobby Ryan warms up before facing the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

advice for the beginner. “Hold onto the wall and get the feeling of it,” Ryan recommends. ”It’s totally different feeling to have an eighth of an inch under you.” Once a new skater is ready to let go of the dasher boards Ryan has a few more tips. “Never lean back on your heels, keep your head above your knees,” he recommends. Finally, keep your knees bent. The most dangerous mistakes happen, Ryan warns, when a new skater becomes overly confident. For practicing the new skills, the Kotler Arena offers a wide range of programs and activities. “It’s good for everyone,” Ari Kotler, the rink’s namesake and moving force and board member of the Teton Valley Foundation said. He also coaches and helps organize the youth hockey program. “It takes a lifetime to learn to how to skate well,” Kotler added. In the youth hockey program, skaters can start that process at the age of 4. The national program of USA Hockey emphasizes the fundamentals of skating, according to Kotler. Players start with the basics of skating and stick handling and, as they get older and more proficient, strategy, positioning and checking are added into the mix. This season, with more advanced and older players, the program may stretch to the next competitive level by adding a Bantam team for 13- and 14-year-olds. The rink also has 60 sets of hockey equipment that can be rented for the season. USA Hockey also provides training for coaches. “It’s a very impressive program,” he said. “You can’t just be a joe shmoe out there.”

See Ice skating next page


Get Out! Photo/Bridget Ryder

Falling down is no problem when you can get up. Just start on hands and knees and then stand up one foot at a time.

Ice skating continued from previous page ________________________________________________________

Through USA Hockey’s required certification program, coaches learn how to teach to the specific needs of different age groups and ability levels. But hockey at the Kotler Ice Arena isn’t just for kids. Teton Valley hockey includes both pond hockey and women’s hockey leagues. Beginners welcome. “The women loved being on a team where everyone was just learning,” Georgie Stanley said. Stanley started skating with toe picks, but eventually let shooting a puck take precedence over spinning and added collegiate hockey to her academic career. “It’s an awesome sport, especially without the checking and fighting,” she added. As an experienced player, she put her skills to use mostly on the pond hockey league, but occasionally joined in the girls’ games. While players for pond hockey have to be invited to skate with a team, the women’s league is open to females who may never even have previously strapped on a pair of skates. “Skating is a really quick learning curve, at least to where you can get around and feel like you’re participating in the game,” Kim Keeley, one of the coaches for the women’s hockey,

said. The practices averaged 12 to 18 women at each practice, Keeley said. Drills, stick handling, and positioning usually made up the practice routine, but the last twenty minutes were devoted to scrimmage “That’s what’s fun,” Keeley said. Anyone is welcome to drop in for practice, but interested players should invest in a good pair of skates and a helmet with a facemask, Keeley added. Pond hockey and women’s hockey each function with their own set of rules. The girls’ only version of the sport excludes checking. In pond hockey, the goal is wider than more competitive versions and the puck stays on the ice, according to Keeley. But for those inspired by visions of Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski, the Kotler Ice Arena also offers figure skating lessons. Among other instructors, Kylie Ripley shares her love of the sport with as many as 20 skaters each week. “If you are even remotely interested, you should come out and try it because it’s so much fun.” Keeley advises.

See Ice skating page 62 Get OUT! in Teton Valley 15


Winter Check out what’s available in the Tetons

Compiled by Rachael Horne / Get Out! Staff

Burgess custom pants Victor, Idaho based Burgess Custom is an independent, performance minded outerwear and apparel company with deep roots in the mountain lifestyle. Owner and designer Sara Deutsh said the brand strives to build technical, fashionable clothing in a conscious manner. Burgess Custom Outerwear

is hand crafted in the United States with great attention to detail. Burgess builds each piece of outerwear using innovative, durable waterproof breathable fabrics. The patterns are carefully selected to coordinate with several styles and color schemes. Custom fits and special orders are also encouraged.

Stash Pant The Tree Stash Pant is the latest from the Men’s outerwear collection. The pants offer solid construction, an airflow regulating vent system, durable fabrics, and new waterproof zippers. Customers can choose a base color and an accent color to build your own. The Starlette Pant from the women’s outerwear collection features five star emblems, two on the seat, two on the knees

and one on the right ankle. The “Ice Box” venting system regulates airflow throughout the pants so you can focus on skiing and riding. Choose a base color and a star/trim color to create your own pant and shine on the mountain this season. Available online at burgesscustom.com. More information at info@burgesscustom.com Look for Victor retail space coming this winter.

Gheek A GHEEK is a funky fresh goggle cover with a sewnin lens cloth. The Gheek attaches quickly to goggles left on helmets or thrown in backpacks. It is as durable as a hard case, but can easily fit in a pocket. It is better than a bag, as it actually protect the inside lens of the goggle from the goggle’s own strap with its large high quality microfiber cloth. The cloth is also handy for cleaning and drying lenses. The Gheek, a play on a nickname for Grand Targhee, was the brainchild of Brooks Detchon and Jenny McCrory. They say the Gheek is the “smarter” goggle cover. Available online at thegheek.com and at local retailers.

16 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Astis Mittens Astis Mittens may not be based locally, but one of their newest designs gives a nod to one of Teton Valley’s most famous mountain men, with the Colter Glove. Astis combines today’s technology with natural materials to produce leather mittens and gloves with a comfortable feel, superior warmth and breathability, waterproofing, and beautiful aesthetics. These gloves are versatile, enabling one to wear them backcountry skiing or on a walk to dinner, on the coldest winter night or a sunny spring skiing day. Astis leather gloves are hand-sewn in the USA. As beautiful as they look, Astis Mittens are built to be worn. Astis was founded on the guiding principle of bringing you the best and most distinctive mitten for your winter adventures. Inspired by the smartly designed Cree Indian aesthetic that uses fringe to shed moisture, fleece to keep warm, and leather for durability, these pup-

pies are hand-stitched with beads or a cowhide pattern that demand envy from everyone in the lift line. Available online at astismittens.com


The Vice Driggs-based telemark binding company, 22 Designs was created in February 2004 by skiers and mechanical engineers Collins Pringle and Chris Valiante. They inherited the original HammerHead binding from Rainey Designs and over the years have improved on that design and come up with the BombShell, Axl and, new this year, the Vice. The Vice incorporated features of the Axl, but is designed as a resort skiing binding. Pringle said they are beginning to phase out the HammerHead and the Vice is an updated design. The Axl, a touring binding that’s been around for three years, and popular locally, features a free-pivot touring mode with three cable guide positions. Pringle said the Vice skis the same as the Axl but without the touring mode. The Vice provides three pivot positions to dial in to your skiing style and the snow you’re on. They’ve improved on the solid active design of the Ham-

Stio Hometown Down

merHead by improving the geometry. If you like the HammerHead, you’ll love the Vice. The Axl Telemark binding sports a bombproof 6-hole mounting pattern, long-lasting chrome die springs, and a front assembly built of tough stainless steel. It’s the only touring binding you can adjust to your skiing style and snow conditions. It gives you the power of a HammerHead, but tours effortlessly. Available online at twentytwodesigns.com and at local retailers, Yostmark Mountain Equipment, Peaked Sports and Habitat. Look for on-hill demos throughout the year at Grand Targhee Resort.

Based in Jackson, Wyo., Stio is a mountain lifestyle apparel brand that recently opened a flagship store on the Town Square. The men’s and women’s Hometown Down jacket combines function and fashion. Women’s Hometown Down: This gorgeously fitted and flattering style is uber-comfortable in the mountain or urban environment. Classic large baffles with 800-fill down insulation increase heat retention and loft while the Plain Weave Nylon shell has a durable water repellent to shed the elements. Two brushed tricot handwarmer pockets and a comfortably fitted hood round off this perfect winter style. Men’s Hometown Down: This 800-fill weight down jacket was designed to function in the coldest winter environments while keeping the style factor high. Classic large baffles increase heat retention while Pertex® Nylon Minirip shell sheds the elements. Fully adjustable and zip-off hood, handwarmer and chest pockets. Ample interior stash pockets. Available online at stio.com or at the Ja c k s o n H ole Flagship store at 10 E. Broadway.

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 17


Knights continued from page 9 __________________­­_______________________________________

Did you know? How to get your car out of a snowbank If you do get stuck, don’t panic. If you have a shovel, clear snow away from all four wheels and the car’s tailpipe. Start the car, put it in reverse, and back up a little. Next, put it in drive and creep forward. Rock the car back and forth this way, without gunning the engine, and you might just find yourself unstuck. If not, use that cellphone. Don’t be afraid to call for help.

family also enjoyed sledding on nearby hills, the old Pass Road, Badger Creek and others.

him and some friends in the backcountry, when conditions changed as they skied lower.

“We spend a fair amount of time at Grand Targhee,” he said, where the family pass deals meant significant savings.

“We ran into a crust layer,” said Brent. “Beth and I were on telemark skis, skiing with a free heel. As she was making a turn her skis caught and twisted her knee real bad. She either had a strain or a partial tear on her ligament, so we had to extricate her out of the mountains.”

Although they generally don’t go out on Sundays, long weekends mean the family gets out at least twice a weekend. Not every experience is positive. Poor snow quality, very cold temperatures, stream crossings and frustration with kids can mar the day. “You don’t know what the conditions are like until you get there. Sometimes you get out and the snow conditions aren’t very good and it’s hard to ski, and it’s a lot of hard work,” said Brent. And sometimes a lot of pain. Daughter Beth was skiing with

Inventiveness came in handy once again, making a makeshift toboggan out of skis and a tarp, and they pulled her out. But even with the bad experiences, “after the fact, you’ve got a story to tell. It always turns into a great memory, a great adventure,” said Brent. “All these adventures together have made our family very close,“ Sheila said.

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18 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


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Get OUT! in Teton Valley 19


Winter residence Bridget Ryder/Get Out! Staff

Moose creek Ranch

It’s February and a heavy dusting of white covers the pine forest that carpets the mountains into which the folds of Moose Creek Canyon tuck the Moose Creek Ranch. John and Susan Love purchased the guest ranch three years ago as an ideal location for the annual family reunion. However, John Love’s business sense also told him to turn it into a guest ranch. In between hosting family reunions, vacationers, weddings, classes for the National Outdoor Leadership School, and other groups, the Loves have spent the last three years making repairs and refurbishing, including building the new Rendezvous Cabins. The cabins are the creative brainchildren of local designer and builder, Lindsey Love (John and Susan not only gave the architect her last name, but her DNA as well). “From the outside, the proportions and shapes reflect local farmhouses and cabins, while the interiors are more modern with clean lines and lots of daylight. Massive barn-style sliding doors separate the sleeping rooms from the bathrooms, which

20 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

in Teton Valley

are framed with timbers like old-fashioned barn-stalls,” Love described her design. It’s true. Just walking into the cabins, the high white walls, timber paneling, brightshiny-new bathrooms, and wood stove bring the feeling of modernity to a somewhat remote mountain canyon. Constructed so close to the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Love’s work is also the product of her passion for earth-friendly building. At least 80 percent of the materials were sourced locally—even using some reclaimed wood finishes. Love designed efficiency into every corner from tight envelopes and high-performance windows to energy-saving water-heaters and durable core-ten roofing. But the total experience of design, nature, family, and lodging makes Moose Creek Ranch the place to dive into Teton Valley’s winter. “Its absolutely gorgeous to sit here with a fire and watch it snow out the windows,” Susan Love said. She compares the view from the living room of the main lodge of Moose Creek Ranch to a Currier and Ives postcard.

See Winter residence next page

Moose Creek Ranch

Photo courtesy Jeannete Beard


Winter residence continued from previous page ________________________________________________________

Courtesy Photo

The Peacock House.

“In winter it’s extremely pretty, when it’s covered up its pristine,” John Love added. Some of the world’s best powder coats the mountains surrounding the ranch. In fact, the outline of one of Teton Valley’s first ski hills, a towrope operation during the 1930s and 1940s, can still be seen on the slope to the south. While the Moose Creek Ski ceased

running decades ago, Grand Targhee Resort, just 20-miles from the ranch, provides more lifts and runs on the central peaks of Teton Valley than its mid-century predecessor. But guests can reach also Nordic skiing and even the backcountry even without a car. The county leaves the road that accesses the ranch, 10800S, unplowed over the winter, and local Nordic skiing traffic grooms

See Winter residence page 60

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 21


An airbag system aims to protect an avalanche victim from shocks, while simultaneously pulling them to the surface. Illustration courtesy Snowpulse.com

Airbag

continued from page 11________________________________

as well as snowmobile specific products, the Protech Vest and Highmark 22 pack. Under the Lifebag line they offer a 15-liter provider pack, Heli 22, Guide 30, Lite 35 and Tour 45 packs. According to the products website, they’ve developed a new inflation system to provide more power, more compact in the bag. They’re system uses the Venturi effect, which is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when a fluid flows through a constricted section of pipe. The system, they say creates a low pressure and “sucks” in additional outside air to help fill the bag.

Mammut

During the 2010-11 season, Mammut licensed Snowpulse’s RAS system to create their own line of packs. They developed the Ride RAS series. New this season is the Rocker RAS, Ride RAS ready, Rocker RAS ready, Pro RAS ready, Light RAs ready, and Protection RAS ready and Ride short RAS ready. The R.A.S. is a removable

avalanche airbag system. It allows the user to independently install the system in a R.A.S. ready backpack and remove it as required. He or she can therefore use the R.A.S. ready backpack both with the airbag system (e.g. when free riding) and without (e.g. for a day on secured pistes). It also allows the user to always select the backpack best suited to the specific purpose.

Backcountry Access

Backcountry access is probably most recognized for their Tracker beacons. A few years ago they introduced a US made airbag pack at a significantly lower price than some of the European competitors. They offer the Float avalanche airbag system. According to their website, the Float system was the first airbag that was both affordable and easily reusable and they also offer a wide network of BCA-authorized refill centers. BCA offers the Float 22, the minimalist model for out-of-

See Airbags next page

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Airbag

continued from previous page___________________________

bounds, off-piste and mechanized skiing/ riding. It has a thin profile and is lightweight. The Float 32 is designed for pros, guides and dedicated backcountry junkies carrying all the essentials. The Float Throttle is designed specifically for snowmobilers. The trigger is located on the right shoulder strap leaving the left hand to be kept on the throttle.

Mystery Ranch

The Montana-based system was available for the first time last season and uses the WARY system, which is similar to Snowpulse and BCA. The Blackjack pack and WARY system uses a large T-handle, allowing for quick deployment. The Mystery Ranch website said they approached the problem of a ruck-based avalanche safety

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Get OUT! in Teton Valley 23


Automatic

Bridget Ryder/Get Out! Staff

Passion. It’s red with purple, psychedlic squiggles; at least as depicted on the Atomic Automatic ski, crafted from the dual passions of Sage Cattabriga-Alosa. “The number one thing that everybody has is that passion,” the professional skier and Alta native said of himself and his pro-ski colleagues. Cattabriga-Alosa started to develop his passion as a kid skiing in the winter sports program at Alta Elementary. When he was 10 years old the Teton Valley Ski Education Foundation was born and Cattabriga-Alosa had access to a discounted ski pass and started acquiring ski equipment at the foundation’s ski exchange. His interest in skiing became more serious and he raced with Teton Valley Ski Team through his junior year in high school. “It was really racing that taught me how to ski,” he said.

Photo courtesy Adam Clark/TGR

Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Knik River, Alaska

The ski team also gave him a peek at the bigger skiing world when races took him and his teammates to Kelly Canyon, Jackson, Sun Valley, and even Utah. After high school, he wanted to get his higher education within close proximity to a ski hill. The choice location was Bend, Oregon with its

See Passion on next page 24 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


Skimonster.com summarized CattabrigaAlosa’s ski as “a ski for the person that loves to charge down anything and everything, and doesn’t want to feel limited at anytime by the ski.”

Photo courtesy Adam Clark/TGR

Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Alta Utah

Passion continued from previous page ________________________________________________________

junior college and Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort. So Cattabriga-Alosa moved out to the state where he had spent his summers with his Dad growing up. The skier pursued a two-year transfer degree in fine arts, but a winter in Utah changed his career path. Despite growing up just four hours from the Alta ski area of the more southerly state, it took a friend in Oregon, Chris Collins to get Cattabriga-Alosa to check out the area for himself. He landed a job working at one of the lodges surrounding the ski area. His position came with a ski pass and lodging and, unbeknownst to him at the time, poised Cattabriga-Alosa for a leap into a professional ski career. “It gave me this perfect dirt bag ski scenario,” he said. “I was in the right place at the right time.” In Utah, Collins, was already appearing in frames for Teton Gravity Research ski films. As his skiing improved, Cattabriga-Alosa found himself on the slopes

and the jumps with a group who pushed the limits and touched the professional ring. “By the end of the season, I was in with a crew of big skiers, hitting jumps and building jumps together everyday.” he said. Then TGR came to Utah. In between dish duties at the lodge, Cattabriga-Alosa caught the filming sessions with his skiing buddies. Though he watched mostly from the sidelines or helped build jumps, he only needed a minute to make an impression on professional skiing. On the second day of the shoot, Cattabriga-Alosa had an opportunity to stop watching and lock into skies. He took to the jump and pulled out his big guns, ones he wasn’t even sure he had actually. He had done a single before, but when his moment to hit the jump came he went for two and chucked a double front flip— perfectly. He knew the TGR crew was watching, but he wasn’t sure how closely. The following fall

he found out. “I got a call from TGR to come to the premier,” he said. “I had some clues.” His suspicions were confirmed when his double front flip came into focus. “That was my foot in the door,” Cattabriga-Alosa said. He knew that a ski career was more than a couple of sets of free equipment. However, the next winter in Utah, TGR shot him again. Then they started to connect him with sponsors. “It’s a family relationship,” Cattabriga-Alosa said, “They were there from the beginning.” But even as his ski career took off, the Whydahoan didn’t let his artistic side remain latent. He continued to do graphic design and also started a production company with a friend. This winter, Cattabriga-Alosa’s passions and talents came together in the Atomic Automatic ski. He had been skiing for Atomic for a awhile when, in 2010, the company decided that

it wanted to design his and Dana Flahr’s dream ski. Atomic already had big mountain skis and freeride skis, the two wanted a little of both. “Dana and I saw there was room for something in between,” Cattabriga-Alosa said. “We designed it as a directional ski.” He and Flahr also came up with the width and side cut. Skimonster.com summarized Cattabriga-Alosa’s ski as “a ski for the person that loves to charge down anything and everything, and doesn’t want to feel limited at anytime by the ski.” Sounds like passionate skiing. Atomic’s dream team tested the prototypes until they had their ideal in reality. Then CattabrigaAlosa also inspired the graphic, well more than inspired it. The graphic for the ski’s premier year came from a design CattabrigaAlosa had done and saved on his computer. Passion is where it all begins, but where it will take you…

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 25


Barn, Grand Tetons, Idaho near Tetonia.

W i n t e r in Teton Valley

Skiers start the New Year’s Eve torchlight parade run at Grand Targhee.

Photos by Ken Levy

26 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

“Year of the Dragon” took the grand prize in the inaugural Teton Valley Great SnowFest snow sculpting competition in January 2012. Created by The Firebreathers sculpting team — designer Deidre O’Connell and artists Eva Dahlgren, Marlene Wusinich, Pat Sea and Chris Davis — the dragon appears to have just hatched from its egg. This year’s Teton Valley Great Snow Fest is slated for Jan. 17-20.


Get OUT! in Teton Valley 27


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CELEBRATING THE

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17-20, 2013

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New events to be determined * Check out www.greatsnowfest.com

28 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


COFFEE • COCOA • CONFECTIONS

Perfect tetonday Name: Zachary Smith Who are you? Mayor of Victor and Associate Broker/Owner of Brokers of Jackson Hole LLC When did you arrive in Teton Valley and how did you get here? My wife and I bought a house and moved to Victor in April of 2005, I was born and raised in Jackson and liked it better when it was a little sleepier. We lived with my dad winter of 2004 and saved up enough money for a down payment and made the move to Victor. Describe your perfect winter day in the Tetons. Skiing to the Teton River under a full moon, watching the sunrise into a bluebird sky with a shotgun in my lap and shooting a few mallards for dinner, Going to Scratch for their eggs benedict… Hiking the pass with my wife and hitting that secret stash that is left from the 36” storm from the day before… Stopping by Sun Dog Café for their fish tacos… Going to Teton Canyon and ski-joring into Boy Scout camp for a quick ice climb with my brother… Coming back to the house and cooking the duck I shot that morning for family and friends…

Quote you live by? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Matthew 7:12

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graphic design architectural prints faxes gifts office supplies 76 S 1st Street Driggs, Idaho computer 208-354-7337 info@peakprinting.net accessories M-F 8 to 6 kodak photos Sat 10 to 3 frames ink Authorizedprinter Ship Center invitations posters Get OUT! in Teton Valley greeting cards

Big Ideas

29


7000 W

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To Rexburg

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12000 N

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10000 N

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32

Tetonia

7000 N

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33

6500 N 6000 N

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5000 N

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3000 W

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30 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

8500 S 9000 S

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Targhee National Forest

750 E

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Fox Creek/5000 S 750 E

1000 W

4500 S 4750 S

Teton Valley Idaho


!

GetOUT On the trails P u l l - O ut S e c t i o n

Your go-to guide for getting out in Teton Valley

Local groomed Nordic trails Big Hole trails for snowmachiners

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 31


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Trailhead

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Treas u re M ounta Boy S in cout Camp

Driggs 32 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Ross Ave

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Local groomed

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Name

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Alta Ski Track: The trailhead is located between Pioneer Park in Victor: A short track at about 2 km, “this is a great family track, first-time Nordic one and the Alta Library in Alta. It n Cre the EpiscopalPhChurch P, ek features 10 km of trails that roll and wind through TAafter-work skier forTV that workout,” Adams said. e to yablor pa k ec l ch ai le ib E-Mstunning views oftathe ct du Situated downtown, the track allows for skiers who open fields with Grand Teton. de s xes dr ur ad yo e e th ak Please m eted page to live in Victor to go from home to track in minutes. In mplhills is co “This track is great for workouts, with small nonprofit. with the city, the track is lighted a few it with th 501ca3partnership return d ed iz an gn co re S- and to get the heart rate up and IRloops is an of TAPplenty nights a week. TVshort U!! low.for variation thatbe allow or longTH workouts,” said ANK YO P Tim Adams, executive director of Teton Valley Trails “This2 track also hosts a skate ski series from January TVTA riggs ID 83to42March,” and Pathways. The track is groomed for37 both he said. Groomed for skate skiers, the Dskate 3, ox B . O p.org www.tvta and classic Nordic skiing. P. track is just as fun for classic skiers. 201-1622 or

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Targhee

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Driggs Track: The track starts on Ross Avenue just east of the high school. A kiosk provides a map of the whole track, usage rules and other information. The track features two loops.

Ed

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Teton Canyon: The Teton Canyon trail is on U.S. Forest Service land. This trail is the first to be groomed in the fall and the last to be groomed in the spring. Teton Canyon is TVAP’s most scenic trail, taking a gentle path up the valley directly towards the Grand Teton. This is a heavily used trail on the weekends, and it gets a lot of traffic. Dogs are allowed.

No Dog s

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1

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Get OUT! in Teton Valley 33


34 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

for snowmachiners

Big Hole trails

• “Stay out of the east range,” advises Stuart Wride, visitor information specialist for the Teton Basin Ranger District. “You can end up in the wilderness before you know it.”

• With the exception of Teton Canyon Road, which runs about four miles from the parking area and is shared by cross-country skiers, snowmobilers will find groomed trails on the west side of the valley in the Big Hole Mountains.

Snowmobile tips

• It doesn’t help to carry a GPS system unless you know it well. Read the users’ manual thoroughly and become familiar with its operation. A wrong turn in the wrong place could spell tragedy.

• Besides taking the usual precautions of dressing in layers, being prepared for any kind of weather including storms and extreme cold, Wride warns snowmobilers that “they have to know where they’re at.”

Lead out

Compiled by Ken Levy/Get Out! staff

• Snowmobiles are prohibited in wilderness areas.

• As with any battery-operated device such as cameras, keep adequate spare batteries for the device and keep them warm, near your body.


Health Care for the Entire Family Perfect tetonday Name: Bronwyn Ishii Who are you? People may know me from Powder Day Photography When did you arrive in Teton Valley and how did you get here? Four years ago, I came to be a ski bum just for one season... you know how that is. Describe your perfect winter day in the Tetons... April 12, 2011, three fresh feet of the good stuff on a bluebird day. How would you start your day? First in lift line at Grand Targhee. What would you do in the afternoon/ evening? Have a glass of wine and a cowboy-size steak. Favorite hangout? Home. Who would you hang out with? My boyfriend, Kevin Cass. What would you eat and drink? I already covered that. What keeps you here? Kevin, my two dogs, Wiley and Ruby, Powder Day Photography and sunrise over the Tetons. Quote you live by? Carpe diem

Kristen Coburn, Family Nurse Practitioner Anna Gunderson, Physician Assistant-Certified Anne O’Malley Neuhaus, Family Nurse Practitioner With Board Certified Pediatricians every Tuesday & Friday Travis Riddell, MD Heather Bagley, PNP Meet our healthcare team at www.tvhcare.org Open Monday – Thursday 9 am – 6 pm Fridays 9 am – 4 pm 252 South Main, Victor

(208) 354-6307 Get OUT! in Teton Valley 35


Hill

Snow •mo• bile

Climb

Get Out! Photo/Rachael Horne

W

Ken Levy/Get Out! Staff

Teton County will be hosting a huge snowmobile hill climb in early January that could draw as many as 1,500 people, including participants, and be a huge boost for the local economy. 36 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

ade Kaufman, president of sponsors Skyliners Motor Club, said the two-day event is sanctioned by the Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hillclimb Association, following the rules of International Snowmobiling Racing. The inaugural competition could become an annual event in the valley. The hill climb, which starts at Pine Basin Lodge at Pine Creek, is a RMSHA-sanctioned qualifying race for the Snowmobile Hill Climb World Championship held in Jackson in March. The competition is also for overall points and some big cash prizes.

The two-day event runs Jan. 5 and 6, 2013. The course, built to RMSHA standards, will climb about 1,000 linear feet, Kaufman said, and will include gates and sections. “This is not like riding the mountains,” said Bob Tomb, who heads the Skyliners’ events committee. “It’s like a slalom ski but uphill. There will be jumps and berms at the bottom, and you need to know what you’re doing.” Individual snowmobilers will race the clock for the win. A separate Mountain Cross class will pit four racers against each other. A Locals class, separate from the RMSHA competition, will be offered for those “who think

they’re tough enough and want to show us what they’ve got,” said Tomb. Entrants can register at the event, which has its own fees. The run will follow the pro- and semi-pro competitions and follow the semi-pro course, with a trophy to be awarded. Semi-pro and juniors will run an easier course than their professional bretheren. RMSHA-event participants will pay entry fees of $100 for pros and $60 for semi-pros in the stock, improved stock and modified classes, said Tomb. There is also a junior class, with entry fees of $60. Prizes, depending on class and size, could run into the thousands of dollars, Tomb said. “This is going to be a big kick in the butt” for the local economy, said Tomb. Every hotel will be


full, every restaurant, shop and gas station will benefit from the event. “It will be a huge boost to Teton Valley,” he said. Participants, except for the Locals class, must become members of RMSHA. They can take a temporary or full-year membership. Visit rmsha. com for details.

A climber races over snow, dirt and rocks during the 2011 finals at the World Championship Hill Climb at Snow King Resort in Jackson.

Rexburg Motor Sports is among the major sponsors. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Tomb at b_tomb@ hotmail.com or calling (307) 4134807. Registration for the event is available 30 days prior at rmsha.com and skylinersmotorclub.com.

Kaufman said portions of the proceeds will be donated to a local non-profit to be determined by the Skyliners’ board. He expects this event to become an annual draw to the valley. Skyliners’ mission is to bring awareness of the concerns of the recreational motorized and non-motorized trail users to the forefront. He said the club’s goal is to become a stable non-profit that can contribute to help benefit the local economy. Tomb, who has raced on RMSHA-sanctioned courses for about 20 years, is a member of the Jackson Hole Snow Devils snowmobile club, which hosts the championships.

Ryan Thompson RLT Photography

A racer in the Hill Climb makes his way up Snow King at last year’s event.

Bob Tomb at a hill climb event.

BIG ERR? We can get you back on your feet, skis, snowboard, etc. again.

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Sharing the Beauty of Teton Valley with You

Didyou know? There are two breweries in Teton Valley—Grand Teton Brewing and Wildlife Brewery, both in Victor. Some of Wildlife Brewing’s beers include: Point It! Pale Ale, Mighty Bison Brown Ale, Gravitation Golden Ale, Jackalope Amber Rye, Powder Pig Porter and Flavor Slave IPA.

One South Main Driggs, ID 83422 208-354-8880 (Office) 307-690-4388 (Cell) erica.tremblay@jhsir.com

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38 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


and enjoy after a day of snow sports Ken Levy/Get Out! Staff

S

itting at home by a blazing fireplace sipping your favorite drink may be the ideal way to relax after a day of zigzagging along the slopes of area mountains or sliding along on cross-country trails. Relaxing afternoons can also be had at Teton Springs Resort and its Stillwaters Spa and Salon (10 Warm Creek Lane, Victor, 787-7250). The public is invited to spend an afternoon of “massage therapies, body treatments, facials and skincare, hair and nail services for men, women and teens.” You’ll find a eucalyptus steam room, outdoor hot tub and a relaxing lounge with fireplace. For others, partying

down at any number of area après-ski locations, and indulging in good food and drink, is as much a part of the ski day as the skiing itself. The Headwaters Grille at Teton Springs (787-8130) offers a full menu and full bar, nightly dinner and happy hour specials. Those who have enjoyed their snow-sports experience at Grand Targhee can stop in at the Trap Bar and Grille, (307) 353-2300, ext. 1360) which offers daily specials and weekly entertainment. The resort also offers the Branding Iron Grille, with a small, full-service bar, dinner and appetizers. Guests can soak in the outdoor heated salt-water pool and hot tub.

T

hose who want to head down the hill and visit the city of Driggs will find numerous dining opportunities. Mayor Dan Powers says he’s partial to Alpine Wines Bistro (15 S. Main St.; 354-9463) or the Royal Wolf (63 Depot St.; 354-8365).

If it’s pizza and beer you crave, or a choice of full dinners and appetizers, check out Tony’s Italian Grille (240 S. Main St., 354-0900). Heading south to Victor, check out Wildlife Brewing and Pizza (145 S. Main St, 787-2623), which offers its own microbrews and a full pizza and meal menu. The Knotty Pine Supper Club (58 South Main, 787-2866) offers a full menu and full-service bar, live music and more. The Timberline Bar and Grill (31 W. Center St., 787-5000) also offers a full-service bar, appetizers, salads and more.

Over the hill

Those looking to head over the pass to the Jackson are a will find it to be the quintessential loc ation for dozens of après ski options. Here are just a few :

The Mangy M

oose in Village, 3295 Villa Teton ge Dr., (307) 733- 4913

The Vill age Ca

fe ne of the tram 3275 M ar the base Teton Village (307 cCollister Dr., ) 732-2233

Cascade Grill Ho

use

& Spirits in the Teton Mou nt 3385 Cody Ln., Te ain Lodge, ton Village (307) 734-7111

The Peak in th

e Four 7680 Granite Loop Seasons Village (307) 732- Rd., Teton 50 00

Vertical , in th

e Best 80 Scot t Ln., Jack Western Inn son

The Million Do llar Cowboy Bar 25 N. Cach

(307) 733-2207

e St., Jackson

The Silver Do

llar Bar, at th e Wor t Hotel 50 N. Gl Jackson (307) 733- enwood St., 2190 Nikai 225 N. Ca che St., Jackson (307) 734- 6490 The Shady Lad y Saloon at th

e Snow King Resort 40 King Ave., Jackson 0 E. Snow (307) 733-5200

Snake River Brew

in Millward St., Jack g Co. 265 S. son (307) 739-23Get 37 OUT! in Teton Valley 39


Treating You Right Now

Did you know? How to stop on figure skates Take several strokes forward and glide across the ice with both feet. Keep your back straight and bend your knees. Lift one skate off the ice and position it behind the skating foot so that it is perpendicular to the skating foot, making an upside down “T” with your skates. Drag the back foot across the ice, using the outside edge of the blade until you stop.

A Clinic of St. John’s Medical Center - Primary care for adults and children - Urgent care for injuries and illness - Lab and x-ray services - School and influenza immunizations Staff Physicians: Gary Dotson, MD; Scott Thomas, MD Visiting Specialists: Angus “Gus” Goetz, DO - Orthopaedics William Ramsey, MD - Ophthalmology Karson Howard, DPM - Podiatry Kert Howard, DPM - Podiatry

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Activities

• Snowshoe & Snowmobile tours • Nordic skiing - out our backdoor or on myriad groomed trails in the Valley • Close to Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole and Snow King

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THE REGION’S PREMIER Landscape Contractor & Garden Center Servicing Jackson & Eastern Idaho for more than 20 years

on-athletes can enjoy winter, too

Ken Levy/Get Out! Staff always get incredulous looks from locals and visitors alike when I tell them I don’t participate in winter sports. “What the heck are you doing in Teton Valley, then?” is the most common question, accompanied usually by corner-ofthe-eye glances that indicate a combination of disbelief and disdain. No matter. I love it here, even when January invariably brings temperatures that sometimes push the minus-30 degree mark. Neck and back issues preclude me from the twisting, turning strains that accompany downhill or cross-country skiing. Now in my third winter here, I’m thinking about snowshoeing. Walking helps me work my way up to that. Walking itself is hardly an athletic activity — especially the ambling shuffles I’m known for — but healthy nonetheless. I can be found even during blizzards walking up Ski Hill Road or down Teton Canyon Road. There’s something peaceful, almost serene, in walking

I

during a heavy, yet powdery snowfall. Wearing a heavy sweatshirt with a windbreaker jacket, I pull the hoodie tight around my head and wear a broad-rimmed hat to keep the snow off. I usually pack a good pair of binoculars and a camera with a decent focal length in case moose or deer are wandering through. If the snow isn’t too rough, I’ll drive around looking for photo ops of animals or snow scenes. Most winter evenings and weekends, however, I stay close to my fireplace. I don’t watch TV, so there’s usually a movie on the DVD, a fire in the fireplace, and M & Ms within reach. Reading, practicing guitar and Facebooking top off the high end of my winter experiences, when I’m not working. Friends with kids tell me that building snow forts, having snowball fights and building snowpeople are among the youngsters’ favorite activities. So are family nights with movies, games and S’mores. But there are plenty of other options for the athleticallychallenged winter resident. How about a sleigh-ride dinner?

For $40 adults, $15 children, you can take a ride on a horsedrawn sleigh with cowboy Paul Marten and his trusty steed teams Prince and Maude or Pete and Cap. You’ll ride to Grand Targhee’s high altitude yurt, where you’ll be served a western style dinner complete with scones and honey butter. Dress in layers for the ride can be brisk, but the yurt is warm and cozy. Reservations are required. Visit grandtarghee.com/winter/activities/sleighride-dinners.php Also at Targhee, you’ll find a family friendly arcade in a recreation room filled with prizegenerated games, old-school classic arcade games, interactive hockey games, driving and shooting simulators, according to Ken Rider, Targhee marketing director. Change machines and vending is also available for all resort guests. Those who may want to keep their skin bronzed without the effort of being out in the sun all day may consider a tanning salon, such as the Sun Shack in Tetonia ((208) 456-2201), or the facilities at Anytime Fitness in Driggs ((208) 3549675). The latter requires club membership.

Above photo: A slow moving walk in Teton Canyon allows one to appreciate how falling snow turns the area into a winter wonderland. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

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Get OUT! in Teton Valley 41


w in ter

wilderness safety ethics and courtesies

Provided by Chad Grossenburg, wilderness manager for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Cailin O’Brien-Feeney Policy Coordinator for the Winter Wildlands Alliance

T

Ethics and safety:

he Wilderness Act does not permit motorized use in wilderness areas. Signs are posted marking boundaries but areas where there are no signs, it is the responsibility of snowmobilers to be aware of where boundary is and not ride into it. Leave no trace practices applied equally in winter as in summer. For backcountry skiers, self reliance (being able to take care of yourself and those in your party in respect to any situation you might encounter) might not seem like an obvious ethical choice, but it’s a basic staple of ethical backcountry travel. If someone has broken trail all morning through fresh snow and you catch up to them you should let them have first tracks down that slope if they have done all the work to get you there. Be courteous to all other users regardless of their form of recreation For motorized users, courtesy and ethics mean slowing down to pass people on skis or snowshoes. If on snowshoes, stay to the side of groomed trail if using groomed trail. To the extent that it is safe and practical, it is extra nice for snowshoers to stay off of ski trails following local custom.

42 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

A fresh snow blanket softens the boulders in Teton Creek. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy


MORE THAN JUST A GREENHOUSE

Backcountry specific, if someone has broken trail all morning through fresh snow and you, following their tracks, catch up to them, you should let them have first tracks down that slope. Always travel in a way that doesn’t endanger the safety of other parties is really important. Know where other parties are and do not ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile above them when in avalanche terrain. Do not ski, snowmobile, or snowshoe below other parties because they may or may not know your there. When descending in avalanche terrain go one at a time. Do not stop in middle of trail; step to side.

S

Courtesies:

kin track in a way that preserves the downhill part of the run with safety still the overriding consideration.

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Do not disturb wildlife; some animals are particularly vulnerable in winter.

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Get OUT! in Teton Valley 43


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FOR THE MOUNTAIN MINDED

• Sales & Rentals • Alpine • Backcountry • Nordic • Snowboards • SnowBikes Find from best brand recreate PMS • Season lease packages Original

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44 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Perfect tetonday Who are you? Randy Blough, a Landscape Architect and coowner of Harmony Design and Engineering in Driggs. Married to Jennifer Zung and have a new son Dalton who was born on July 13. I have been a member of the board of directors or Teton Valley Trails and Pathways for the past five years and was the organization’s president in 2010 and 2011. I am a volunteer groomer for TVTAP as well and have been grooming the Alta track for the past seven years. When did you arrive in Teton Valley and how did you get here? My first visit to TV was on a cross country bicycle tour from Boulder, Colo. to the Oregon coast in the late 90’s. I rode over Teton Pass from Jackson, through Victor and on to Driggs. I was tentatively planning to hang out in Driggs for a day or two but as I came through I did not see a single person on the street. There was no activity whatsoever. As a result I just kept riding on toward Rexburg, stopping only once along the highway to take a photo of the Tetons. Must have been a Sunday. I came to Teton valley again in the winter of 2003. After visiting some friends that lived in Driggs and skiing up at the Ghee for the weekend I was hooked. I was living in Salt lake City at the time and as soon as I got back from Driggs I started planning the move. I came back to Teton Valley several weeks later and started house shopping. I moved here in the summer of 2003. Describe your perfect winter day in the Tetons. How would you start your day? Coffee, of course, followed by some powder skiing up at Targhee. I will typically only ski four or five runs on a powder morning then head on in to work. That short time skiing puts me right where I want to be for the rest of the day. What would you do in the afternoon/ evening? I’ll spend the rest of the morning and afternoon at the office at Harmony. I feel pretty fortunate to be able to work here doing something that I enjoy, is challenging, and makes a difference

in our community. Ideally after work I would head home and take a quick lap on the Alta Ski Track just as the sun is going down. I live right next to the track and use it frequently. Not only is it great to get out and exercise, but it is often a great social activity as well. It is always nice to see my friends and neighbors on the track and take the time to socialize a bit. Anyone who knows me knows I am “grooming crazy.” Not so much in the cleanliness sense but I love to groom the ski track. Perhaps my favorite winter night activity is Nordic grooming. I prefer to groom after dark when there is nobody (or relatively few) skiers on the track. I don’t know what it is about it but there is a certain peaceful, meditative aspect about it that I truly enjoy. Favorite hangout? Probably my garage. I’m a fairly social person but spending time tinkering in the garage doing nothing in particular is awesome. I can’t wait to retire and do this full time. Who would you hang out with? My wife Jen, my son Dalton and the great folks in the valley that I am happy to have as friends. What would you eat and drink? Nothing beats a glass of wine at the end of a Teton Valley winter day. Pair that with a hot bowl of soup and you are on to something. What keeps you here? This one is a no brainer. Without a doubt, it is the lifestyle that keeps me here. Teton Valley is not the easiest place to live and have a business but the scenic beauty that surrounds us, the great people of this valley, and the opportunity to easily knit leisure and recreational pursuits into our everyday lives more than makes up for any inconveniences. This is truly an exceptional place and I feel very fortunate to be here. Quote you live by? Roll with it.


Teton Valley, Idaho

is surrounded by Targhee National Forest and just over the pass from Jackson Hole. A step away from heaven, this quiet, high-mountain, pristine valley is renowned for unparalleled powder skiing at Grand Targhee Resort and the Teton backcountry, as well as world class trout fishing, hunting, biking and hiking-Teton Valley has it all! Let one of our experienced agents help you come home to your dreams on the “affordable” side of the Tetons.

King’s has everything you need! From housewares and clothing to electronics and candy.

King’s also has an expanded hardware department with over 3300 items. Mark Rockefeller: 208.351.1411 Jenna Child: 307.413.4368 Julie Rockefeller: 208.351.1412 Tayson Rockefeller: 208.709.1333 Mandy Rockefeller: 208.313.3621 Dan White: 208.206.1516 Bill Fay: 208.351.4446

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46 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

Restaurant guide Alpine Wines Bistro........................... Driggs......................354-9463 Barrels & Bins................................... Driggs......................354-2307 Bangkok Kitchen............................... Driggs......................354-6666 Basin Burger..................................... Driggs......................354-3110 Big Hole BBQ................................... Victor.......................270-9919 Branding Iron (Grand Targhee).......... Alta...................307-353-2300 Broulim’s........................................... Driggs......................354-2530 Brakeman’s Grille.............................. Victor.......................787-2020 Bread Basket 2.................................. Victor.......................787-0120 El Rincon.......................................... Driggs Cocoa Grove...................................... Driggs......................354-2899 Corner Drug...................................... Driggs......................354-2334 Forage Bistro..................................... Driggs......................354-2858 Fuego Grille....................................... Driggs......................354-2000 Grand Teton Brewing......................... Victor.......................787-9000 Grumpys Goat Shack......................... Victor.......................787-2092 Hacienda Cuajimalpa......................... Driggs......................354-0121 Headwater’s Grille............................. Victor.......................787-8130 Knotty Pine....................................... Victor.......................787-2866 Linn Canyon Ranch........................... Victor.......................787-5466 North End Grill................................. Tetonia.....................456-2202 O’Rourke’s ....................................... Driggs......................354-8115 Pendl’s Bakery................................... Driggs......................354-5623 Royal Wolf.................................Driggs..................... 354-8365 Scratch......................................Victor...................... 787-5678 Snorkels (Grand Targhee)...........Alta.................. 307-353-2300 Spoons......................................Victor...................... 787-2478 Station Grill..............................Victor...................... 270-1945 Suba..........................................Victor............... 307-733-3736 Subway......................................Driggs..................... 354-7827 Subway .....................................Victor...................... 787-9111 Sun Dog....................................Victor...................... 787-3354 Sunny Side Cafe........................Victor...................... 787-4427 Teton Thai.................................Driggs..................... 787-8424 Thyme Out (MD Nursery)..........Driggs..................... 354-8816 Timberline.................................Victor...................... 787-2639 Tony’s Pizza & Pasta...................Driggs..................... 354-8829 Trap Bar (Grand Targhee)...........Alta.................. 307-353-2300 TWR Grill.................................Driggs..................... 354-2333 Victor Emporium.......................Victor...................... 787-2221 Victor Valley Market...................Victor...................... 787-2230 Warbirds....................................Driggs..................... 354-2500 Wild Bill’s (Grand Targhee)........Alta.................. 307-353-2300 Wildlife Brewing & Pizza............Victor...................... 787-2623 Wrap & Roll Café.......................Driggs..................... 354-7655


Winter

5

Teton valley

By

th e

n u m b e rs

41 FEET

The average snowfall each season at Grand Targhee or 500 inches.

8,431 Feet

The number of Nordic skiing tracks groomed by Teton Valley Trails and Pathways.

100 PEOPLE

The number of people the Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort holds. The ride to the top takes 9 minutes

The pinnacle of the Teton Pass ---------------------------------Top Mount Glory is 10,086-feet.

Grand Targhee ___________________ __________________

2602 total

acreage __________ __________ _______

2270

459 Inches Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s, averages snowfall each season.

7,360 The approximate number of elk that wintered on the National Elk Refuge during the 2011/12 winter.

vertical drop __________ _______

7851

feet base area elevation ___________ ____

5

number of lifts ___________ ____

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 47


wildlife

WATCH

Perfect

tetonday Driggs Mayor Dan Powers’ perfect day: Taylor Mountain and a foot of fresh snow. It’s snowing pretty heavily, but not so bad that visibility is an issue. There’s a foot of fresh, new cold snow on the ground and a low avalanche danger. Powers set this image as the start of his perfect day in the Tetons. He’d start his day skiing on Taylor Mountain. Powers would be “home by the fire in the afternoon,” followed by “an evening out in Driggs.” That evening out would include his wife and friends, and may involve live music at Alpine Wines Bistro, where they serve a cheese plate he’s partial to, or the Royal Wolf, where they serve Ahi tacos. Powers said he moved to the valley from Jackson in 1990 “when I was looking to buy a house.” He said he came here for the view and stayed for the people. Speaking of people, his favorite quote he tries to live by is “Do unto others...”

A Common Raven strikes a pose near the Gibbon River in Yellowstone. Get Out! Photo/Ken Levy

Common Raven Did you know? In winter, common ravens may gather in flocks to forage during the day and to roost at night. Ravens have been featured in various myths and legends. It is believed ravens mate for life. They also return to a nest year after year. The male raven fetches the nesting materials while the female builds the nest. Females can lay three to seven eggs each spring and both parents care for their young. Incubation is done mainly by the female, but occasionally she’ll have help from her partner. Known as scavengers, ravens are also effective

48 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

hunters that sometimes use cooperative techniques. Teams of ravens have been known to hunt down game too large for a single bird. They are also not averse to taking the eggs and young of other bird species.

Specs Diet: Omnivore Average life span in the wild: 13 years Size: 24 to 26 in (61 to 66 cm); wingspan, 3.8 to 4.7 ft (1.2 to 1.4 m) Weight: 2.3 lbs (1.3 kg) Group name: Flock Source: National Geographic


Invoking the

Powderclause Rachael Horne/Get Out! Staff

I

n 2002, Hondo Miller ditched corporate life and bought High Range Designs in Victor. Obviously, part of the plan was to be able enjoy the area’s abundant snowfall. That’s why, when Miller took over, he immediately put a “powder clause” into the company’s polices. “We’re all put on this earth and almost all of us have to work,” said Miller. “If you can enjoy life and be happy, that makes things better. And, I like happy employees.” At High Range, if there’s six inches or more of snow that fell overnight, working that day is optional. Local graphic designer Karen Russell built her business around skiing. She named her company Fall Line Design with the tagline “Never miss a powder day.” Russell said she never gets flack from clients for not being in the office, but sometimes they’ll give her a hard time if she’s at work on a powder day, though it’s likely in the afternoon. “It makes life worthwhile,” she said. Russell said she originally came to the Valley to be a ski bum. She had plans to take year or so after graduating college then return to graduate school. But she stayed. “My career is important to me, but skiing makes me happy,” said Russell.

“This office is high stress. The staff works hard and we recognize that we all need to go play now and then.”

Being able to invoke the powder clause is a ritual that defines one of the many reasons people choose to live in Teton Valley. What some employees and employers know, is that an epic powder day can change the way you see the world. Miller said he didn’t want people to feel like they had to call in sick if they wanted to take advantage of a good storm.

I’ll dash from the hill straight to the office, change in the office then work noon to eight or whatever I have to do. Karen Russell Fall Line Designs

Fortunately, Miller said things slow down in the winter at High Range. He said he has about eight employees that get out and enjoy the mountain. It’s basically up to the employee to decide if it’s worth it for them to miss work. Usually they’ll ski for a few hours then come into work in the afternoon. There are a few salaried employees, but Miller said they give up their own hours so it’s really up to them. If it’s a really good day, they don’t have to come in at all.

business into a leader of the resort t-shirt industry, Laid Back was launched into the mass-market apparel industry. Powder as a priority is working for Russell too. Russell said she makes up the hours she misses. Usually on a powder day she’ll ski in the morning then make it to the office, by 11:30 or so. “I’ll dash from the hill straight to the office, change in the office then work noon to eight or whatever I have

to do.” She said if a client doesn’t understand that skiing is an important part of her life or if they can’t wait, then they can work with someone else. “It’s rejuvenating for me,” she said. And if it’s a really good snow year, sometimes it’s a relief to get to her office and out of her ski boots.

The company sounds pretty laid back, right? Well the atmosphere and lifestyle is working for High Range. In July of 2011 they brought the company vibe to the masses with a new brand, Laid Back USA. After reshaping the regional screen-printing

At Valley Advocated For Responsible Development, a local non-profit organization with an office in Driggs, they have an informal policy. Executive Director Stacey Frisk said as long as the staff gets work done and it’s a gorgeous sunny powder day, they’re able to take off or come in late. “We encourage a happy, healthy office and part of that in Teton Valley means accommodating a powder day every now and then,” she said.

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 49


Everything you need under one roof. Perfect tetonday Giving you more Pharmacy • Gourmet Deli • Floral • Bakery Fresh Meats • Produce

Who are you? I’m Eric Daft. I’m originally from a Seattle suburb, than I moved over from Boise year-round for the first time in 2000. I am a videographer for/editor for/part of Fisher Creative, whose mission is to deliver compelling, fresh and unique still photos and video.

The best selection of beer and wine in town. Catering for all occasions.

When did you arrive in Teton Valley and how did you get here? I moved here in 2000 chasing the dream of becoming a ski bum.

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Describe your perfect winter day in the Tetons. My perfect day in Teton Valley is when all the roads into the valley are closed and we have some serious snowfall.

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visit us on-line at broulims.com for coupons, specials and to create a shopping list.

Fresh Foods 240 South Main St • Driggs (208) 354-2350 50 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

How would you start your day? I would start my day stoking the fire and brewing coffee while my truck warmed up before wiping the foot of powder off of my windows and driving up or down the road in search of the deepest lines. Favorite hangout? My house is my favorite hangout on a summer day, but in the winter, it would be the Knotty Pine for fresh squeezed Margaritas and Kansas Style BBQ. What keeps you here? This is the place I want to raise my kids and be, in the mountains, in the snow ( Never Summer!), in this community. That’s what keeps me here. Quote to live by: Ride more, talk less.


GetOUT

Calendar 2012 Nov. 23 • 2012-13 Winter Season Opening Day at Grand Targhee. Featuring a free live show at the Trap Bar and Grill beginning at 4 p.m. Nov. 24 • Opening Day Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Nov. 30 - Dec. 01 • Backcountry 101 Course, part of the backcountry education series by Yostmark Mountain Equipment Dec. 1 • Music and Mangers nativity display and interfaith choir performance in Victor Dec. 7 • First Friday Art Walk in downtown Driggs Dec. 7-9 • Avalanche Course Level I, part of the backcountry education series by Yostmark

Dec. 8 • Nordic Tune-Up Races, skinny ski enthusiasts descend upon the trail system for this launch of the winter Nordic race season. Dec. 11 • Avalanche Awareness Night, a free event brought to you by Yostmark Mountain Equipment Dec. 17 • Winter programs begin on the National Elk Refuge, including daily sleigh rides Dec. 20 - Jan. 1 • The Grand Targhee Holiday

Celebration Kick-Off, featuring live music, food, and activities for the whole family. Dec. 22-23 • Grand Targhee Demo Days— Telemark/AT/Alpine/Snowboards. Try out the latest in ski and board technology all day long. Dec. 31 • New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks at Grand Targhee This is THE holiday celebration event not to be missed!

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info@jhrea. com Get OUT! in Teton Valley 51


2013

Jan. 4 • Teton Valley Snowmobile Hill Climb at Pine Creek Lodge • First Friday Art Walk in downtown Driggs Jan. 5-6 • Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hill Climb Association sanctioned race at Pine Basin Lodge • USSMA Ski Mountaineering Classic, the nation’s top mountaineering and endurance athletes race a grueling course up and down the mountain at Grand Targhee. Jan. 15-21 • Teton Valley Great Snow Fest, celebrating all winter has to offer with snow sculpting, skijoring, skiing, snow bike races, a snow ball party and more.

Olde Tyme Christmas

Local stories and music Nov. 29, 7 pm • Wort Hotel, Jackson Room

Jan. 12 • 2nd Annual Grand Targhee Snow Bike Race, bring up the fat tire bikes for this 2nd Annual Winter race! • Teton Ridge Classic, a long distance classic race in Teton Valley.

Jan. 11 • Whiskey Tasting, taste four different whiskeys with a presentation on how they are prepared and taste complimenting foods by Chef Chris Mistak at Grand Targhee

Jan. 18-20 • Avalanche Course Level I, part of the backcountry education series by Yostmark

Jan. 11-12 • Backcountry 101 Course, part of the backcountry education series by Yostmark

Jan. 25 • Beer Maker’s Dinner, prix fixe dinner crafted by Chef Chris Mistak and paired with beer from

Kick-off to Key Ingredients: America By Food Exhibit Kid’s Program Dec. 2, 1-5 pm • Museum

Mardie Murie Christmas

Cookie Swap and program Dec. 15, 2-5 pm • Murie Center, GTNP

Dutch Oven Cooking Presentation Jan. 22, 7 pm • Museum

Voices of the Valley

Featuring Laurel “Bru”Wicks & Jim Terry restaurant entrepeneurs Jan. 24, 7 pm • Location TBD

225 N. Cache

Parking behind the museum

307-733-2414 jacksonholehistory.org 52 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

GRAND VALLEY LODGING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 158 N. FIRST STREET, DRIGGS (208) 354 8890 (800) 746 5518 See all our listings at www.grandvalleylodging.com email us at mail@grandvalleylodging.com


Grand Teton Brewing Company at Grand Targhee. Jan. 26 • Club Series Race, the Ski Team will certainly want to sharpen their edges for this big race. Feb. 1 • First Friday Art Walk in downtown Driggs Feb. 5-7 • Special Olympics Wyoming Winter Games at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Feb. 8 • Tequila Tasting at Grand Targhee, taste Tequilas from all over Mexico with delectable Mexican food pairings from Chef Nacho Feb. 8-11 • Avalanche Course Level II, part of the backcountry education series by Yostmark Feb. 16 • Moose Chase Nordic Ski Race, Jackson, Wyo. Feb. 22-24 • Big Mountain Telemark Series at Grand Targhee, the Telemark skiers will be competing on the steeps of Peaked Mountain with a top prize of $1000! March 1 • 2013 Mary’s Nipple Challenge at Grand Targhee, this annual breast cancer fundraiser draws an enthusiastic and creativelydressed crowd who gathers pledges in exchange for hikeaccessed laps on Mary’s Nipple Mountain. • First Friday Art Walk in downtown Driggs March 1-2 • Dick’s Ditch Classic at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

March 2 • 4th Annual Teton Adaptive Sports Program Fun Race, help raise money for the Teton Adaptive Sports Program March 3 • Youth Ski Festival in West Yellowstone, Montana March 9-10 • Jackson Town Downhill mini Hahnenkamm at Snow King. March 21-24 • Grand Targhee Junior Freeskiing Open, officially sanctioned by the International Free Skiers Association, the top 12-17 yr old skiers from across the western US compete on the steeps and cliffs of Peaked Mountain. • World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb at Snow King March 22-31 • 2nd Annual Spring Break Away, escape from classes and daily life for this week-long party! Outdoor stage, contests, activities make this the not-to-miss event at Grand Targhee. March 23 • 22nd Annual Avalanche Dog Fundraiser, with dog demos, fun, games and raffle

ghee’s closing day of the winter season will benefit their local race club. April 5 • First Friday Art Walk in downtown Driggs April 20 • 13th Annual Cardboard Box Derby at Targhee, this annual closing-weekend tradition with spectator-friendly competition

March 29-30 • 80’s Daze, party all day and both nights! Free music at The Trap Bar March 30 • Pole, Pedal, Paddle. The race consists of an alpine ski leg, a crosscountry ski leg, a bicycle leg, and a boating leg. Fundraising event for the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club, Jackson, Wyo. • Mountain Festival Concert at JHMR, artist TBA April 1 • Ladies Waist Rubber Leg Race, this giant slalom race on Tar-

& Coffee Lounge 208-354-3659 60 E. Little Avenue

on the road to Grand Targhee

celebrates the results of tape, glue, paint and cardboard. April 21 • Grand Targhee Closing Day and Closing Day Party Conditions permitting. Disclaimer: All calendar items are subject to change. For updated schedules of events visit tetonvalleynews.net or pick up a copy of the Teton Valley News available on newsstands around the Valley.

• CDs & Vinyl • Instruments & Accessories • Re-sale & Consignment Clothing • Prayer Flags • Incense • Cards • Eclectic Gifts • Wifi Lounge • Organic Coffee & Espresso

Open TUES-SAT 9am-5pm EMAIL: bigholemusic@gmail.com

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 53


Exploring

new

activities

T

Scott Anderson/Get Out! Staff

Cade Anderson gliding through the snow on his first ever cross-county ski adventure. Get Out! Photo/Scott Anderson

here is nothing I love more than spending time with my family in the outdoors. Being outside keeps distractions at bay and allows us to be ourselves. I have to admit I do enjoy summer activities a little more in terms of ease. It takes a lot less work getting my kids ready to go on a day hike versus crosscountry skiing. For example, just last year we decided we were going to be a cross-country skiing family. Thanks to ski swaps and yard sales I was able to outfit my family with all the needed gear. Our gear was set. All we needed now was the snow. As we waited for the snow, in my mind I imagined our family laughing and playing in the snow and our kids making snow angels until a snowball fight breaks out. It played out in my mind almost like an Old Navy commercial. What could possibly go wrong? Our family is going to love it. However reality and dreams are very rarely similar. After a few good days of snowfall I figured it was now deep enough to enjoy. I went to the garage to get our gear when I found it all strung out around the garage. Right skis with no partners, bent ski poles and even

54 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


Crew, Cade, and Afton Anderson enjoy a much needed snack break halfway through their cross-county skiing excursion.

snow pants that happened to shrink since previously buying them for our four year old. I was not going to let this dampen my spirits. I loaded up what gear I could find, threw it in the truck while my wife prepared the much-needed snacks. We were out the door and only two hours behind schedule.

O

nce arriving in Teton Canyon I could feel my excitement beginning to grow. I just knew after today our kids would no longer beg to play the Wii, but beg to cross-country ski. We strapped the kids in their skis and should have been off, but after 10 minutes of my kids fighting, falling, and complaining because of the cold I knew this was going to be a LONG day, and we hadn’t even gotten out of the parking lot! As we made our way toward Sheepherders Trail I quickly realized my visions of snow angels and frolicking in the snow were long gone. As they slowly began to get the feeling of x-country skiing their

Get Out! Photo/Scott Anderson

mouths slowly began to form smiles. They liked the feeling of gliding on the snow especially on any type of decline. My oldest daughter especially liked to cut her own trail through the powder as she felt like she was hovering over the ground. It was fun to see my children trying something totally new and enjoying it and that the fun of skiing far out weighed the exertion of it. After traveling a ways we stopped for hot chocolate and snacks. We found a snow covered pine tree perfect for sliding under for shelter. We pretended we were lost and had to stay the night and talked about how to survive if ever lost. My kids’ minds came alive as they pretended this new haven was their home. I am glad my wife and I worked through the beginning process so we could view the reward of seeing a whole new life open up for our kids. I guess in the end my expectations were not too far off. I think this year we’ll tackle snowshoeing.

Cade finds his perfect shelter if ever lost in the backcountry.

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 55


Best runs at Grand Targhee

For Beginners: The Shoshone lift and the

Papoose magic carpet is the dedicated beginner area. From gentle meadows through runs like Alley Oop Alley to the Eyeball Forest, the terrain is fun for both children and beginning skiers alike. There’s everything from rollers to wide-open cruisers, like the newly minted Palmer’s Raceway, named for resort pioneer Gene Palmer. Palmer was instrumental in helping open the resort and served as the ski school director from it’s opening in 1969 until 1995. He still works part time and helps develop future ski racers. Once comfortable on Palmer’s raceway you’ll be ready to graduate to more runs.

56 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

For intermediate: Grand Targhe,e boundry-to-boundry is intermediate friendly. Chief Joseph bowl north of the Dreamcatcher lift and Snowdancer to Medicine Bowl to the South on the Sacajawea lift offer open runs with a perfect pitch. Both are often groomed and when there’s fresh snow, it provides an easy smooth power surface for intermediates. To test your legs off piste, head to the trees between South Street and Sweetwater in the lower Dreamcatcher area. Strong intermediates can head to the glades and trees on Sacajawea.

For Advanced: The Instructor Chutes an Patrol Chute south on the Dreamcatcher lift offer just enough steep to test your skills for expert runs on the cliff bands of Peaked. But if more powder is what you seek over steeps, head to the gate on Mary’s Nipple. When it’s open, a 15 to 20 minute boot pack takes you to largely untracked tree runs and an open powder bowl.


Experts: From Mary’s, a traverse and another hike up Peaked will gain you access to Pinkslip, Bobcat, and Reliable. You’ll navigate cliffs, but the north-facing slope often holds some of the best snow on the mountain. From the Sacajawea lift you can access Toilet Bowl and Das Boat.

Trails targhee

Get OUT! in Teton Valley 57


t n e r e f f i D

activities for

Kids

Scott Anderson/Get Out! Staff

W

e all know the typically winter activities for children. Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating, snowball fights, sledding, etc. Here are some lesser known winter activities.

Snow artwork

Needed: Spray bottle, tap water and food coloring.

Kids’ ice home Needed: A shovel, warm gloves and a big snow bank in a safe area. Building a snow cave is fun and challenging for kids. Building a snow cave in the valley is fairly easy considering we can get such high snow banks. Often time’s kids can dig right into a snow bank to create their winter fortress. Building the right fortress is surprisingly strong and keeps warm in the night. They also allow protection during snowball fights.

Winter dessert

Needed: Snow, condensed milk, and vanilla extract. There are many different variations to snow ice cream, this is my favorite. • One gallon or big bowl of clean snow • One 14-ounce can of condensed milk • One teaspoon vanilla extract • Mix together and enjoy

58 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

This is simple, cheap and kids love it. Put the colored water in a spray bottle then send the kids out. They will spend hours spraying art into the snow. I believe this idea originated from the cub scouts having to pee outside.

Frosty’s Scavenger Hunt Needed: A basket, pen and paper, and knowledge of the area.

• Simply come up with a list of items that can be found around your area. i.e twigs, feathers, empty nests, pinecones, animal tracts. • Send them out with a list, and a basket to collect their items. • When I send my kids out I like to add to the list items that were left out before the snow started falling. Things like tools, shoes, and toys.


The impenetrable snow maze

Snow Bubbles

Needed: Snow shovel, or snow blower, and open space.

After receiving a large amount of snow, a snow maze is the perfect activity for young kids. Shovel or snow blow out a maze in the backyard. If you have the space make sure to leave enough room between lanes to keep them from jumping to different lanes also try to add some dead ends to make it a bit more difficult. Older children might not find the maze very difficult so playing tag inside is the perfect solution. It’s fun watching them try to navigate their way around while being chased. Guaranteed you will see a few slips as they round the corner full speed on the snow.

MooN l i ght Glow

Needed: Two different colored glow sticks and a full moon The full moon reflecting off an empty snow field can become the perfect battle ground for steal the glow stick. Divide your group into two teams. Then divide a line down the middle of the field. With each

Needed: Bubbles and temperature below 32 degrees:

When the temperature gets below freezing, simply go outside and blow bubbles. Then catch the bubble on the bubble wand, and in just a few moments it will freeze. It turns into a frozen crystal ball before shattering.

team on different sides have them hide their glow sticks. The idea is to have the opposing teams retrieve the glow stick from the opponent’s side. Once retrieved they then have to get back over the line to their side to win. A couple rules to make it tricky... 1.

Just For Kids

Once the opposing team crosses the enemy line if they are touched they are frozen and can’t move until their teammate touches them. Or 2. You can have a “prison” that they are taken to if touched on the enemy’s side, and can’t leave until touched by a teammate.

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Suite C


Winter residence continued from page 21 ________________________________________________________

it into an at-hand trail. However, south of the ranch parking lots stretching along Hwy 33 turning all the way up Teton Pass, provide access to the peaks and ridges of Mt. Taylor, Mt. Glory, the Duits and other backcountry runs. True ski bums leave the car at home, if they even have one, and hitch rides from locals commuting to Jackson. The Plumber Creek Yurt owned by Rendezvous Ski and Snowboard, sits just one canyon to the north and can be rented out for individuallyguided tours (skithetetons.com).

Keeping Bodies In Motion Teton Orthopaedics’ physicians & surgeons are Board Certified and Fellowship trained

Snow going all the way from the ranch to the west side of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest also makes it a great launching pad for snowmobiling the thousands of acres of Teton Valley’s public lands. Snowmobiles and guided trips are also available through Teton Valley Adventures (tetonvalleyadventures.com). At the end of the day, play pool in the lodge, or relax by the fire and soak up the Currier and Ives feel or enjoy the outdoors just a little more. Not surprisingly, that’s what the National Outdoor Leadership School did after a day of nature’s classroom experiences.

Joshua D. Beck, M.D.

Heidi E. Jost, M.D.

Adult & Pediatric Spine Surgery Joint Replacement Surgery Trauma & Fracture Care

Orthopaedic Surgery Foot & Ankle Hand & Upper Extremity Orthotics

David J. Khoury, M.D.

Andrew B. Bullington, M.D.

“They build a bonfire out in the snow and sat with a glass of wine, s’mores,” John Love said of the group’s experience.

Geoffery K. Skene, D.O.

Rafael M. Williams, MD

The Love’s also enjoy having Christmas guests. In years past, holiday guests have decorated Christmas trees in the lodge.

Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Shoulder and Knee Surgery Trauma & Fracture Care

Spine Care Non-surgical disorders of the back and neck Electrodiagnosis

Knee & Shoulder Surgery Sports Medicine Joint Replacement Surgery Trauma & Fracture Care

Shoulder Surgery Hand & Upper Extremity Sports Injuries Fracture Care

Winter in Teton Valley is special and the Moose Creek Ranch sits right in the heart of it. For more information about the variety of accommodations and specials, visit moosecreekranch.com.

The Peacock House Located at 555 E. Broadway in Jackson & 5235 HHR Ranch Road in Wilson

307-733-3900 60 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

In its third winter as a vacation rental the house sits on the family homestead right under Fred’s

Courtesy Photo

Cozy interior at Moose Creek Ranch.

Mountain. “There used to be five families of Peacocks living here,” the sole remaining keeper of the legacy, Gaye Peacock said. Built as a family retreat in 2009, she decided to start renting it out at the request of interested parties. The home offers accessibility in all forms except virtual, there is no internet. However, it sits on a bus route, so the road is kept open all winter and the driveway to the house is also plowed. The side the hill into which the home is built, hides one of the two stories, but the same hill also provides an area for sledding or even skiing. Of course the fields that surround the place are the perfect terrain for cross country skiing and snowmobiling. If heading out by car, Peacock also suggests a short cut through the fields to reach the main road to Grand Targhee Resort. The house sleeps up to 17 people. Contact Grand Valley Lodging to book: 1-800-746-5518 or (208) 3548890.

The Trenkle Cabin

It’s winter in Teton Valley. The

See Winter residence next page


Winter residence continued from previous page ________________________________________________________

wind blows snow into the corners of window panes and door ways. The howl of the a ir may even wake you up to an early morning chill. Just reach over and press the button on the cabin’s R inna i heater before rollCourtesy Photo ing back over for a The Trenkle cabin little more sleep. When the cabin ing, the Victor-Driggs trail is also has warmed up a bit and you’re just two-and-half blocks from ready for the fresh powder that the cabin. Follow the same trail the snow storm left behind, take (or the main highway) to the the shovel just outside your door, Victor Valley Market for a meal throw the dusty-light snow on from their gourmet deli. Kathy the porch and the driveway out Trenkle and her husband, Robert of your way with a shovel and Carlson have been renting the make for Grand Targhee Resort guest cabin on their property or the Teton Pass, either one a for three winters. They offer a mere 30 minutes away. For cross- special deal for booking four or country skiing or snowmobil- more weekends in advance.

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An afternoon of complete indulgence at the Stillwaters Spa

Followed by a scrumptious fireside dinner in the Headwaters Grille

Teton Springs Resort

Teton Springs, Teton Valley’s award-winning Golf Resort Community, offers deluxe hotel accommodations and 3, 4 and 5 bedroom luxury mountain log cabins. Enjoy Lodge, Ski & Snowmobile Packages and other winter specials in the Spa and Grille throughout the season. Stillwaters Spa open Tuesday thru Sunday Headwaters Grille serving dinner 5pm-9:30pm Thursday thru Saturday (children’s menu also available) NFL Sundays 11AM-8PM Featuring Football Menu & Drink Specials

www.allseasonresortrealty.com 208-787-8000 For Reservations Call Teton Springs Lodge & Spa: 877.787.8757 www.TetonSpringsLodge.com Get OUT! in Teton Valley 61


Ice skating continued from page 15 ________________________________________________________

What to look for in a pair of skates. Figure skates should

fit snugly, heel to toe with the toes just brushing the front of the skate.

Independent Subaru Sales and Service

51 W Rocky Road Driggs, ID. 83422 suesroos@gmail.com

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Hockey skates should fit like a ski boot. The big toe box provides an air cushion of protection against flying pucks. Leave room to wear a thick pair of socks. For both skates look for a boot stiff enough to hold the ankles upright when standing. Adults should avoid junior skates because they are not designed to support mature weights. If buying used skates, look

for blades that have plenty of sharpening left. Getting a workout in your skates. To keep up with both

his rigorous playing schedule and the puck, Bobby Ryan, right winger for the Anaheim Ducks, does an exercise called tempos. Skate for 45 seconds at three-quarters speed then take a minute to recover. Try eight repetitions. The key, he said, is to skate as wide a circle as possible. Otherwise, your inside leg will feel an extra burn. As you get stronger increase the reps and shorten the recovery time.

No skates, no worries, there’s broom ball

Enjoy Winter with TCJPR Offering Cross Country & Snowshoe Outings Skate Ski Classes 4 Ice Rinks Groomed Ski Trails & Pathways

A thousand years ago, battle-hardened Vikings engaged in a brutal, often-deadly sport called Knattleikr. Although details of the game are mostly lost to the ages, it’s known that it was played on the frozen Icelandic countryside and that entire villages got in on the action. Matches would begin at dawn and last until dusk, tournaments could last up to two weeks and it was not uncommon for the field to be littered with corpses when the game was over. Today, many believe Knattleikr’s closest descendant to be broomball, a markedly less violent version of the sport. Since then, broomball has grown into a popular sport on all levels. Businesses, churches, schools and other organizations have discovered the game of broomball. It is inexpensive to play, easy to learn, and fun for everyone. Broomball is played on a lake, a pond, an ice hockey rink or the gym floor. It is played with rules and strategies similar to those of hockey. Players can wear padded sponge-rubber shoes to enhance traction on the slippery surface. The object of the game is to strike a ball with specially designed brooms into the opponents net. (from broomball.com) Programs at the Kotler Ice Arena:

Visit tetonparksandrec.org to join in the fun! 62 Get OUT! in Teton Valley

• Weekend open skates, sometimes with live music • Pond hockey • Youth hockey • Figure skating lessons • Women’s hockey • Broomabll See tetonvalleyfoundation.org for full schedule


Did you know?

How to break in hockey skates Skate in a forward motion to gain speed and find a pace that is comfortable. Turn your hips quickly at a 90-degree angle and your skate at a 45-degree angle to set the skate blade sideways on the ice and initiate a skid. Shift your weight onto your stopping leg, distributing your weight to about 80 percent on the breaking skate and 20 percent on the non-breaking skate. Angle the second foot so that it is skidding parallel to the front foot. The friction created by the change in momentum and weight will create new grooves in the ice and force a stop. Begin skating again, advancing to a speed you are comfortable with. Repeat steps one through three on the opposite leg, digging your skate blade into the ice surface with your hips at a 90-degree angle and you blade at a 45-degree angle and shift your weight to stop.

GET OUT AND SHOP LOCAL!

Source: ehow.com

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Full listing of Chamber of Commerce member businesses http://tinyurl.com/tvmembers Join the conversation on Twitter- @go2tetonvalley Connect on Facebook- facebook.com/Teton.Valley.Chamber

Basin Burger In a rush? Call in your order 354-3110 Get OUT! in Teton Valley 63


64 Get OUT! in Teton Valley


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