peaks & valleys
Thinking Of Jack BY DICK DORWORTH
I
first visited Sun Valley in 1953 as a young ski racer and first lived here in the 1960s in that same capacity. In the early ’70s and mid-’80s I lived here a few years and in 1992 I reined in the peripatetic life and have been here ever since. As with many locals reading this (and not), skiing is the glue that binds over time, and skiing is more than mountains and snow and equipment; it is the culture and its individual people whose passion both holds it together and moves it forward. Though each member of any populace defines that community’s culture, there are always a few whose passion and personality leave a deeper and longer-lasting mark. For several reasons—including the privilege of spending a couple of hours talking with a group of students at the Community School, some of them members of the Sun Valley Ski Academy—and the approach of another eagerly anticipated ski season, I’ve been recently reminded of a man whose skiing legacy endures, one that, in my opinion, would make him smile. In 1963 Jack Simpson was instrumental in founding the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation of which the Ski Academy is a branch and his indelible mark on the ski culture is easy to see and a pleasure to note. In many ways, Jack epitomizes the history and culture of both skiing and business in Ketchum. Born in 1924 in Wendell, Jack moved to Ketchum in 1938 where his parents, Owen and Josephine, leased and ran the Griffith Grocery Store on Main Street as Simpson’s Cash Market until they bought and ran the Sawtooth Club. During the ’40s and ’50s, Owen and Jack’s business endeavors adapted to and butted heads with the changing gambling
and alcohol sales laws of a rapidly changing Idaho. In 1941, Jack was a stand-in skier for Sonia Henie in the film “Sun Valley Serenade,” of which Betty Bell has written in the Sun Valley Guide, “He skied all of the spectacular runs and cartwheeled through all of the spectacular crashes—but at the end of every crash the camera clicked off and didn’t click on again until it was back on a Hollywood set and zeroed in on Miss Henie wiping ersatz snow from her face. She never set foot in Sun Valley, poor thing—and Jack never shook his nickname—‘Sonia.’ ” Jack served in the military in World War II and, while skiing at Stevens Pass in Washington, in 1946, met Mary Lou Shaw, who he invited to visit Sun Valley. She did, and they were married in 1947. Jack and Mary Lou had three children: Mike, born in 1948; Pat, born in 1951; and Kelly Jo, born in 1961. In 1945, Jack’s parents bought the Warm Springs property which eventually became the Warm Springs Ranch Inn and which Jack and Mary Lou operated from 1960 until 1975. In the midst of raising a family and running several businesses, Jack coached and taught several generations of young Sun Valley skiers, including his own children, who were all accomplished racers. Pat became one of the best American ski racers of his time and is among the best locally grown ski racers of all time, winning the U.S. Junior National slalom by more than six seconds in 1967 and Sugar Bowl’s prestigious Silver Belt giant slalom in 1971; he is still active in Nordic racing. Mike died in 1999. Kelly and her husband Glen Allison are both avid skiers and are co-directors of the annual Boulder Mountain Tour. Jack died in 2000 and Mary Lou in 2008, but the legacy lives on. tws
report November 26, 2014
Preseason Check list BY JIM SANTA
O
pening day on the mountain is upon us and some of our local Nordic trails are already open. Are you ready? To make those first days a little better, it’s time to check out the gear and be sure it’s ready. Let’s start with the feet. If you’re like me, I take some of my favorite footbeds out of the winter boots and transfer them to other footwear, like my running, hiking and cycling shoes. I speak from experience, it’s really a bummer to get to the hill or trail only to discover you’ve left your favorite footbeds in your mountain bike shoes and they’re home in the garage. If you’ve got boot heaters, it’s a good time to charge the batteries and be sure the elements are working. We have the testing equipment for this and would be happy to check them out for you. What about the skis? If you followed the recommended protocol, you had them tuned last spring and left storage wax on them. You’ll want to get the storage wax scraped off before you hit the hill (or trail). If you simply stashed the skis in the garage before heading for Maui or Moab, it might be a good idea to start the season with a fresh tune and consider getting your bindings tested while you’re at it. I happen to know where you can get this done. How about that jacket or pants that you spilled beer on at the closing-day party? Most waterproof fabrics love to be washed and will perform much better when they are clean, but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most suggest using mild detergents and there are products made specifically for waterproof fabrics such as Granger’s or Nikwax and don’t forget to retreat them with a DWR (durable water repellent) spray. Arctyrex has a great YouTube video on this subject, (www. tinyurl.com/tws-Arctyrex). Don’t forget to treat your winter boots and gloves while you’re at it. Conditions are shaping up for a great start to the season and getting all of our gear ready and in good working order will help make those first days on the hills and trails all the more enjoyable. Be safe out there and enjoy the start of what will hopefully be a great season—and don’t forget to smile and greet your fellow enthusiasts! Jim Santa is a member of the Sturtevant’s management team and an avid participant in the great outdoor activities we all live here to enjoy. For more information, email him at jsanta@sturtevants-sv.com.
Dick Dorworth is a Blaine County resident, author and former world record holder for speed on skis. Visit his website and blog at dickdorworth.com.
340 N Main St Ketchum, ID 83340 (208) 726-4501 sturtevants-sv.com
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Advent, Carols & Poetry Service Scheduled St. Thomas Playhouse and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located at 201 Sun Valley Road W. in Ketchum, are inviting community members to a special “Reflection on Christ’s Nativity” service that will include an Advent lesson, carols and poetry. The service will take place on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 5:30 p.m. at the Church and will include Advent lessons, carols and readings from traditional and contemporary poets such as Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and Billy Collins. “This evening is marked by humor, grit, beauty and wonder,” states a recent news release from St. Thomas. “There will be a reception after the service.” For more information, call Playhouse Education and Production Director Sara Gorby at 208-726-5349.
NOVEMBER 26, 2014
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