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Little Ski Hill
Little Ski Hill c 1940's The Idaho Statesman 11/29/53 A NEW SKI LIFT at McCall will make the Payette Lakes Ski $15,000. The entire project, including financing, was locally Club, which built and installed the above lift, one of the most backed. Purpose of the new lift is to benefit junior skiers attractive ski resorts in the state. The lift is a single -bar type throughout the state and the Ski Club has applied for the that eliminates loading and unloading problems. The tension National Junior Jumping championship tourney for 1954. tower and loading platform is shown in the foreground, while Those shown in the photo, by Walt Rubia, are Bob McBride, eleven suspension towers are spaced up the hill. The lift has Ernie Ward and Corey Engen. Engen is sk1 instructor at the a capacity of 600 skiern per hour and cost approximately run. Star-News January 30, 1964 McCall Ski Club Hill This aerial picture, taken before the last heavy snows, shows the ski runs on the McCall Ski Club Hill where local skiiers are cur. rently enjoying wonderful skiing. Jz), / red Star-News January 30, 1964 Depending on the time of day and the day of the week, McCall's ski club hill can be a haven for housewifes, a playground for pre- schoolers, a training course for teenagers, ar .a_ f=-Ar&t. for fam -„ ilies. Though it's relatively small in size, as compared to such ski slopes as Brundage and Bogus, the club hill offers a variety of novel features not found at either of the large resorts. Night skiing and jumping facilities are two of the hill's big drawing cards, but for the majority of local residents, it's a place where the whole family can find skiing to fit each mem- ber's ability. Visit the hill between one and three p.m. on any weekday, and yowl! find a group of mothers, plus a smattering of men, prac- ticing stem turns and parallel skiing down the uncrowded run above the lodge. On the rope tow, three, four and five year olds zip unperturbably up the mountain, zoom down, and zip right back up. When the big yellow ski bus chugs up to the lodge at four o'clock or so each afternoon, the hill's personality undergoes a complete change. The youngsters who'll be making headlines at northwest ski meets in the near future start their daily practice sessions on the slalom courses and the three different jumps to the north of the lodge. Weekends, when the hill opens at 10 a.m., "Ski bums" range from toddlers to Yrandparents, and the crowd includes not only McCall families, but groups of ski enthus- iasts from Cascade, Boise, Cald- well and ether near -by towns. Many are attracted to the hill be- cause of lower rates, but the maj- ority appreciate the friendliness and good - neighbor policies that are built -in features. Usually spectators line the win. dows of the lodge on weekends, with the tots on the rope tow a big attraction. And Wednesday night pot -luck suppers, preceding eight skiing, are_ fun:_. far the whole family, skiiers and non - skiiers alike. Probably the ,skiing -est family at the club hill are the Bill Dor- rises and their nine children, all of them dawn -to -dusk skiiers. Watching the littlest Dorrises coming down the hill is something you have to see to believe. Five year -old Billy is a veteran skilpr, for he's been slidding down the slopes for three years now. rides l the T -bar like an expert. Four -vear- old Kathy is on the "big hill' for the first time this year, after skiing last winter on the Peanut hill. Ann, oldest of the Dorris chil- dren, is bringing home her first trophies in expert women's com- petition at the ripe old age of 14, and 12 year old George is skiing in novice men's events. Other Dorris children are top con- tenders in Mitey -Mite events. Whenever they have free time, Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Pflug drive out to the hill with their five chil- dren. Ann and David are old - timers, and their parents confess they've starting to be out -- skiied by the grade- schoolers. First -grad- er Linda and four - year -old John stick to the peanut tow, and even three - year -old Mary has a minia- ture -type ski which she has fun sliding on. On skiis for the first time this! winter, four- .year -old Tawna Cat -' lin can join her parents and two older sisters for fun in the snow i on the club hill. And the Dean Davises are teaching their two-! year-old to ride the rope tow. Among the "faithfuls" at the pot -luck suppers in the lodge, where Mrs. Polly Greavea keeps the coffee -pot filled and the griddle hot are the John Boyd - stuns, the L. K. Hollenbeaks, who have taken to skiing since moving here from California a few years ago, the Jim Nelsons and their two teen - agers, the Frank Stew- art family, the Rod Zacharys, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Jennings and their four children, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Clark and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Baker. Driving up from Riggins for the Wednesday -night affairs, whene - "-_�y have an opportun- ity, are bir. and Mrs. Don Kilmer. Learning to ski isn't something that's only for pre- schoolers. Among those venturing out for the first time this winter is Mrs. Pat Hardy, with Mrs. Harold Nokes, Mrs. Sue Stidham, and Mrs. Kenneth Johnson spending their second season on the hill. With the most Snow ever re- corded in January packing the slopes, beginners and experts alike agree that it's fun to be out, skiing is wonderful. r Club Hill T -Bar Lift 60 M. Jump Touring Trails Day Lodge 3 miles west of McCall, Idaho on Highway 55 Payette Lakes Ski Club, Inc. P.O. Box 442 McCall, Idaho 83638 208 - 634 -9991 Larry Swan, General Manager Ski area located in Payette Na- tional Forest and operated under Special Use Permit from the USFS Skiing in McCall Skiing has long been a way of life in Long Valley as well as a very dependable means of transportation. The early settlers made their own cross country skis and cut a young sappling for a ski pole. Horses and pack animals were fitted with snowshoes for trips to the mining camps in the back country. In 1937, Carl Brown gave 80 acres, three miles west of McCall, to the U.S. Forest Service for a recreational ski area. The Payette Lakes Ski Club was formed and in 1938 Corey Engen was hired to manage the area. Two sleds, operated on a shuttle, were later replaced with a plat- ter pull. The "Little Hill" offered a natural sports program for the local school children. In 1944 Bill Brown, Jr. started the Mtiey Mite program for youngsters. It has now become statewide and schedules highly com- petitive races. The area was closed at the end of the 1969 season for major up- dating. A Farm Home Administration loan was secured and installa- tion of a new Hall T -Bar lift began October 1971. The area reopened on December 31, 1971 Lights were added in 1972 and the area offers central Idaho excellent skiing. MCCALL AREA For Your Convenience MOTELS Riverside Motel Big Sky Lodge Yacht Club Ford's Motel Hotel McCall Shore Lodge Village Motel RESTAURANTS Yacht Club Coffee Shop and Dining Room Shore Lodge Coffee Shop and Dining Room Ford's Cafe and Smorgasbord Red Steer Drive -Inn Pancake House Carey's Cafe McCall Delicatessen SUPPER CLUBS Brass Lamp Pizza Parlor Chicken Roost The Mill (Green Lantern) Victor's Sharlie SHOPPING McCall Merc McCall Rexall Drug Shaver's McCall Floral and Gift Dewey's, Inc. Carriage House Medley Sports Center Dan's Saddlery Bill's Grocery Maverick Store Circle `R'Market Glass House McCall Jewelry Idaho 1st National Bank Inter - Mountain State Bank Idaho Telephone Co. Idaho Power Co. i t ELE.6027 Y BURG DORF c I J •\�S 6%ZARD yT c , /5 n 0 E H � LOON C Q NATIONAL I` UPPER PAYETTE L. SPLIT CR. PT. / I I 6RAN/TE L. (/ `\" 0 �I 6O°� L ENDS L. DUCK L, L d o I Lick Cr I "'/ i BRUNOAGE f _ ' RESn BOX L S� R KRASE SNOWSUDE SL /DE ELE. I L AREA 1'� DAN6ER 11 / rr © NEW RRU N'DA�fiE Q LICK CR. MEADOWS AREA �► MTN,1'.. '" SUMMIT F ELE.6910' m� X93 TO COUNCIL SKI AREA' 1 P.ETTE LAKES SKI AREA f i/� I MCCALL ELE.50301AKE L /TTL PAYETTE F 0 R E S T j % t ��, ILOULDER L. l 2 r5ILOU/E L . ' r / L KE FORK I 3 V t BU, ` M I� \ r ISN L.O. ,i0 v, III '- -0.J1 IDNN�LLY O /dfoi _ ELE. SI WARM LAKE is \, WARM L ' 'd l I I LEGEND I y I OILED ROAD GRAVELED ROAD � CAMP GROUND d o ° I ( RANGER STATION DUDE RANCH a LANDING FIELD t —� TOWN OR POST OFFICE 0 ASCADE NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY — -- — J ELE.4812 L_ THE LARGE MAJORITY OF GRAVELED ROADS ARE UNPLOWED AND MAKE 1 —� rTO 0013E GOOD SNOWMOBILE TRAILS For Your Convenience MOTELS Riverside Motel Big Sky Lodge Yacht Club Ford's Motel Hotel McCall Shore Lodge Village Motel RESTAURANTS Yacht Club Coffee Shop and Dining Room Shore Lodge Coffee Shop and Dining Room Ford's Cafe and Smorgasbord Red Steer Drive -Inn Pancake House Carey's Cafe McCall Delicatessen SUPPER CLUBS Brass Lamp Pizza Parlor Chicken Roost The Mill (Green Lantern) Victor's Sharlie SHOPPING McCall Merc McCall Rexall Drug Shaver's McCall Floral and Gift Dewey's, Inc. Carriage House Medley Sports Center Dan's Saddlery Bill's Grocery Maverick Store Circle `R'Market Glass House McCall Jewelry Idaho 1st National Bank Inter - Mountain State Bank Idaho Telephone Co. Idaho Power Co. Lift Data 2038 Ft. Model 500 Hall T -Bar 406 Ft. Vert. Drop Capacity 1000 skiers per hour 60 Meter Jump Lift Rates Night Skiing Daily 7 to 10 p.m. $2.50 $3.00 Weekdays Wed., Fri., and Sat. $4.00 Sat., Sun., holidays Season passes available Ski School School Ski Program After school bus to hill and return on weekdays Touring Marked trails leading from lower lift terminal on Rock Flat. Ladies X -C meets 10 a.m. Weds. Snowshoers welcome SKI EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT Dewey's — Shore Lodge Medley Sports — Downtown Host for .Junior National Nordic Championships March 11 -17, 1973 Mack Miller, Chairman of Meet SECOND SECTION BOISE, IDAHO, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1974 PAGE 17 FLAP ZE ARMS If you hold your arms like airfoils, maybe - just maybe - they'll give a little extra lift. Also, maybe they'll help pre- vent a three -point landing on ski tips and nose instead of coming down gracefully on your skis like you're supposed to. (Photos by Don Motson) TRICK SKIING - Anybody can ski like this. But the trick is in landing with aplomb without breaking every bone in your body. It's called "hot dog" skiing, and it was one of the features of the McCall Winter Carnival, which ended Sunday. This picture shows Jim Diedrich of the McCall Hot Dog Exhibition Team in mid -air. UPTONow t I s A RECIPE FOR MAKING SKIS by Alice Koskela Winter in Long Valley has always been "ski season, " but it was a very different kind of skiing for the early settlers here. They didn't have to decide between downhill and cross country equipment, wax and waxless skis, bamboo and aluminum poles, or a dozen brand names. Everyone was a cross - country skiier back then, providing his own power to the top of a slope, and people made poles and skis themselves. All they needed was the wood, a little time and a lot of ingenuity, and a big kettle of boiling water. Yes, boiling water. They just simmered the wood until it was soft, and... Here's a recipe that Long Valley pioneers used to make equip- ment for their pre - fiberglass ski seasons. Poles, or rather the pole (for people used only one until the 1920s) was created from an inch -thick piece of tamarack about six feet long. The tamarack was rounded and planed and then a nail was driven in at the bottom to make the pointed tip. A slot was cut in the pole about six inches above the tip; this hole was for the leather straps of the basket. To make the basket, the pioneer 7� handyman took a narrow willow branch and boiled it in water until it was soft. Then he bent the willow to form a circle and tied the ends together with wire. He cut strips of old harness leather and fastened them to one side of the basket, then drew them through the slot in the bottom of the pole. When the strips were secured all around, the pole was finished. Early skiiers used their single pole by pushing away from it, first on one side, then the other. On the downhill, a skiier straddled the pole and used it as a brake. Skis were also longer then, mea- suring ten to twelve feet for a grown man. They were usually made of red fir, a wood more flexible than pine. The ski -maker bought or milled one -by -fours of the desired length and then planed them down. He took off about a quarter inch of thickness at one end of the board, and grad- ually shaved off less and less wood as he moved toward the middle, where the skiier's foot would be. At that point the board retained its original inch thickness, but it was tapered down to one -half inch at the other end. This would be the ski's tip. After the board had been planed, the pointed tip was carved out and the piece of wood started looking like a ski. The craftsman then turned his attention to the base, or what would be the base, of his ski. He needed to scoop out a quarter -inch -deep trench from tail to tip so it wouldn't slip sideways on the snow. To do this he used a "groover plane," a tool he'd made from a saw file. The file was rounded off on a grinding wheel and inserted. through a hole in a small block of wood so that it lay at about a 45- degree angle to the block. The ski -maker adjusted the file so that its beveled tip extended a quarter -inch from the bottom of the block and then ran his tool along the ski base, carving out a shallow groove. Once this step was finished, he was ready to boil his skis. Not the whole ski - just the tips, which had to be softened so they could be curved upward. It took a few hours of simmering to make the wood pliable, so while they were ` `cooking, he constructed a brace to dry them in. This looked like a long rectangular box without a top or sides. It measured a little longer than the skis, and was made by fastening two two -by -six boards to- gether at either end with cross pieces.In one end of this "box" the craftsman nailed a round piece of wood, making sure it was raised slightly above the sides of the brace. He then took his softened skis from the kettle and bent their tips to fit around the curved wood form. He secured the ski tails down at the other end of the brace by nailing another cross piece over them. The skis were allowed to dry for two 'or three days. During this time the ski -maker applied hot paraffin to the tips; the wax not only insured that the wood remained curved, but waterproofed it as well. When the skis were removed from the brace, they were given two or three applications of pine tar. Now it was time to make the bindings. Once again, old harness leather straps were cut for toe pieces, and nailed into notches made in either side of the skis. These notches, cut to the thickness of the lea- ther, allowed the bindings to fit smoothly against the side of the ski. Of course, modern ski equipment is easier to use than the long poles and skis made by early set- tlers. Yet the old craft shouldn't be forgotten. Just for fun, you might try "cooking up" a pair of skis sometime. Simply take two boards, a kettle of boiling water, and... O Three generations of cross country skis. The one at the far left measures ten feet long (Top, left). The remaining half of a pair of skis made over fifty' years ago by John Heikkila for his nephew Vern (left). Alice Koskela, whose grandfather Gustaf was one of the early Finnish settlers in Long Valley, is living in Donnelly and researching the history of the area for her PhD dissertation at Washington State University. She would be happy to talk to anyone who recalls any of that history, and can be reached by writing to High Country. ���� t L , 4 ' 1 1 , q f t C o m m u n i t y s u p p o r t k e e p s L i t t l e S k i H i l l g o i n g T h i s i s t h e f i r s t o f a t w o - p a r t s e r i e s o n t h e L i t t l e S k i H i l l - - h o w i t b e g a n a n d w h a t i t i s n o w . C o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t h a s b e e n t h e d r i v i n g f o r c e b e h i n d t h e L i t t l e S k i H i l l e v e r s i n c e i t o p e n e d i n 1 9 3 7 . F r o m i t s a d v e n t u n t i l 1 9 6 1 w h e n B r u n d a g e M o u n t a i n b e g a n o p e r a t i n g , i t w a s t h e o n - l y s k i h i l l n e a r t o w n f o r c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s . P a r e n t s a n d b u s i n e s s e s a l i k e p o u r e d t i m e a n d m o n e y i n t o w o r k i n g o n t h e h i l l . P a r e n t s a n d t h e i r k i d s w o u l d h e a d f o r t h e h i l l a f t e r a h e a v y s n o w f a l l t o p a c k t h e s n o w f o r t h e d a y ' s s k i i n g . B r o w n ' s T i e a n d L u m b e r C o . b u i l t t h e f i r s t s l e d l i f t , p o w e r e d b y a d i e s e l e n g i n e . T h e s l e d w a s d e s i g n e d b y J o e K a s p e r , a m i l l w r i g h t f o r B r o w n ' s . T w o s l e d s r a n c o n c u r r e n t l y o n a h a l f - i n c h c a b l e . E a c h c a r - r i e d 2 0 s k i e r s u p t h e 1 , 2 0 0 - f o o t h i l l w i t h s k i s a n d p o l e s s t a s h e d i n t h e b a c k t o a v o i d a c c i d e n t s . I n t h e d a y s b e f o r e L i t t l e S k i H i l l , j u m p i n g w a s t h e t h i n g t o d o . T h e s p o r t c a m e t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s w i t h t h e S c a n - d i n a v i a n s . T h e t o w n s e t u p a j u m p o n T i m b e r R i d g e j u s t a b o v e w h a t i s n o w t h e J o h n S t r i n g e r r a n c h o f f L i c k C r e e k R o a d . B o i s e a n s w o u l d f l o c k t o B l a c k w e l l H i l l , a s i t w a s c a l l - e d , b y t h e h u n d r e d s , m a n y o f t h e m j u s t t o w a t c h . A s p e c i a l t r a i n t r a n s p o r t e d t h e m t o a n d f r o m t h e a r e a . I n 1 9 3 6 t o w n s p e o p l e d e c i d e d t h e y n e e d e d a s k i h i l l . A N o r w e g i a n - b o r n f e l l o w b y t h e n a m e o f A l f E n g e n , a f o r e m a n f o r t h e f o r e s t s e r v i c e w h o d i d s p e c i a l a s s i g n m e n t s , w a s i n - v i t e d t o c o m e t o t h e a r e a a n d s e l e c t a l o c a t i o n . H e a n d W a r r e n B r o w n o f B r o w n ' s T i e a n d L u m b e r C o . t o o k o f f o n s k i s t o m a k e t h e s e a r c h . B r o w n ' s h a d r e c e n t l y p u r - c h a s e d t h e l a n d w h e r e L i t t l e S k i H i l l i s t o d a y f r o m B o i s e P a y e t t e L u m b e r C o . E n g e n d e c i d e d t h a t t h e n a t u r a l h i l l s a n d s h o r t d i s t a n c e f r o m t o w n w o u l d s e r v e t h e a r e a w e l l . I n 1 9 3 8 B r o w n ' s d o n a t e d 7 6 a c r e s t o t h e f o r e s t s e r v i c e , w h i c h b u i l t t h e f i r s t l o d g e i n 1 9 3 8 ' 3 9 . I t c o u l d n o t h a v e d o n e s o i f t h e g o v e r n m e n t h a d n o t o w n e d t h e l a n d . E n g e n w a s a s k e d s h o r t l y a f t e r h e c h o s e t h e a r e a i f h e c o u l d r e c o m m e n d a n y b o d y t o r u n t h e h i l l ' s p r o g r a m s . H e r e c o m m e n d e d h i s b r o t h e r , C o r e y , w h o w a s l i v i n g i n S a l t L a k e C i t y a t t h e t i m e . I n D e c e m b e r o f 1 9 3 7 , C o r e y E n g e n m o v e d t o M c C a l l a n d o r g a n i z e d t h e f i r s t s k i p r o - g r a m , g e a r e d f o r a d u l t s a n d c h i l d r e n . W i t h E n g e n ' s a r r i v a l , a r e a s k i e r s s o o n l e a r n e d a n e w s k i l l - - A l p i n e r a c i n g . E n g e n l e a r n - e d h o w t o r u n g a t e s f r o m h i s b r o t h e r , w h o h a d l e a r n e d f r o m t h e A u s t r i a n s a t S u n V a l l e y . S i n c e r u n n i n g g a t e s l o o k e d l e s s d a n g e r o u s t h a n j u m p i n g , ' s o o n m a n y p e o p l e s t o p p e d w a t c h i n g a n d s t a r t e d p a r - t i c i p a t i n g . P e o p l e o f a l l a g e s f r e - q u e n t e d t h e h i l l . Y o u n g s t e r s b a r e l y o l d e n o u g h t o p u t o n t h e i r s k i s w e r e s e e n o n t h e s l o p e s . S n o w b u n n i e s , a s E n g e n c a l l e d t h e m , m a d e t h e r u n s p a r t i a l l y s k i i n g , p a r t i a l l y s l e d d i n g a n d p a r t i a l l y r o l l i n g . " L i t t l e b y l i t t l e w e e n - c o u r a g e d t h e m t o s k i , " s a i d E n g e n . E n g e n r a n t h e c o m m u n i t y o r i e n t e d p r o g r a m u n t i l W o r l d W a r I I w h e n t h e h i l l h a d t o s h u t d o w n i t s s l e d l i f t d u e t o t h e f u e l s h o r t a g e . A j u m p i n g s c a f f o l d h a d b e e n b u i l t j u s t p r i o r t o t h e w a r . A f t e r t h e w a r , B i l l B r o w n , J r . p i c k e d u p t h e p i e c e s o f a d e s e r t e d s k i p r o g r a m a n d s t a r t e d t h e f i r s t M i t e y M i t e p r o g r a m . hill until 1961 when he got in- volved with Brundage. The first T -bar lift began running in 1953. Brown's Tie and Lumber Co. built the lift and installed it with help from the community. The T -bar ran between the jump hill and the first run with the loading area just below the present lodge. Disaster struck the hill right after Christmas, 1954. A fire completely destroyed the lodge along with about 200 pairs of skis. Within 12 hours after the fire, the community worked together to construct a tem- porary warming hut. That but served the hill for the winters / //I y �3 Skiers in front of the Little Ski Hill's first lodge, "Then, that was all the recreation the kids had," said Engen. "I liked to take them out there and get them tired. Then they went home and not up and down the streets." Until the 1950s, four -way competitions -- jumping, slalom, downhill and cross - country -- were what races were made of. From the middle 1950s, peo- ple began to specialize in one or the other. Competition forc- ed them to specialize. "Training became a real burden," said Engen. "To be good, you couldn't train and be that good in all. Some specialized and you had to, too." S,G� I?p,N.d . I �',r3 Warren Brown and Alf Engen pose for picture while out looking for ski hill location. One of the first members of the Mitey Mites, Frank Brown, went on to compete in the 1960 Olympics. The junior program started the same year with both Brown and Mack Miller on the team. Miller specialized in cross - country, and he went on to compete in the 1956 and 1960 Winter Olympics. Mitey Mite and Junior racers began traveling, bring- ing home many first place trophies. In 1951 Corey Engen return- ed to the area after leaving to run Snow Basin ski resort out of Ogden, Utah in 1946. He remained active at the of 1955 and 1956. During that time, communi- ty volunteers and the forest service were building a new lodge. Due to the generousity of Boiseans motivated by Tom Compton of Boise, a truckload of old and new skis arrived at the hill. A flatbed truck or a bus, belonging to Brown's Tie and Lumber Co., arrived at the old school house at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, ready to take youngsters to the hill. They would ski until dark, learning what they could from their instructor. Star-News 2/4/82 A poised Scott McCoid, McCall, just off the jump during last weekend's four-way at the Little Ski Hill. See related story Page B-4. Little Ski Hill is Big on skiing By PETE ZIMOWSKY The Idaho Statesman MCCALL — Skiers from Dartmouth's nordic team went by in perfect stride on the track at the Little Ski Hill just north of McCall. Their arms and legs moved in perfect harmony. The New Hampshire college team was practicing in McCall just before the holidays because of the shortage of snow back East. Soon, a recreational skier passed. Young downhill skiers practiced on a slope near the lodge. Alpine and nordic skiers find the trails and slopes at the Little Ski Hill (officially, the Payette Lakes Ski Area) to their liking. The small, non - profit ski area offers variety — telemark skiing, racing, track skiing and a slope for downhillers. It's the only place around that is specifically geared for track and telemark skiing at an inexpensive price, said Jack Kappas, head of the nordic ski program at the hill. Use of the tracks is $1 per day, which includes one ride up the Little Ski Hill on the T -bar. Season pass is $25. For skiing on the hill, the T -bar price is $6 per day; $75 season pass. (Safety straps — to prevent dangerous "escaped skis" —are required on all cross - country skis while on the hill.) The Little Ski Hill, operated by the Payette Lakes Ski Club, has 15 kilometers of machine - groomed tracks set through rolling /,,, -41 Z 7. :.. ,... Statesman photos by Pete Zimowsky Young downhill skiers get ready in front of lodge meadows and challenging, wooded competition trails. The touring trails are 5 and 10 kilometers and the competition trail is 5 kilometers. A ridge trail offers telemarkers downhill powder skiing. The ski area has a community atmosphere. It operates the T -bar lift for day or night skiing with excellent terrain for practicing telemark and parallel turns on skinny skis. The area also features a fully certified alpine ski school under the direction of Jim Diederich. The school has an extensive ski program for youth through high school, Diederich said. He credits the success of the youth ski program to "a real bunch of concerned people." Lessons are also provided in both track and telemark skiing and day or moonlight tours are available on group or private basis. A ski area is open limited hours in the afternoons and evenings Tuesday through Friday. The Saturday schedule is 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A concession at the lodge provides breakfasts, hot dogs, hamburgers, soups and snacks. The Little Ski Hill is part of McCall's skiing history. In 1937, a sled ski tow was the first "lift" at the hill, according to a short history provided by the club. Two sleds ran concurrently on t/2 -inch cable, each carrying 20 skiers to the top of the 1,200 -foot hill. Skiers had to remove skis and put them in the rear of the sled until they got to the top of the hill. The sleds were operated from 1937 to, 1953, when the T -bar was installed. "Skiing has been a way of life in McCall and a dream come true for a man named Warren Brown," according to the club's information. The Payette Lake Ski Area was set up when Carl Brown, Warren's father, donated 76 acres of land, which he purchased from the Boise Payette Lumber Company in 1938. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the first lodge in 1938 and 1939. The lodge burned in 1954 and was rebuilt in 1955 -56 by townspeople who donated time, labor and money. The ski club's nordic program has hosted such notable competitions as the Junior National Nordic Championships, National Danon Series races and the National Collegiate Ski Association championships. II hosts the Idaho State Telemark Championships annually and is planning the 1983 Payette Lakes Ski Marathon Jan. 28-29. The ski marathon will be a mass start at 9 a.m. Saturday. The course will be a two -lap 25- kilometer loop of double groomed tracks. The Payette Lakes Ski Club actively supports the Mighty -Mite program, which orginated in McCall under the•leadership of Bill Brown, Jr. shortly after World War II and has since been copied around the nation. Many of McCall's Mighty -Mites have become national sPj racing champions and members of 01-4c teams. v vow syf... x� Aw T IV: �ddddsmyl- r- ski club ran a good r� It took an army of McCall area volunteers to keep the Masters Alpine Ski Champion- ships running smoothly. Such things are not easy to come by, but somehow the Payette Lakes Ski Club always manages to come up with the necessary manpower. According to Don Eberle, who co- chaired the race organization along with Brun- dage Mountain's Corey Engen, more than 60 people were working on the hill dur- ing the last two days of the race, Thursday and Friday. Engen had helped bring the event to McCall and supervis- ed the cutting and grooming of the new downhill run almost a year before the race. The run needed more vertical drop to qualify for USSA sanction and Engen found it: The rest was up to the ski club. With the mountain in shape and the invitations out, it was up to Eberle to gather the troops needed to man gate - keeping, hand - timing and paper - shuffling posts. The main race committee were all die -hard ski club volunteers. Ski club president Bob Coats headed up the list with Pat Hardy, Clarice Hess, Gave West, Ann Eberle, Mike Dorris, Patty Boydstun Hovdey, Karen Dorris, Rob Kiesel, Judson Zensic, Bill Dorris, Gene Gans, Hugh Cooke, Jack Kappas, Don Piepkorn, Don Jude, Lydia Hakes, Charlie Brown, Glen Eberle and Rita Lyons all get- ting drafted to take advantage of their specialties. The volunteers that worked under their direction are too numerous to mention. But to give an idea of the number of people it takes, Eberle had 187 free passes to give away and ran out before the week was over. The race jury of technical delegate Nelson Bennet, referee Carl Whitaker, chief of race Don Eberle, assistant referee Mike Dorris, start referee Gene Gans and finish referee Bill Dorris made sure that all squabbles during the week were handled quickly and fairly. Two area businesses made special efforts to help with the race. Payette Lakes Lumber donated the use of their TRS -80 Radio Shack, com- puter. John Bischoff spent countless hours perfecting the program for the machine that Pat Hardy, Clarice Hess and Gaye West used to get results out so fast after each race. High Country Deli and Sand- wich shop, a special friend to area ski racing all year, pro- vided more than 120 -sack lun- ches during the week for the volunteers working on the hillside. "We worked hard," said a tired Gene Gans after Friday's race, "but we had some fun, too." "You haven't been home all week to cook anything," said Terry Hardy, son of race secretary Pat Hardy. That seemed to hold true for a lot of the volunteers who made the 1983 Masters at Brundage such a success with the participants. During an entire week of racing, com- plaints were a hard thing to find. / 9 &5 Take a friend to the slopes this tfeek! n al -*m adventure Taste an and class lessons throughout the season with special locals rates during January. At the Little Ski Hill, a family season pass costs $200, making it attractive family fun for the long McCall winters. An in- dividual season pass costs just $75. Daily lift passes at the club - operated area are $7 per day. Facilities at the Little Ski Hill include a day lodge, poma lift, night skiing and complete Nor- dic touring facilities, including a touring center. Alpine racing instruction for children ages six through 12 is available through the club -run Mitey Mite program coached by Karen Dorris. Coaching fees for the Mitey Mite program are $150 per year for one child and $75 for each additional child. Ski lessons and racing in- struction for even younger skiers is available at the Little Ski Hill through the Jim Diederich Ski School of Mc- Call. A junior ski racing program also is available at the Little Ski Hill. McCall has done well to name itself "Ski Town U.S.A.," mainly because of Brundage Mountain Ski Area and the Lit- tle Ski Hill. Both offer alpine skiing enthusiasts outstanding downhill skiing as well as scenic and uncrowded conditions. Skiers who want a crack at the "steep and deep" in famous Brundage Mountain powder or a relaxing shuss down its smoothly groomed ski trails will once again find the 24- year -old family resort to their liking. Those with youngsters who want the best in ski - racing train- ing, or who have children who are just starting out in the sport of skiing will appreciate the facilities at the Little Ski Hill, located three miles west of Mc- Call on Idaho 55. The Little Hill is operated as a non - profit club by the Payette Lakes Ski Club and provides an inexpensive atmosphere where the whole family can enjoy ski- ing. Brundage Mountain, located only a 15 -minute drive west of the McCall city limits, offers two double -chair lifts, a poma lift and rope tow that service over 1,600 vertical -feet drop of mountain with 16 designated ski runs. To give you an idea of the quality of Brundage snow, here are the 10 -year average snow depths. • November -- 48 inches • December -- 65 inches • January -- 85 inches • February -- 105 inches • March -- 129 inches • April -- 116 inches Considering the high cost of skiing at most Northwest resorts, the rates at Brundage are still a bargain. A family can ski all year long for $525, adults get a season pass for $215, while season pass rates for high school age youths and younger are $115. Daily lift rates are $14 for an all -lifts pass, with a $1 deduc- tion for children under 12. Brundage has a full service ski shop, and Dale Carey's reknowned cafeteria is just right for that hot lunch or after -ski snack. If you are in the mood for lessons, ex- olympian Cory Engen's Brundage Mountain Ski School offers both private PAGE C = -4- -THE STAR NEWS -- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1984 Brundage is brighter but Olympians started on Little Hill By Randall Brooks The Star -News One look at the 60 -meter ski jump at the Little Ski Hill, with its greyed timbered structure silently hoping for its next competitor, tells you the Little Ski Hill has some of McCall's. history behind it. That old ski jump may well be the last of its kind for McCall, but it is a memorial and culmination of the years of dreams, sacrifice and hard work for a group of people who took this rugged winter sport of their ancestors and brought it to life in the West. Although country folk had used the long wooden skis as a method of transportation through McCall's long winters for many years, skiing as a sport probably began with the jumping com- petitions of the early 1900s at Backwell Hill. "You go out to the Stringer house east of the golf course," said Neal Boydstun, a McCall resident who remembers the old town attraction. "Just before, look east and south and you can still see the clearing. It was part of the old Blackwell Ranch." "That's where the first skiing was," agreed Johnny H. Shaw of Riggins, who grew up and still owns a ranch on Boulder Creek Road in Long Valley. "That was the attraction in the old days. They'd take everyone out with a team and sled and jump all day. Photo courtesy Warren and Jayne Brown Lloyd Johnson soars off Blackwell Hill ski jump. "Every once in awhile some hot shot like Alf Engen would come in and give an exhibition," Shaw said. "Shorty Paulson was another one who'd come." That was usually in association with the winter carnival, he explained. Another popular skiing activity he can remember at the yearly carnival was an event call "ski - jouring." "You'd have a long rope tied to the saddle horn on someone's horse," Shaw said. "They'd build up a wooden jump out on the lake and the horse would pull you on your skis." Interest in skiing outgrew the Blackwell Hill and competition was moved in the 1930s out to what is now the present site of the Little Ski Hill on land owned by Carl Brown, Warren Brown's father. Alf Engen, a top ski jumper at the time, was brought in to survey the land and design a ski resort. Development of the area became a community effort to provide economical skiing for local residents of the area. In order to gain U.S. Forest Service participation in the project, Brown deeded the land, which had been bought from the Boise Payette Lumber Com- pany in 1936, to the forest service for use as a ski area. This move, in 1937, allow- ed the forest service legal basis to expend funds on the project, and development was begun in earnest in 1938. Volunteer help cleared the three initial ski runs, and a "Jig- Back" lift was built and installed. Help came from the Works Progess Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. A motor house, storage shed and day lodge were constructed with logs hauled from the Paddy Flat area under the direction of Fred Williams of the forest service. Joe Kasper, then millwright for Brown's Tie and Lumber Co., designed and built the 1200 -foot long lift with it's one -half inch cable and tobaggan -like passenger sleds. Jack Parks was the first lift operator, but Claude Avery took over the lift's operation in 1939 and remembers it well. "It was powered by a big Allis Chalmers motor -- I can't remember what horsepower it was," Avery said. "The sleds were really more like a tobag- gan. It ran up the hill on a cable. There was a big shiv on top, (still visible from the top of the current lift), maybe five or six feet across to take the cable. One sled came up as the other went down. 1 could take a full load up in about seven minutes. "The biggest load you could take up was 22, including their skis," Avery said. "It ran seven days a week -- open at 9 a.m. and closed at 6 p.m. We'd have quite a crowd on weekends." With the facilities for the Payette Lakes Ski Club in place, McCall began its reputation for training national ski- ing champions. Bill Brown Jr. formed the first group of Mitey Mites in the nation at the Little Hill in 1946. The team consisted of Pat Kirby, Allen Smith, Todd Close, Stan Harwood, Frank Brown, Lin Kirby, Ar- chie Willis, Bob Kirk, Bert Armstrong, Don Zimmerman, James Gratton, Brent Anesta and Larry Chalfant. Skiing know -how in those years came principally from Corey Engen, who had learned from his brother, Alf. The Brown's Tie and Lumber Co. bus would pick the kids up at school and take them to the hill every day. Equipment had to change with the times, and in 1953, a platter -type T -bar was constructed at the mill shops out of old mining parts bought by Warren Brown. The T -bar was located between the jump hill and south run with the start- (Continued on Page C -5) ..:Little Hill (Continued from Page C -4) loabing area downhill from the present lodge. "The power was at the top," said Jim Butler, a forest service employee who like many others have spent countless hours repairing Little Ski Hill equipment and water systems. "It had wooden, arch -type towers braced in both direc- tions. Sometimes the cable would hang up and tear down the towers." "The whole community was pretty senstive to the hill," he said. "If a tower went down, it wasn't hard to find a crew to help out." Tragedy struck the Little Ski Hill one night in 1954 when the day lodge burned to the ground. In it were 200 pairs of skis, poles and boots -- the equipment for the entire town. The 1954 Mitey Mite team was the largest in the club's history, according to Shorty Scrogham, and the spirit to rebuild was high. Once more money and lumber came from the sawmill. of the Brown family and the community pitch- ed in to rebuild what is now the present lodge. Claude Avery directed a crew of will- ing workers during 1955 and by 1956 the lodge was finished. The Mitey Mite teams of the late 1950's, stacked with names .like Patty Boydstun, Lyle Nelson, Rex Scrogham, Carlene May, Kenny Strode, Wyman Zachary and Kayseri Nelson, were some of the best the club has ever produced. The platter -type lift was condemned by the forest service in 1968 and the club was forced to purchase a temporary rope tow, which served the hill until 1970. The club began negotiations wttn the Farmer's Home Administration, and fund- raising efforts by the community came up with the minimum requirement to secure an $81,500 loan. The money was used to purchase the present T -bar lift, grooming equipment and other items. The new lift was install- ed in 1971 and the hill reopened to the public that fall. Lighting was installed in 1973 to allow night skiing, and since then various other improvements have been made to the lodge and grooming equipment. Nordic track grooming was added on the hill's 76 -acre site. Since that time, improvements have been made to the lodge and grooming equipment. Equipment to groom Nordic ski tracks has been purchased and recently the old sled lift motorhouse was transformed into a touring center for Nordic skiers by Jack Kappas. The old ski jump still stands overlook- ing Highway 55, a symbol of 41/2 decades of commitment as a community to skiing at the Little Hill. Each year, as Mitey Mites did in the past under great coaches like Bill Brown - Jr., Corey Engen, Jack Numbers and Ray Watkins; the kids look wistfully at the "A" jump. They hope to have a chance someday >at the "Big Hill Club,'.' which used to be the time when your coach said you were ready for the big jump.. The club had to close down the road so the skiers could slow down across the highway, but in those days motorists were more than willing to take the time to watch such a feat as Alf Engen's record jump, an astounding 211 feet. 3' !,.Members of the 1984 Mini -Mite program, ,*. - m ,coached by Jim Diederich and Jock Eberle. w ;The program is preliminary to the Mitey Mites °program but is non - competitive. The pro- 8, included three days of instruction per week. The young skiers were taught the disciplines needed to become more efficient at the sport. Members of the group, posing at the Little Ski STAR- NEWS -- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1984 iu119 IMAuucu. k1rl l W r1g111J lour r uerle, age 4; Inga Scott, age 5; John May, age 5; Nick Loveless, age 6; Karilyn Albrechtsen, age 6; and Theodore Eberle, age 6. Not pictured is Jarad Howard, age 5. 72 young skiers- cpmpete at McCall By KATHY MULLEN Special to The Idaho Statesman MCCALL — Idaho's heartland was host to 72 young skiers over the weekend at the 1985 Idaho State Mitey Mite Championship. The two-day event at Little Ski Hill on the outskirts of McCall in- cluded slalom and giant slalom competitive races, jumping and cross - country skiing. Race chairman Bob Coats, New Meadows, said that since its in- ception in 1944, Idaho's non -)rofit Mitey Mite organization has en- abled young ski buffs to pursue competitive skiing. Raleigh and Linda Jensen, Boise, who have had four children in the Mitey Mite organization, said they thought their children had benefited from their partici- pation. "It's been a good experi- ence for them. In addition to meeting lifelong friends, the kids get an opportunity to be it,. a com- petitive situation and learn how to Results, Page 313 lose and how to win. I think that's an important part of life," Ra- leigh Jensen said. Another parent, Jim Newcomb, McCall, said that sometimes chil- dren have so much fun they forget about the race. "They have a tendency to drive their parents nuts because they go off some- where and get enjoying them- selves and forget about the race," Newcomb said. "They don't get very nervous about the competi- tion. They just have fun. Anyway, it's good, clean fun." The invitational competition was made up of ski teams from four clubs representing Boise, McCall, Sandpoint and the Kel- logg- Wallace area. Girls and boys ages 6 to 13 competed, with A and B teams designated for each, ac- cording to ability levels. Trophies were awarded to the top five finishers in the A team and to the top three finishers in the B team for slalom and giant slalom races. The two-run slalom race Satur- day netted six trophies for mem- bers of the Bogus Basin Ski Club, five for the Silver Valley Racing Team from the Kellogg - Wallace area, four for the Payette Lakes Ski Club of McCall, and one for the Schweitzer Ski Racers Associ- ation of Sandpoint. Sunday's giant slalom event, also a combination of two runs, garnered five more trophies for the Bogus Basin Ski Club, four each for the Silver Valley and Schweitzer clubs, and three for the Payette Lakes Ski Club. In addition to the individual tro- phies, the Mitey Mites' coveted perpetual team trophy was awarded to the A team that accu- mulated the highest number of points, computed under the World Cup point system. This year and for the third - consecutive year, the Payette Lakes Ski Club walked away with that award. Six - year -old Jarad Howard of McCall watched his final score for the giant slalom event as it was posted. He urgently asked his mother whether he had beaten the time of his friend Josh Mann of McCall. When told that Josh had fallen, Jarad disappointedly said, "Oh, that's too bad," but couldn't help adding, "But did I beat him ?" Jarad's second run score of 48.97 was well below first - place winner John Patriarche's time of 37.08, but with three years of skiing already behind him, Jarad may be an awesome oppo- nent in the years ahead. And that's just how Patriarche described his feelings when he discovered he was the boys' B team winner. "Awesome," he ex- claimed to a friend. "It just feels awesome." ette Lakes s crown Whey Mltg$� OS � LL — Payette Lakes Ski Aured the Idaho State Sites ski championship .nd Shane McCall, of the iship team, nabbed the i title for the two days. Valley Racing Team memoer Sharman Murray was named the girls combined winner out of the meet. Saturday's slalom GIRLS A team — 1. Sharman Murray (Silver Val. ley Racing Team) 93.97; 2. Jennifer King (Bogus Basin Ski Club) 95.89; 3. Jackie Klind (Payette Lakes Ski Club) 96.05. B team — 1. Stephanie Hopper (BB) 104.98; 2. Angie De(n- hardt (SV) 110.10; 3. Tisha Scudder (SV) 114.18. BOYS Ch dtM Cormickha(Schweiia1er(PL Ski Racers Assoc.) 89.46; 3. John King (BB) 90.49. B team — 1. Ethan Johnson (BB) 96.93; 2. John Potri- orche (BB) 103.88; 3. Brad Perkins (BB) 104.25. Sunday's giant slalom GIRLS 2. Heather Petersonn(SVM74.86; 3. Jennifer King (BB) 75.69. BOYS Shane McCalll(PLI) 69.98; 3. Miller Cu(PV) s 68.57; (SS) 70.84. Girls Combined Award: Sharman Murray, Silver Volley Racing Team. Boys Combined Awards: Shane McCall, Payette Lakes Ski Club. ����a r - N e w - S P h o t o b y R a n d a l l B r o o k s S t e v e r i t t a p e s P a y e t t e L a k e s S k i C l u b m e m b e r J u d s o n Z e n z i c , a b o v e , d i d n ' t l e t a s p e c t a c u l a r c r a s h a n d e q u i p m e n t f a i l u r e d e t e r h i m f r o m f i n i s h i n g h i s r a c e a t t h e a n n u a l " K i n g o f t h e H i l l " c o m p e t i t i o n S a t u r d a y . Z e n z i c r a n t h e g a t e s a t t h e L i t t l e S k i H i l l i n a m o s t d r a m a t i c s t y l e , f i n i s h i n g b y r i d i n g h i s s k i a c r o s s t h e f i n i s h l i n e . W h i l e t h e e f f o r t d r e w a p p l a u s e , i t w a s S c o t t W a s s o n ' s s t e a d y t w o - r u n p e r f o r m a n c e t h a t c r o w n e d h i m a s t o p a l p i n e c o m p e t i t o r . W a s s o n u n s e a t e d f o r m e r c h a m p i o n P a u l M a n n , w h o l o s t a s k i o n h i s s e c o n d r u n a n d f i n i s h e d t h e r a c e o n j u s t o n e s k i . E v e n t h o u g h Z e n z i c d i d n ' t w i n a n y o f s e v e r a l p r i z e s d o n a t e d b y a r e a m e r c h a n t s , h i s f a m i l y d i d b e t t e r f o r t h e d a y . H i s w i f e , P a t , w a s t h e w o m e n ' s c h a m p t h i s y e a r o v e r D o r i s M a y i n t w o c l o s e r a c e s , w h i l e s o n J o s h t o o k t h e 1 4 y e a r s - a n d - u n d e r c h i l d r e n ' s t i t l e . O t h e r w i n n e r s i n c l u d e d M a t t W h i t m a n , e x p e r t t e l e m a r k ; R a n d a l l B r o o k s , n o v i c e t e l e m a r k ; S t e v e S p i t z , n o v i c e s l a l o m ; a n d J o s h M a n n , 7 y e a r s - a n d - u n d e r s l a l o m . T h e a n n u a l f u n r a c e r a i s e d $ 1 6 0 f o r t h e P a y e t t e L a k e s S k i C l u b t o h e l p w i t h o p e r a t i n g c o s t s f o r t h e L i t t l e H i l l . Ski club to hold vote Despite the onslaught of sunny weather, the Payette Lakes Ski Club plans to close the Little Ski Hill on March 31. However, - there's still some interesting ac- tivities coming up, according to Payette Lakes Ski Club board member Pat Zenzic. Only one ski race remains on the club schedule, the always popular April Craze ski race. The race is scheduled for the closing weekend, April 13 -14, at the Brundage Mountain Ski Area. Besides closing out the ski year with a locals race and .party, the activity is traditionally the top fund - raising activity sponsored by the ski club. On the business side, a most important event will be the an- nual general board meeting and elections on Tuesday for the non- profit club's 10- member board of directors. That meeting, a must for all those who wish to see the club continue to be able to operate the Little Ski Hill and its youth ski racing activities, has been set to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Shore Lodge. Budgets and activity priorities for the following year will be discussed and an election to replace all 10 members of the board of directors will be held. The new board will assume con- trol of the ski club on June 1 and will be directing its activities for the next skiing season. Important issues facing the ski club are how to deal with past - due taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service, fund - raising to meet ever - increasing expenses. such as lift payments, insurance, and maintenance costs on equip- ment. "We'd like to see some new faces at the meeting," Zenzic said. "We're trying to get more people in the area involved in the Little Hill." 11. Celebrating 50 Yearsl O r =I ; O:.C7 =I;!#: ; Ci: =1=1: = : O: Q :'.O : 'D : WELCOME TO THE LITTLE SKI HILL, this is the 1987 -88 season programs guide. 1 hope Vou enjoV the catalog and take advantage of some of our excellent programs. If Vou are returning for another season to,the area, then welcome back! If Vou have never had exposure to the Little Ski Hill, then you're in for o treat! Not only do we have excellent downhill slopes for beginner, intermediate, alpine and telemork skiers and racers, but with 40 Km of groomed tracks, we manage one of the best cross - country facilitV in the West. Our ski programs ore professionallV designed and staffed with the emphasis on skill development and Fun!! So! Here we are for another season (Our 50th), ready to provide Vou with the facilities and programs, run and supported bV the McColl CommunitV, and designed with fun and education in mind. This Veor you will see a change in the management stVle. The Board of Directors have hired a manager, Dave Markham, to oversee all the programs and facilities. Expect o change for the better, the Ski Hill is getting o face lift. Editor and Publisher: Dove Markham Susan BarneV This Catalog was published by Venture Outdoors. Businesses and organizations wishing to advertise with next Vear's program guide, please Coll (208) 343 -9287 to reserve ad space. OPEN HOUSE!!? We Start Our Regular Opening Hours Schedule This Week Dec. 15 - 20, 1987. DINNERS ($3.50), FREE Ski movies, REDUCED DoV Posses, Door Prizes, $3.50 Dinners, Equipment maintenance and Repair Demonstrations (8 p.m. Wed. thru Fri.). Most the Staff, get information about Ski School, and Racing Programs. Season Lift Pass and Locker Sign -Ups, meet the Staff at the Hill. This Veor at the Little Ski Hill our first opening week will be dedicated to getting to know Vou, our patrons. Its also o chance for you -oll to get to know the staff that run the Ski Hill, Manager, Coaches, Instructors, lift and maintenance. So gather up Vour fomilV and friends and come on out to meet the staff and while Vou're at it have a great meal!! OPENING HOURS AT THE SKI HILL TuesdoVs and ThursdoVs 3 P.M. t i l 6 P.M. Wednesdays and FridaVs: Noon til 10 p.m. Saturdays: 10 a.m. til 10 P.M. SundoVs: 10 a.m. til 6 p.m. (208) 634 -5691 'FOR SALE" SEASON PASSES BuV Individual and Family Season Posses through JanuorV. Gift Certificates are available at the area. Ski onV time the area is open, day or night, for onV amount of time. The cost of season passes have not increased this Vear. No lift ticket lines, Vou go directly to the lifts. An individual starts saving after onlV 11 days of skiing!! REMEMBER, Season passes are available for sale through the end of JanuorV. SEASON PASSES available through JanuorV 31 Alpine DoV /Night Individual S 90 Alpine DaV /Night Fami1V 5240 Cross - Country Individual $50 Cross - Country FamilV $100 DAY PASSES Doi IV 10 a.m. to 10 P.M. �8 Night Pass G P.M. to 10 P.M. �d HalfdoV 1 p.m. to 5 P.M. S6 Racers RacedoV Pass $5 Seniors 65 and older (Alpine) S5 X- CountrV 40 KM Trail Pass S4 Seniors 65 and older (X -C) $2 LOCKCRS FOR RENT Small Lockers $25 Large Lockers S35 To qua I i f V for o f am i I V pass a l l participants must be Iega11V dependent children under the age of 18 from the some household. A .Is ABOUT THE SKI SCHOOL Dave Markham, Director The instructor staff at the Little Ski Hill has been hand picked from the McCall community. Although the majoritV of classes address the needs of the beginner, our school provides the opportunitV for developing a wide range of Intermediate /Advanced skills. We also provide both Alpine and cross - CountrV racing classes and clinics, In fact our racing team has been in existance since 1944, and is still consistantlV winning. THAT' --' 44 YEARS THIS SEASON!! Our Cross - Country Slki School is one of the most qualified in the Pacific Northwest. Staffed bV Certified instructors, theV are very eager to start or develop Vour skiing abilities for Traditional (diagonal stride), FreestVle (skating) and Telemark skiing. This winter the Cross - CountrV school will offer a BackcountrV Skiing series, including clinics for equipment maintenance and repair, Telemark, winter shelters, avalanche primer, and a great deal of winter stVle COMMON SENSE! Member School Professional Ski Instructors of America. Sportswear Gifts Antiques 634 -8268 501 Line St Mountain donkey Mess McCall •Idaho o;o:ol77,==: = o:c;:=i:a,:c:o IMASSAGE•WORKS 441 Main to the Belgravia Bldg. LeeAnn Garton IMA, IMF Certified Massage Therapist 336 -1009 Gift Certificates Available e�■ C� ■ea.ee�ee.e�at>�����e�.ee.�e.�e ONE HOUR PROCESSING f-ST OP Complete Camera a Store Open Mon — Sat PHONE 634 -5887 Next to the Post Office in McCall ■ GJ■ EI. E�J ■�.��.QaJ.�aJ�E'd.EeJ.LsSAE�. ■ Home of the Famous Lardo Burgers and Fries Also Featuring Italian Cuisine D *Spaghetti *Fettucini li SALOON_.. M, *Lasagne IDAU� Steaks *Prim eRib *Sealood Restaurant Hours 11:30am- 1C:00pm Cocktails served 11:30cm- 2:00am Seven Days A Week "We support The Little Ski Hill" 000 Lake St, To Go Orders (200) C34 -0101 Across from Shore Lodge HAWKLIN SECURITIES CORPORATION Listed Securities Municipal Bonds Unlisted Securities Corporate Bonds Tax Investments Options Mutual Funds MEMBER NATIONAL ASSOC. SECURITIES DEALERS MEMBER S 1 P C CORPORATE OFFICES 311 EAST LAKE STREET McCALL ( 634 -8171 PRINCIPLE OFFICES • IDAHO • WASHINGTON • OREGON • CALIFORNIA *NEVADA L.oteine Boots: Expert Shoe & Whites - tt — b M G � SMa? Boot Repair Hethorne = Buffalos - - =° 71 Tack Repair Winter Pacss Grizzlys Sorels Custom LAmther Work ROCKY 6 DIANE McCall, Idaho (208) s34 -7442 Hourst Tues -Fri: Sao- -bpm Set 9e2-2pm Closed Mondays rvv Vvvvvvvvvry Vvvvv. w. .......�..�..��................ SCHEDULE This is the year to start, or dust to get those basic end advanced skills in focus. ALL CLASSES are subject to a minimum enrollment of 5 participants and registration must be completed before class. Alpine Starter Programs Thursday Kids Day (Ages 6 -17), 3;30 -5:30, 8 Hrs. $24.00. (4 weeks) Starting Dates: Jan. 7, Feb. 4, March 3. ALL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS SUBJECT TO A MINIMUM ENROLLMENT OF 5 PARTICIPANTS. Please register before clauses. Adult Racing - Pole Bashers/Rut Dashers To discover a new pleasure, to accelerate your progress, to "measure" your of fec iency, get a taste of racing. Designed for the beginner skiers, or those Designed for the recreational racers or that have never skied before. With an those that are interested in trylnp their emphasis on patience while learning basic hand (and foot) at it. skills. Alpine Development Programs These Intermediate classes will change you from a skidder to a glider, With a focus on controlled skiing, to help you master different snow conditions and terrain. Programed Classes are offered on Weekends and during the week throughout the season, Check out the following schedule: Adult /Juniors; (4 weeks) Saturday or Suidoy - 8 Hrs $24.00 Alpine Starter Classes are from 10o.m. to noon Alpine Development Classes are from 1 -3 P. M. Weekend Starting Dates: First Session; January 2nd or 3rd Second Session; January 30th or 31st Third Session; February 27th or 28th Tuesday Seniors Doy (Age 600), 3:30 -5:30, 8 Hrs $18.00. Starting Dates: Jan. 5, and Feb. 2 (no lift ticket required) Wednesday Ladies Day 1- 3p.m., 8 Hr., $24.00 (4 weeks) Starting Dates: Dec. 30, Jan. 27, Feb. 24. Pre - School Classes are offered during Wednesday Ladies Day sessions and Saturdays. These sessions are packed full of fun and frolicking, designed to make your child feel comfortable while learning new motor skills. Wednesday Night Sessions (Ages 180), 7 -9 p. m. 8 Hrs. $32.00 (4 weeks), Starting Dates: Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 2. �. ♦.�.o.o.o_ ono.♦.♦.♦. �. �. o_ o .o.o.o. ♦- �. ♦.�. ♦.o.o.o•o- o -�.�, • OUTDOOR CLOTHING • 0 0 for the o ® TRADING COMPANY OUTDOOR ♦ �LOTIIIM1G ADVENTURESOME SPIRIT • • P.O. Box 1263 McCall, ID 83638 (208)634 -8475 =♦-♦- o- o- o- o- o-♦-*-•-♦-•- o- o- o- o- o- •- •- ♦- •- ♦- o- o- o- o- o.♦ -*- RAY, MARIA t: ANNA WELCOME YOU MARIA'S HOME STYLE COOKED MEXICAN FOOD HEARTLAND'S TRADITIONAL MEXICAN RFSTUARANT 634 -7436 iOME OF THE FIESTA GRANDE MARGARITA (16 3 /4oz) 319 N. 3rd Box 4057 McCall. Idaho 83638 Nordic Classes RLL CLASSES AND WORF1SH0PS SUBJECT TO A MINIMUM OF 5 PARTICIPANTS. Please register before class. Lunch special, includes a lesson, an excellent lunch with a drink, and a trail pass. The lunch special mov be used with any of the half daV lessons. S18.S0 Starter Lessons 9:30a.m. -noon 512.50 Interm. /Advanced 1 -3 p.m. $12.50 (Skating S Traditional) Telemark Starter (10a.m. /roan) 512.50 For beginners or those that would like a review of the basics. Telemark clinics (1 -3 p.m.) $15.00 Lock into more advanced skills with these half day workshops. Skiers should already have basic skills. Dates for Telemark Clinics and Starter Lessors: Dec . 27, Jan. 3, 9, Feb. 6, 20, March S. Wednesdav night introductory class. Starts at 6 p.m. and onIV cost $3.00. Telemark Racing (4 week session) This wlednesdaV night special will be run in conjunction with the alpine racing series but with different coaches, and courses. Emphasis will aim towards racing skills but Vou'll be surprised what it will do for Vour everVdaV skiing. Wilderness Skiing Series This clinic series is designed to increase skills and safety awareness for skiers that use our bockcountrV. Participants are expected to have some skiing experience for the on -snow clinics. Anyone can attend the in -house lectures and workshops. Topics to be covered in the lectures and on the outings include: Equipment Maintenance/Repair, BackcountrV ski equipment (state of the art), Shelter Construction, Route Selection, Navigation and Leadership, Telemark and Touring with a Pack. A11 classes and trips will be conducted bV Expert Field Technicians and Instructors. This instructional series is open to all levels of skiers, backcountrV hikers and backpackers, or Just anyone that is interested in learning or expanding their sport of skiing. Evening lectures conducted on ThursdaVs, on snow workshops will be an the weekends. Optional local weekend camping trips will be scheJuIad. Dates: Evening classes 7 -10 p.m., Field Workshops 10o.m. to 2p.m. Cost of the entire Wilderness Series package, all the classes and workshops. $45.00. Classes are also priced individualiv below. Equipment Maintenance/Repair and waxing Jan. 7. Cost $4.50 at the door. BackcountrV ski equipment, an overview of the stuff that's needed for those outdoor camping winter holidoVs. The best (state of the art) and some of the worst that's offered today. Jan. 28. Cost S4.SO at the door. X -C ova i year CHR 19 1 of Hou inq SKI a nl Route Selection, Navigation, Leadership H1 a Roger A. Bauman ai Feb. 4th Field Trip Feb. 7. Cost 518.50, Personal Financial Planner D �� Snow Shelters Construction: Field Workshop W An Armf"n Express comparry 1111 Feb 21, S I S. 00 p a1 w ME ®wi Overnight Camp -out March 12 -13 a1 emerald, Suite 108 iBois ■1 300 Lenora An excellent waV to introduce Vourself to M Bois e, Id. 8.3704 " 1`icCall Id. 83638 winter camping the easV w aV . Prerequisite r (208) 3-/7-1900 21 (208) 634 -2100 21 attendance of the Jan. 28 arvJ Feb, 21 ■ workshops and permission from the ■ �1 instructor. Cost S15.00 X -C ova i year CHR 19 1 of Hou inq SKI a nl I that For the to th a f is Iry �� X -C WAXES and ACCESSORIES will be available for sale at the lodge this year for your convenience. CHRISTMAS PACKAGES Information available at the Open House, Dec. 15 -20. Come see us and inquire! (208) 634.2036 MUSIC PEOPLE LIFE PLAYS BETTER WITH MUSIC Box 1247 SKIP TAYLOR 201 PARK STREET OWNER MCCALL. ID 83638 J a f, S le o�ge ON THE SHORES OF BEAUTIFUL PAYETTE LAKE Deluxe Lakeside Accommodations - 100 Rooms Heated Pool, Tennis, Boat Dock Coffee Shop, Restaurant, Bar BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND SUPPER A DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE ON OUR OUTSIDE PATIOS FRIDAY FAMILY AFFAIR Bring the whole family to ski the Little Ski Hill for our Friday night extravaganza. First of all, skip dinner, we'll provide you with a wholesome meal that won't leave holes in your pockets (53.50 per person). Next, clip on the ski equipment and slide your gang over to the lift and ski the night away. Tickets are half price, for two or more skiers. Oh by the way, if you have any beginners in the group, lessons are two ($2) bucks a class. (Class must have at least 5 participants to qualify). The Shore Lodge is Central Idaho's largest year - round vacation and convention center. Situated on 1,000 feet of lake front, it offers a most relaxed at- mosphere. In winter, its close proximity to Brundage Mountain make it an ideal place for your winter vacation or retreat. S�1 FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 208.634 -2244 or 7 TOLL FREE IN IDAHO:14WO- 354 -8271 ge Write P.O.BOX 1006 McCall, Idaho 83638 LPINE INSURANCE AND R. E. APPRAISAL sikk 8 6oak4 305 E. Pa-k su_ 0� 2 (2M) 634 -2141 o`.d.t.c.e nc,eaf4, 7dako (208)634 -2000 kooke. 1*0=�: ,x PAYETTE LAKES SKI (MARATHON Jock Koppas In the early light of down on January 25, 1999 an estimated crowd of over 200 eager cross - country skiers from all over the Western United States will be gathering at McCall's historic "Little Ski Hill" busily waxing skis, stretching tight muscles in fast looking Lycro racing suits, adjusting their numbered bibs and pole straps, all in preperotion for the starting gun of this winter's 6th annual PoVette Lakes Ski Marathon. This Nordic event is hosted by the Payette Lakes Ski Club and the McColl memorial Hospital. The Ski Club will be celebrating 50 years of promoting fun and competitive skiing this winter, while McCall's hospital has o working philosophy of community health maintenance through participation in "life Time Sports.' Through the hard volunteer work of these two host organizations, the ski Marathon has grown in popularity every year and now is part of the exciting Mountain Bell Ski Classic Series. The Mountain Bell Series consists of three races: First, the Port Neuf Volley classic at Pocatello on January 9th, then the Payette Lakes Ski Marathon, followed by the the Boulder Mountain Tour in Ketchum on FebuarV 6th. More then o thousand cross - country skiers are expected to take part in the three race series. In addition to the Mountain Bell Series, this Vear the PoVette Lakes Ski Marathon will be co- sponsored bV Solomon of North America, and the Fischer /Solomon factory race team will run a race clinic for the interested public on Friday afternoon the daV before the marathon. a; a: a: a; a: a: a: e�i: a;: a:; a:, a: �a:; a; �aaa:, a: �a:! a:; a :�a:Ia:o:,a:,a;a:,a:;Q:a:,o:a.a .g The Ski marathon is held in late JonuarV each Vear when the snow conditions are usually at there best. Highlights of previous races include the professionally groomed course, weeks of pre -race packing make for hard, fast snow conditions. The course consists of a 2SKM loop (groomed wide enough to accommodate skaters as well as traditional diagonal striding skiers) winding its waV through aspen groves , rolling open meadows and steep wooded trolls. It is one of the "premiere" cross - countrV ski courses in the countrV. Skie +rs have o choice of skiing the fast paced 25 Km event, or completing two lops for the long distance 50 Km race, or just entering the touring class, the latter, Vou can cruise along at your own pace, enjoying the natural beauty of the area and the onlV thing Vou "ll miss is a recorded time at the end. Pampering aid stations are located strotegicallV along the course, manned bV McCall locals, with refreshments and plenty of admiration. Not all the fun happens out on the course, traditionally, the evening prior to the marathon, a delicious posto dinner with live fiddle music is held for the race entrants and their friends. Also post marathon videos, race briefing, stratigV, and course information will round out the evening before the race. After the race, most of the skiers drag their tired bodies down to Zims Hot Springs for a free, well deserved, healthV hot sook. Then later that evening everVone involved ( skiers, timers, aid station helpers and other volunteers) gather at McCall's Shore Lodge for beverages and refreshments and the grand awards portV hosted bV Solomon of North Americo. So, no matter what Vour skiing c Lakes Ski Marathon's contagious back to McCall's Little Ski Hill countrV skiing in the West. r competitive level, the PaVetts enthusiasm will keep Vou coming for some of the best cross- jMCCALL OFFSET PRINTINGII PRINTING TYPESETTING & GRAPHIC DESIG & LAYOUT= FOR ALL YOUR PRINTING ADVERTISING NEEDS 634 -5850 QUALITY AND COURTEOUS SERVICE 305 PARK ST • P O 1676 • MCCALL, ID 83638 LOCATED NEXT TO WALL DNU6 6TONI Novi* prlo•d rosters 50C and up Memorabilia MO���� open 7 Days SCUIRCIE A Nook Onn•r A11 ■ov1•s LISA MOHL<R for sale pox 1S8 o HoCall, Id. 83636 200 -634 -2826 VACATIONS Condo and Cabin rentals All with complete kitchen sleep 2 to 10 people Largest selection Best rates Ski Packages, too! 208 - 634 -7056 Good News McCall! AFFILIATE OF MCORF FINANCIAL GROUP If you have a card issued with any ATM network shown below, you can now access your accounts on the new AWARD automated teller machine at Idaho First. It's easy and it's quick. Just come by our convenient location at 905 N. 2nd. a /T/NSTi1NT TELLER^ WIN FEN_ ERATION Unlimited Concepts in Fashion 310 E. Lake Street McCall, Idaho 83638 10-6 M - F (208) 634 -2692 12 -5 Sun. A BIG THANKS!! The little Ski Hill would like to thank all it's past and present supporters, the advertisers in this publication, Brundage mountain, and especiallV the volunteersl! Without this support The Little Ski Hill would not be enjoying it's 50th Vear. On to the next glorious 50 Veors!! Rz ~ J z r(` CHRISTMAS PACKAGES! Special sessions for kids, and adults, alpine and cross - country. Information and sign-up for these HolidoV Fun Sessions will start during "Open House Week ". DRY CARE will be available for skiers using the Ski Area this Vear for Vour convenience. I <3 TCIIEN GIFTS 13011115 NI IN IA TURF ) � THE COUNTRY CLOSET HANDCRAFTED GIFTS I 11AK @:S 104 I.ENORA. SUITE NO. 4 �.08 -634 -284:3 NIcCALL. IDAHO 8:36 :38 - hloM's Cafe & j4par tments WHEN YOU CAN'T EAT AT HOME EAT AT MOM'S Rik, $1.99 BREAKFAST i '� SPECIALS ! ! Open 5:30 am to 8:30 pm. EVERYDAY Located across from Shore Lodge. JUNIOR RACING PROGRAM Now in its 44th year and still winning!! This year our programs will host new coaches, hand picked from McCall`s local talent pool. Come and most the staff and sign up all the kids for the best season of racing ever! Training schedule will start Dec. 15 and provide 4 days of Alpine skiing and 1 day of nordic race training through the march. Saturday will again be the weekend training day with Sunday open for free skiing. Junior Class /mitey mite class structure: TkenapeWk Put Number 1 to work for you" Wtaooma' J -6 Ages 4 -7 Cost $100. J -S Ages 8 -9 Cost $100. J -4 Ages 10 -11 Cost SiSO. J -3 Apes 12 -13 Cost S1SO. This year there will be 7 races available to attend with 2 in MccoII. Parents and kids gunge their own committment REMEMBER!! Lift posses are not included in the price of the coaching fees and will have to be purchased seperately. Kids Pass is 590. for the season. "SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS" A NORDIC TERM is forming for all kids that would like to specialize in Nordic Racing. This Cross- Country Racing Team will hove its own training schedule and coaching staff. All interested kids through high school _age should inquire at The Little Ski Hill for additional information. OCo ta,r llt( 1 A�y .a .t McCALL DRUG under new ownership! exciting new merchandise! complete line of: - sundries - cosmetics -toys -gifts - jewelry -film - Hallmark products 10% off all merchandise - excluding pharmaceuticals - expires Jan. 15th, 1988 McCall Drug 2nd & Lenora McCall, Id. 634 -2433 Farms & Ranches TkenapeWk Put Number 1 to work for you" Wtaooma' Sports Massage ry, - - -M .2 Swedish Massactc Commercial Rc Ilerology 634 -5121. 634 -2415 P.O. 1 1. 9e McCall ive Lots & Acreages 1121 Lake Shore Drive A(Upi- cssure CARL A DONICA 634 -8685 Massage Therapist McCall. Idaho McCALL DRUG under new ownership! exciting new merchandise! complete line of: - sundries - cosmetics -toys -gifts - jewelry -film - Hallmark products 10% off all merchandise - excluding pharmaceuticals - expires Jan. 15th, 1988 McCall Drug 2nd & Lenora McCall, Id. 634 -2433 Farms & Ranches Lake Front Put Number 1 to work for you" Residential ry, - - -M .2 Commercial AA REALTORS 634 -5121. 634 -2415 P.O. 1 1. 9e McCall ive Lots & Acreages 1121 Lake Shore Drive x.1487 Century 21 Real Estate Corporation as trustee for the NAF nand"— trademarks of Center% 21 Real Estate Corporation. Egeal Housing Opl,ortunity 0 FACII OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERAIED. J01 Th cry adl or cr Pa it me st m< dt SI JOIN THE BILL KOEH YOUTH SKI LEAGUE! This developmental program for cross - country skiing and ski dumping administered bV the USSR, is goal oriented to teach children that cross - country skiing is fun. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!! Parents, kids, seniors, or anyone interested in participating in our many races, fund raises, benefit s etc.. we relV on Vour help to put on most of these events. Please come down and sign -up or call THE Little Ski Hill BUS SHUTTLE from McCall- DonnellV ElementarV will be provided to The Little Ski Hill again this Veor, YAHOOII 4 Ala . established 1982 innovative, upscale northwest cuisine BREAKFAST LUNCH * DINNER � 634 -8477 j� 1134 E. Lake St. e McCall, Id. j. y REGISTRATION mail To: Little Ski Hill P.O. Box 442 McCall, Id. 33639 (209) 634 -5691 Name: Address: City: State: Zip: DoV Phone: Evening Phone: Class Title Dates Fee l O:O:O:D'::O,:O:A O': O;. C': C: CfG.: C: C:=:1 =:!=:1 © fl= ':O.Q..O:C.:O:C:O:=11= O'.0 TELEMARK TALES Wednesday night is °TEIE' night. Throughout the season Telemark Skiers will be given a half price ticket to ride on Wednesdays. After purchasing your ticket, you need only wear your telemark gear when you ride the lift to take advantage of this program. In addition ski classes will be offered for beginning and intermediate levels for a more $3. So if you like to Telemark Ski, or want to just check it out, RESERVE WEDNESDAY NIGHTS!! Ski classes are subject to a minimum sign -up of 5 participants. 15 r (\ 6 1LR TTLE 5 1 HILL j� Ij jI}I jII�' jI�[ /j�j Ij I� Moorehead SR /\,l Y- 1; ,iJ —q� LL S 1 Y 1 1 , Flat i f % — f- - - - -- 5063. I \ ;ifrni No[zTHefz. l l'e'or to K I t7 I f I ?stir -o c7(t, e-I U til►� , J --- G4:11-1 Pr- -TIT101.1e- 01JftsEz_ I0K I / 35 pI&P 5<.MP:-0o `; ) J S , .t 't .... p �Fi E �R- Oo►�1F� TF?- of LS t I V ERj', I Roc I� Flat Fk \ i op ■ - I I ID rl LODGE FI I II X5353 ;�NS1 '— �„ 1m 44 1 rearm■ 3 e vim! xnr,- -- X52r7 Yo I? 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Box 442 McCall, Id. 83638 (208)- 634 -5691 c7-4N4012 , % 19"7 �a- Douglas Gundlach of Schweitzer Basin shaves gate during Slalo cT4 MN I� R f, 71 19 ,f7 McCall skiers do well at De/VrNy BY PENNY EBERLE For The Star -News Worries about a lack of snow for last weekend's Slalom Derby were quickly dispelled when racers awoke on Saturday morn- ing to heavy snowfall and winds. Altough some of the com- petitors termed Saturday's weather as "miserable," more than 80 young men and women from all over the Northwest turn- ed out to compete in the two -day race held at Brundage Mountain Ski Area. Two runs on different courses were held each day, and the racers gave the onlookers some real thrills as they watched the skiers trying their utmost to stay upright through some nasty ruts and bumps. The race was sponsored by the Payette Lakes Ski Club and KMCL radio. McCall skiers had an excellent weekend, including some former McCall racers who are now away attending college. Michael Miller took first place Saturday in the J2 division and 13th overall. Shane McCall also took first place in the J3 division for both days. McCall's Jackie Klind had the race of her life Saturday, placing first in the J3s and third Place overall. Also skiing well for McCall was Michele Miller, Nick Howard, Darren Coats and Cur- tis Hitchcock. This was also the first race for some new faces to the McCall Junior Team, and they showed great potential. This year there are seven youngsters from the Ontario, Ore., area who are coming up on the weekends and holidays to train with the rest of the junior team and helping to swell their numbers. Kim Cruser is one of these students, and she placed 14th in her first race of her life. Others who did well included Baeu Anderson, Ryan and Kelli Gen- try, Tucker and Clancy Anderson. and Rolf and Jeff Snyder. All members of the McCall Junior Team are coached by Mike Dor- ris. Also among the competitors was Joey Herrick, a former junior team member who now skis for the College of Idaho. He finished in fifth place overall on Saturday's run. Erik Coats, who is attending Montana State University, also placed well. A group of about 60 students from Washington State Universi- ty happened to be in town last week. Some competed in the Slalom Derby and some acted as gatekeepers for the race. The students are in McCall for train- ing and time trials so that their coaches can pick the college ski team. ,S7'�42 /l/r- 4/1S 1 140 Buckeye Jonesr From the Sidelines Little Hill opens runs After what had been a rather dismal start to the skiing season, Ski Town U.S.A. was back in full bloom over the holidays. In every aspect, McCall looked like the ski town it claims to be — a legitimate claim I always like to see trailing the town's name. Hopefully, it won't drop from sight like the "Famous Potatoes" slogan did from our licence plates. Record crowds flooded the Brundage Mountain Ski Area for the Christmas holidays because we had the best (actually the on- ly) snow in the area. A whole lot of Bogus Basin skiers hit the slopes of Brundage for the first time ever this year and liked what they saw. A live band at the lodge added a festive touch for the final holiday weekend. y And while races in other parts of the state were being cancelled, the region's top racers in both Nordic and alpine disciplines competed locally in the Slalom Derby at Brundage and the Crystal Visions - sponsored "Race for Diamonds" at Ponderosa State Park. Only the Little Ski Hill con- tinued to suffer from a lack of necessary snowfall, but even that problem has passed as Saturday's storm dumped enough for the Payette Lakes Ski Club to open the hill as of Tuesday. Yes kids, the good news is that the long- awaited opening of the Little Ski Hill is finally here. Mack Miller, a ski club board member, said the hill will be open weekdays from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Night skiing will once again be available each Friday, as the hill will remain open each Friday from 1 P.M. to 10 p.m. Weekend hours are set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices at the club -run hill are $90 for an individual season ticket or $240 for the whole fami- ly. Day rates are $8, with a $6 half -day rate available on weekends and for night skiing. Season pass rates are even a better deal this year because they include the club's Nordic trails, with the bonus this year of being (See "Sidelines," Page A -8) ittle Hill plans 50th year party BY PENNY EBI,RLE�� F or the Star -News _ In the 1937 -38 ski season, the dreams of two McCall men were realized when the slopes at the Lit- tle Ski Hill, three: miles west of McCall, opened to the public for the first time, bringing to the town a facility which would help create a unique skiing tradition that lasts to this day. This year, the Little Hill is celebrating its 50tli anniversary, and a party to celebrate will be held this Saturday at the hill, beginning at noon and lasting until 10 p.m. Many activities acre planned along with a barbecue, refreshments and entertainment The conception of the ski area came from two men, Warren Brown and his father, Carl, who owned and operated the McCall sawmill and logging operations. In 1936, Norweigian native Alf Engen came to McCall to scout a suitable area for a ski hill for the U.S. Forest Service. The site was found and construction begun. Warren Brown asked Engen if he knew of anyone who would be suitable to come and teach at the area. Engen suggested his brother, Corey, who agreed and arrived in McCall in December 1937. He has remained an integral part of Mc- Call's skiing history ever since. Engen was later succeeded by a string of dedicated coaches, includ- ing Bill Brown and Ray Watkins. They all spent countless hours coaching area youngsters at the hill, and to date McCall has been repre- sented by I 1 local skiers in various Winter Olympic games. Among those Olympians are Engen, Mack Miller, Jean Saubert, Frank Brown, Patty Boydstun- Hovdey and Lyle Nelson, who this year competed in Calgary. Numer- ous other athletes have gone on to The U.S. Ski Team and college teams. Since its first season, the hill's operations have been overseen by a volunteer board of directors. The Payette Lakes Ski Club has run the hill as a non - profit organization, and have tried to keep costs of passes and coaching fees minimal. Financial woes have plagued the club over the years. With an operating budget of about $55,000 a year, lift ticket sales provide only a third of that budget. Fund - raisers held throughout the year, and the club's annual ski swap help to make up the balance. A landmark around McCall is the 55 -meter ski jump which tow- ers above the slopes. The jump is not in use today, but it is the only one of its kind still standing in the West. It was the site of the 1973 National Junior Nordic Champi- onships, and it took many of its jumpers, including designer Alf Engen on a 200 -foot ride to where Idaho 55 runs. The Miiey Mite ski team, made up of youngsters aged 13 and under, was developed in McCall, and the Program has spread to other areas. Last year's team won the Idaho state championships. Added amenities to the hill over the years have included the installa- tion of a T -bar lift, increased Nordic trails and more recently a sanctioned biathlon range. The celebrations on Saturday are set to begin at noon and will last until the hill closes at 10 p.m. Six dollars will buy a lift pass good for all day and will include a barbecue with trimmings and refreshments. The cost for a family is $15, and season pass holders will receive a $2 discount. Throughout the day a variety of fun races will be held, including a cross - country race with participants encouraged to wear old- fashioned clothing and equipment. There will also be a treasure hunt on skis and activities for younger children. Alumni races are also planned. At dark, a torchlight parade down the slopes will take place. The pa- rade will be done using flashlights, and everyone is encouraged to take part. Those attending will also be able to ski with an Olympian and pick up some skiing tips. Organizers also hope to have a few surprise events, possibly in- cluding a demonstration by snow - boarders. Over the years the hill has pro- vided local residents and visitors alike, with a unique opportunity to enjoy the sport of skiing. Satur- day's celebrations will be the cul- mination of 50 years of dedication from the many people who have been involved with the Little Ski Hill over the years. Std r lUe w5 Marc A Al. / 9 le7 McCall skiers' win bid at Little Ski Hill races BY PENNY EBERLE For The Star -News Members of the Payette Lakes Ski Club put on another im- pressive performance at last weekend's age -class race at the Little Ski Hill. The race featured skiers in the J3 to J6 age groups, with racers from McCall and Bogus Basin Ski Area competing for top honors. Toll Station Pizza of McCall and IDS - American Express were the sponsors of the four -way race, with the young skiers com- peting in four disciplines of ski- ing. Shaver's provided lunches for all the volunteers. The Little Hill was the location for all the events, with the slalom and Nordic races held on Satur- day, and the giant slalom and jumping held Sunday. McCall skiers Matt Herrick and Jennifer Newcomb, both J4 (11 and under) class racers, cap- tured the combined awards that proved them to be the top athletes of the weekend. Herrick took first place in all -s shown con - rmances this )laced first in the slalom, i close second .1. )n, McCall's!. my May both t runs in all Nine- year -old Brian Klind, who has been racing in the J4 class against boys two and three' years his senior, had an im- pressive second -place finish in the, slalom, and was among the top five finishers in the other events. Abundant numbers of brothers 1and sisters took part in the race, ' especially in the younger age groups. This should ensure the McCall club large numbers of consistently good skiers in the future. Among the sibling groups tak- ing part were Jason and Mark Nash, Josh, Cody, Shiloah and Muriah Loveless and cousin Spencer La Marche, Jennifer and Craig Newcomb, Tashia and Dane Kerby and Leigh Ann and James Michel. Those racers were joined by Ginny and Wendy Errter, Jimmy 1 and John May, Teddy and Thor Eberle, and Jennifer and Kristin Andrew. Another group of McCall skiers had the chance to try out the race course this weekend, with students of the Payette Lakes Ski School taking part in their first race. Among the ski school students, Kreg and Timmy Breshears, Celeste and Kari Davis all had ex- cellent finishes. Little Adam Mathias even entered the jump- ing competition and tackled the jump like an old pro. Ski hill 4rzii buyout pending BY RANDALL BROOKS The Star -News Six leadership jobs changed hands during an almost de facto election last. week as the 50 -year- old Payette Lakes Ski Club held its annual polling. But most ears at the meeting were tuned for any news of a pro- posed buyout of the club's Little Ski Hill facilities by Brundage Mountain Corp., the operators of Brundage Mountain Ski Area. What they heard from the volunteer club's outgoing board members was that final negotia- tions on details of the manage- ment change with Brundage President Judd DeBoer and ski area manager Cliff 'Lee had not yet taken place because DeBoer had been on vacation. Details on the proposal were still based upon early talks last fall, and both sides this week ask- ed for more time to complete negotiations before the deal can be voted on by club members. More important was news that, despite clearing a nagging $13,300 debt to the Internal Revenue Service this year, the Payette Lakes Ski Club could still owe as much as $25,000 as its fiscal year closes June 1. Included in that figure are two years of late payments for the ski lift, current employee taxes, in- surance and other operating ex- penses, as well as a $5,000 loan from Brundage Mountain last fall that helped pay insurance and other costs so the hill could open this year. Tony Nash, who retires June 1 after two years as ski club presi- dent, said the ski club is short of funds, quoting a checkbook balance of $1,100 and $766 in savings despite increased revenues of almost $20,000 this year, to $83,500. During the night's discussion, board members were almost unanimous in their feelings that the Brundage buyout was the on- ly solution to the spiraling finan- cial burden. /A7 "If we weren't tied into the management, we could use our money to run the programs," said Steve Loveless, who retired after two years as hill operations manager to move to Sandpoint. Another retiring board member, Judson Zenzic, said he worries about some aspects of the management proposal, such as who would control programs at the hill and who would ultimately control the Little Hill's permit with the Payette National Forest. But Zenzic noted that the club needs to be financially responsi- ble. "Each year it gets a little bet- ter, but the debt stays the same," he said. "As much as I'm not in favor of giving up the Little Hill, we've got to do something." Nash said the required vote on Brundage's proposal to take over operation and management of the Little Ski Hill was still several weeks away. "It will be your decision as to whether Brundage takes over or the board remains (in control)," Nash said. Just when that decison will be made will have to wait until board members who are close to the discussion, including Nash, Loveless, Andy Laidlaw and George Klind, can hammer out details of the pact with Brundage. Ski club members also must deal with the U.S. Farmers Home Administration, which loaned the club $81,500 in 1971 to purchase a ski lift and snow - packing machinery. The machinery represents the major assets of the Little Hill operation. Nash estimates the club still owes about $79,000 on the loan because of various refinancing since that time. FHmA representative Stuart Grant was expected to be at Tues- day's meeting of the ski club board of directors to discuss details of its appraisal of the club's facility. Grant also was expected to shed light on how a management takeover by the Brundage Moun- tain Corp. might rid the Little Ski Hill of the burden of part or all of that loan. Despite the discussion of the club's future, there were few takers from a crowd of about 30 people for pcsitions on its board of directors. The April 28 election saw board members Nash, Loveless, Mack Miller and Zenzic decline to serve another term. Staying on will be Laidlaw as secretary, Klind as director of racing pro- grams, and Rose Ferguson as financial advisor. New Meadows representatives of the club led the polling for new board members that will take their posts June 1. Patsy Michel accepted the presidency and Kyle Kerby was elected vice president. Other Meadows Valley representatives included Neal Michel as opera- tions manager, with Tracy Osborn in charge of promotional activities. Elected from McCall were Yvone Ertter as treasurer, with former board member Jack Kap- pas returning as Nordic director. Ski hill futuVxe put into doubt BY TOM GROTE The Star -News The future of the Little Ski Hill, cradle of McCall's ski champions, was in doubt this week with the word that Brun- dage Mountain Ski Area will not take over operations at the area. Brundage Mountain Manager Cliff Lee told members of the Payette Lakes Ski Club board of directors Thursday night that operating the ski hill west of Mc- Call would not be economically worthwhile. The announcement ended negotiations that began last year with Brundage Mountain of- ficials on possible takeover of the financially - ailing ski hill, which is famous for Its youth ski pro- grams that has spawned Olympic skiers. Brundage Mountain's decision leaves in doubt the future of the Little Hill, which has served Mc- Call since 1937, ski club president Patsy Michel said. "Right now It looks pretty grim,' Michel said. The board of the non - profit ski club was scheduled to have met Tuesday to mull options for operating the hill, Michel said. A general meeting of ski club members as well as Interested members of the public has been scheduled to begin at 7 m, next Tuesday at the Little Hill lodge. "I hope we can get a lot of peo- ple to this meeting and help ake some decisions," Michel said. "I'd like to have this be a com- munity decision, and not left up to a few people." In an interview on Monday, Lee said that Brundage Mountain officials looked seriously at tak- ing over the Little Hill opera- tions, but decided against it. A substantial investment would have been needed to bring the facility to the point where it would draw business, he said. The lodge, which is owned by the Payette National Forest, needs new restrooms and other improvements that would cost at least $25,000, Lee said. "It would require a substantial investment, and the revenues just won't support that," he said. rl - /C",7 In addition, Brundage would not be able to afford to hire a separate manager to run the Lit- tle Hill, meaning its existing management would be spread too thin, he said. If the Little Hill is not able to open this winter, Brundage Mountain would accept the hill's youth ski programs on its slopes, Lee said. Brundage officials would pro- vide services such as later lift hours, course set -up and extra grooming of trails to assist the program, he said. "it isn't economically viable (to take it over), but we don't want the program to die, either," he said. Andy Laidlaw, a member of the ski club board who negotiated with Brundage Mountain, said he wasn't surprised by the decision. "It looked like it would solve a lot of problems, but they still (Brundage) want to help the hill," Laidlaw said. The ski club is two years behind on payments to the federal Farmers Home Ad- ministration on the loan that built the current ski lift. The cur- rent debt is $80,000, he said. Even though a large debt re- mains, an appraisal of the 17- year -old lift listed its value at $5,000, or scrap value, Laidlaw said. That would have been the price for which Brundage could have assumed ownership of the operation, Laidlaw said. During the ski season that just ended, the Little Ski Hill took In $88,730 in revenues, but paid out expenses of $94,037, treasurer Yvonne Ertter said. To open its doors this fall, the club must come up with $7,100 for liability insurance premiums, plus a $7,500 payment on the lift debt, Laidlaw said. A back tax bill owed to the In- ternal Revenue Service was paid off before the start of the 1986 -87 season, he said. Michel said she hopes for a good turnout at Tuesday night's meeting. "It's been years and years like this, and when you're going deeper and deeper into debt, it is really sad to see it hap- pen," she said. Ski stuff to be swapped BY PENNY EBERLE For The Star -Newt If you are looking to buy or wanting to sell ski equipment and clothing for the upcoming ski season, the place to be this weekend is the annual Ski Swap. The Ski Swap, organized by the Payette Lakes Ski Club, will take place Saturday and Sunday at the McCall - Donnelly Elemen- tary School multipurpose room. Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. is the time set for people with items to sell to bring them to the school. Organizers stress that items be in good condition and meet cur- rent safety standards. Any equip- ment that is out of date but still in good condition will be marked with a sticker. Personnel will be oR hand to help with all aspects of the sale. Items may be brought in already priced, but if someone is unsure what an item is worth, someone will be on hand to help. The actual sale gets underway at noon on Sunday and lasts until 5 p.m. The ski club receives 20 percent of all sales, proceeds help toward club operations aofthe Little Ski Hill, west of McCall. During the sale, local ski coaches and ski shop represen- tatives will be on hand to advise buyers on their purchases. Season passes and lockers for the Little Ski Hill will also be on sale at the swap. The ski club also will be selling lunches, featuring chili with all the trimmings as well as pies and cookies. Throughout the day, ski videos will be shown, and organizers hope to have - some children's entertainment available. All unsold items must be pick- ed up between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday evening. Any unsolicited merchandise left at the school after the pick -up times will become the property of the ski club. Heidi Miller, one of the organizers of the event, said that although the annual swap is a fund - raiser for the Little Hill, it also provides the community with an opportunity to buy good, reasonably priced equipment. ,hG Si or IL ews 11A16-7 Bargains await at Ski Swap. s courtesy Brown fa' ily ecli {` left and Alf Engen look over prospective sites for ski runs at Little Hill (1936). Warren Brown, mm , 11 a V V arful t Dhow 11, len, anu till nilgen 100K Over prospective sites Ior ski I �. is at LiMe tili.t (10J6). BY PENNY EBERLE For The Star -News Con-idor going skiing in the late 1930s using heavy, edgeless wooden skis, being pulled to the top of the hill in a toboggan -style contraption and wearing heavy wool clothing. Half a century ago, this was the way people skied in McCall. No modern lift equipment, no warm lodges, but what they did possess was a love for the sport that was to become a wolu in this area. The 1987 -88 ski season will mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of McCall's now famous Little Ski Hill, located west of McCall. The ski area that has been able to provide young and old alike with a unique skiing ex- perience. The ski hill began with the dreams of two men, Warren 'brown and his father, Carl, who owned and operated the McCall sawmill and logging operations. It really all started in 1936, when Norwegian native Alf Engen Littleffill- (Continued from Page 8) role of ski instructor. Subsidized by the McCall Chamber of Commerce and under the auspices of the ski club, in- struction was available to anyone who wanted it. Lift tickets for the young peo- ple were 50 cents a day, or $7.50 for a season pass. Almost every- one in the community could afford to ski and they did. Even today, the cost of passes and lockers is kept at a reasonable amount. With all these people skiing, a racing team was formed, mostly made.up of youngsters 12 and un- was sent to the McCall area by the U.S. Forest Service to scout a suitable location in the area for a ski hill. Once a site was found, and construction began, Warren Brown asked Alf Engen if he knew of anyone who could come and teach at the area. Engen sug- gested his brother, Corey, who at that time was living in Salt Lake City. Corey arrived in McCall in December 1937, sn.l h?s remained an inter I hart c.` tli'^. sl:i 1_ill ever since. In 1940, Engen was picked to compete for the U.S. Nordic team at the Winter Olympics, but competition was cancelled due to World War II. Engen did compete in the 1948 Olympics in St. Moritz, and won a silver medal in the "classic combined," which joins ski jumping and ski touring. Engen later went on to help in the devel- opment of Brundage Mountain, and later became the head of the ski school at Brundage Mountain. Since those early days, Engen hagspent countless hours coach- ing area youngsters at the Little Ski Hill, and the town of McCall has been represented by 11 local skiers who have taken part in var- ious Olympic games. Among those Olympians are Mack Miller, Jean Saubert, Frank Brown, Patty Boydstun - Hovdey, Lyle Nelson, Glen Eberle, Alison Owen - Kiesel and Dave Engen. All these skiers were trained on the 405 vertical feet of alpine slopes anfj the many kiloin °tern of Nordic trails at the hill. Since its first season, the hill has been overseen by a volunteer board of directors, and generations of local volunteer help. The Payette Lakes Ski Club has run the hill as a non - profit organiza- tion, providing the community with the amenities of developing skiing as a lifetime sport. After World War II, when En- gen was living in Utah, another important figure in the hill's his- tory emerged. A student of En- gen's, Bill Brown, followed in his to achers tracks, and assumed the Photo courtesy Brown family Co• xtio, (See "Little Hill," Page 9)' V t st chair `lift' was a pulled sled., been able to provide young and rld alike with a unique skiing ex- perience. The ski hill began with the dreams of two men, Warren 'Brown and his father, Carl, who owned al-A operated the McCall sawmill and logging operations. It real +y all started in 1936, when Norwe.e ian native Alf Engen LittleffilL (Continued from Page 8) role of ski instructor. Subsidized by the McCall Chamber of Commerce and under - the auspices of the ski club, in- struction was available to anyone who wanted it. Lift tickets for the young peo- ple were 50 cents a day, or $7.50 for a season pass. Almost every- one in the community could afford to ski and they did. Even today, the cost of passes and lockers is kept at a reasonable amount. pcoplc; slc_iirtg, P. racing team was fO i'ne.d, ItlaStiy made up of youngsters 12 and un- der. This team was called the Miley Mites, and the program is still going strong with last year's team winning the state champi- onships. The children then, as they are to this day, can ride a bus from school to the hill for practice, and this advantage of daily trainirit has helped breed so many champions. One of the most symbolic parts of the area is the 55 -meter jump, which although not used today, still stands guard over the hill. It is the only one of its kind still standing in the West. It was the site of the 1973 National Ju- nior Nordic Championships, and it took many of the early jumpers, including designer Alf Engen, on a 200 -foot ride to where the site of the present Idaho 55 is. Equipment at the hill has changed over the years. With help from the forest service and the Civilian Conservation Corps, a T_ 1nC o vi,yu,lnw M OL. LVIVt.w, auu wvu a silver medal in the "classic combined," which joins ski jumping and ski touring. Engen later went on to help in the devel- opment of Brundage Mountain, and later became the head of the ski school at Brundage Mountain. Since those early days, Engen hapspent countless hours coach- uvu, VIVVIUI116 LIM cuuuuu/uty with the amenities of developing skiing as a lifetime sport. After World War II, when En- gen was living in Utah, another Important figure in the hill's his- tory emerged. A student of En- gen's, Bill Brown, followed in his teachers tracks, and assumed tale (See "Little Hill," Page 9) Photo courtesy Brown Family Couev: :- First chair `lift' was a pulled sled., Skiers chat in front of orginal Little Ski Hill loage, wnlcn r)un feu 111 -Lot-Y-1. platter T -bar was installed, which was replaced with the current T- bar in 1970. 1973 saw the instal- lation of lighting equipment, which made night skiing possible. The newest additions to the area have been the increased Nordic trails and, most recently, a sanctioned biathlon range. The rising costs of liability insurance and keeping equipment and facili- ties maintained all place a costly I-_J__ .1— -1-v, With mnnv fund - raising projects, such as the struck the area in 1954 shows Just within 12 hours. Ski enthusiasts annual Ski Swap and a newly re- how much support exists. from all over the Treasure Valley leased funding letter, the area At that time, everyone would sent a truckload of old and new manages to opens its doors every leave their skis and poles in the equipment up to the McCall year lodge at night. One night, a fire skiers, and skiing resumed. The club operates on approxi- alarm gave warning that the lodge Over the years, the hill has not mately $55,000 a year, with in- with 200 pairs of skis in it was 'only do en it buOtla vat comper of come from lift sales providing on fire. only a third of that budget. The The building was gutted and other athletes who trained at the club wants to keep fees low. nothing was saved. hill have gone on to become The club has always had an in- But the community was not members of the U.S. Ski team, credible amount of positive com- phased. Everyone joined in and a college teams and members of the mt,nity cnnnnn_ and a disaster that temporary lodge was erected Nor -Am teams. Ski hills built with local hands, nutured with local pride Tattle OKI Hill Skiing has long been a way of life in Valley County. It began as a dependable way of transportation, when early set- tlers made their own cross coun- try skis and cut young saplings for ski poles. McCall's skiing history is tied to the Little Ski Hill, but skiing as a sport in the area probably began with jumping competi- tions at the old Blackwell Hill, located east of the McCall Golf Course in a clearing east and south of the current Stringer ranch house. It wasn't many years before local residents started clamoring for a bigger and better hill. In 1937, Carl Brown gave 80 acres of land three miles west of Mc- Call to the U.S. Forest Service for use as a public ski area. The non - profit Payette Lakes Ski Club was formed and in 1938 Corey Engen was hired to manage the area. One look at the 60 -meter ski jump at the Little Ski Hill, with its greyed timbered structure overlooking the ski runs, tells you the area has come a long way since Brown first donated that land. Alf Engen, Corey's brother and a top ski jumper at the time, was brought in by the Browns to survey the land and design a ski resort. Develop- ment of the area became a com- munity effort to provide economical skiing for local residents of the area. Volunteers helped clear the three initial ski runs, and a "Jig- Back" lift was built and installed. More help for the ef- fort came from the Work Pro- gress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. A motor house, storage shed and day lodge were constructed with logs hauled from the Pad- dy Flat area under the direction of Fred Williams of the forest Service. Joe -Kasper, then' millwright for Brown's Tie and Lumber Co., designed and built the 1,200 foot long - lift with its toboggan -like sleds. With the facilities for the Payette Lakes Ski Club in place, McCall began its reputation for training national ski cham- pions. Bill Brown Jr. formed the first group of Mitey Mites in the nation at the Little Hill in 1946. Skiing know -how in those days came principally from Corey Engen, who had learned from his brother, Alf. Each day, a bus would pick the kids up at school and take them to the hill. It was a com- munity activity and on weekends everywe turned out for competition.. Equipment at the Little Hill changed in 1953 when a platter - type T -bar lift was installed bet- ween the present jump hill and the south run. The loading area for the lift was downhill from the present -day lodge. In 1954, tragedy struck the Little Ski Hill when the day lodge burned to the ground, taking with it 200 pairs of skis, boots and poles -- the equip- ment for 'the entire town. But the community banded together' arid with Claude Avery leading the crew, the lodge was rebuilt. by 1956. In 1968, the forest service condemned the old T -bar, and 6;�� lZiate - -,�, 4 � C� f %V� the .Little Hill was forced to operate with only a temporary rope tow until 1970. Club members began negotia- tions with the Farmer's Home Administration, and fund- raising efforts by the communi- ty came up with the minimum requirement to secure an $81,500 loan to purchase a new lift, grooming equipment and other items. The hill finally reopened in 1971 with its new lift. Lighting was installed in 1973 to provide night skiing, and since then various other improvements have been made to the lodge and grooming equipment, always with the help of the Brown family, contributions and volunteer labor. Facilities at the hill continued to expand as equipment was purchased to groom Nordic trails at the Little Ski Hill. Cur- rently, more than 15 kilometers of cross country ski trails are groomed and available to the public. Last year, Nordic director Jack Kappas converted the motor house of the old ski lift into a touring center for Nordic skiers to add to the hill's facilities. Alc kV .PLC �.t'� /4 ' Y Little Hill plans party for 50th `-'i- A day and night of festivities are being planned for Saturday, March 5, to celebrate the Little Ski Hill's 50th anniversary. The ski hill is the second oldest ski area in the western United States, preceded only by Sun Valley. Since its opening in the 1937 -38 season, the Little Hill has provided the community and area visitors with a unique opportunity to enjoy the sport of skiing. The anniversary celebrations are set to begin at noon on March 5, and a variety of activities for skiers and non - skiers are planned through- out the day. Six dollars will buy a lift pass good until 10 p.m., a barbecue with all the fixings, and a variety of games and entertainment. A price for families of $15 will be charged, with season pass holders receiving a $2 discount on the days events. Among the activities planned are fun races, a treasure hunt, a torch- light parade down the slopes and the chance to ski with an Olympian. A cross - country ski race will also take place, with entrants encouraged to wear old- fashioned equipment and use wooden skis. Club members invite everyone to come out to the hill and celebrate its half- century birthday. The Payette Lakes Ski Club, which runs the hill, has operated as a non - profit organization, and over the years hundreds of volunteers have donated their time and efforts to keep the club going. Financial woes have plagued the club for many years, with rising insurance rates adding to those troubles recently. Throughout the years, the club has tried to keep the cost of passes and instruction to a minimum, and various fund - raisers put on by the club help to bring in some extra funds. McCall is famous throughout Idaho as "Ski Town U.S.A," and the Little Hill has played a major role in that title. The Mitey Mite junior racing program began at the area, and the program spread to many other ski areas. Eleven local skiers who began their careers at the Little Hill went on to Olympic competition and numerous others were members of the U.S. Ski team and college teams. Miller, Eberle I on Jr. National team 41:31 and Doug Masteller placed third with a time of 41:39. Senior men, 15 km. Paul Dody, Bend, Ore., came in first, 59:48. Ed Elliott placed second with a time of 1:03:43; Mike McGee came in third at 1:10:20, and Masteller in fourth at 1:13:09. Senior women, 10 km. Sally Elliott placed first with a time of 46:22. Senior women, 15 km. Sally Elliott placed first with a time of 1:12:18. Junior III and IV boys, 2'2 km. Mike Dvorak came in first with a time of 17:28. Junior III boys, 21,2 km. John Gravenkemper, Bush, finished first, 19:39. Mike Dvorak placed third with a time of 20:35. Junior IV boys, 21z km. Chris Hakes and Scott McCoid tied for first with a time of 21:02. Mike Miller came in third at 35:13. Junior III girls, 21;r km. Jill Mc- Coid came in first with a time of 24:38. Junior IV girls, 21/2 km. Michelle Green, Twin Lakes, finished first, 30:17. Michelle Miller placed second with a time of 30:21. ,Winds topple ski jump BY TOM GROTE The Star -News A severe windstorm raced through the McCall area Monday, toppling trees, cutting electrical power and smashing an area land- mark. The historic ski jump at the Little Ski Hill west of McCall was the most famous victim of the wind gusts that swept through the area about 5:15 p.m. Monday. No injuries or serious damage was reported, although the Little Ski Hill was shut down for the season due to damage from falling trees, and some places in and around McCall were without elec- tricity for more than 24 hours. Winds during the storm were recorded at up to 48 miles per hour at the McCall Airport weather station before electricity was cut, according to Richard Davis of Pioneer Air Service. The winds blew off a door to a hangar at Pioneer, but no airplanes parked at the airport were damaged, Davis said. Trees were felled by the strong winds throughout the northern part of Valley County, and the en- tire city of McCall was left with- out electricity for about an hour, said Dale Krumm, McCall district manager for Idaho Power Co. until 9 p.m. Tuesday, he said. Firefighters from the McCall Fire Department were kept busy for five hours clearing downed trees from streets and aiding Idaho Power crews, McCall Fire Chief Dale Points said. Firefighters armed with chain - saws cleared trees from more than "It sure brought a lot of good memories looking at it." — Dave Engen Reports of downed lines were called in from at least 15 different areas, and Idaho Power crews from Payette, Cambridge and Cascade were called in to help make re- pairs, Krumm said. Priority was given to restoring service along lines serving the most customers, he said. Some areas did not have power restored Payette Lakes Ski Club President Scott Findlay looks over the scattered remains of the ski- jump scaffolding at the Little Ski Hill that was blown over in a windstorm Monday. a dozen locations, with priority placed on clearing downed trees on Idaho 55 west of McCall and along Davis Street and Lick Creek Road, which are main thorough- fares, Points said. A live electrical line fell across the metal roof of a home on Boydstun Street, but the power was shut off without damage or injury, he said. Points thanked Jim's Repair of McCall for loan- ing chainsaws to the fire depart- ment to aid in the clean -up. The storm also knocked out power to Brundage Mountain Ski Area, and the area was closed on Tuesday, Operations Manager Larry Shake said. No significant damage was reported at the area, Shake said. KMCL -FM radio was knocked off the air until 2 p.m. Tuesday when power was cut to the radio station's transmitter on No Busi- ness Mountain. Also, some customers of the city's water system may have no- ticed reduced water pressure after the Lake Street pumping station switched to an emergency genera- tor when the electricity was cut, City Administrator Bud Schmidt said. At the Little Ski Hill, trees fell across the cable of the area's T -bar Photos by Tom -5 j 7 /irl lift midway up the hill and near the top of the lift. The trees derailed the cable from their towers in three places, said Scott Findlay, president of the Payette Lakes Ski Club, which operates the area. The wind also knocked over a shed normally manned by a lift op- erator, Findlay said. The ski area, located three miles west of McCall, is not normally open for skiing on Mondays, so no one was in the area at the time, he said. The extent of the damage was es- timated by Findlay at between $2,000 and $2,500, assuming the cable is not damaged. The ski lift was not insured for property dam- age, and the non - profit ski club is in its usual condition of being short of funds, he said. "We will not open again this season," he said, noting the area had planned to close on Sunday anyway. The most memorable damage from the storm, however, most likely will be the destruction of the 40- foot -tall ski jump scaffolding at the Little Hill from which genera- tions of McCall skiers sailed through the air. The wooden platform disinte- grated under the force of Monday's windstorm, said Jack Kappas, a resi- dent of nearby Rock Flat who wit- nessed the destruction. "I saw debris flying into the air and saw pieces of the jump blow onto the No. 1 run," Kappas said. The jump was built in 1946, ac- cording to plans on file at the office of Larry Kingsbury, archaeologist at the Payette National Forest. The jump and the Little Ski Hill are lo- cated on national forest land. The jump had fallen into disre- pair in recent years, and has been closed for more than a decade due to its unsafe conditions, Kingsbury said. An attempt was made two years Photo by Tom Dureka. Payette National Forest Little Ski Hill jump as it appeared in 1989. ago to have the jump listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it was declared ineligible because the scaffolding was not more than 50 years old, he said. "It was dry- rotted and sagging; it wasn't worth saving," Kingsbury said. "The wind just took care of it for us." Going off the jump was a rite of passage for young McCall skiers who had practiced their jumping skills on a nearby smaller jump, said Dave Engen of McCall, who was a member of the U.S. Ski Team in 1965 -66. "It was a thrill," Engen said. "In the days before Brundage Mountain, that was how we got our downhill practice for getting used to speed on skis." "I remember the first time I jumped it at 10 or 11 years old - in is between the top and the landing, it was just a blur," he said. "It sure brought a lot of good memories looking at it all of the time." The jump allowed prestigious ski meets to be held at the Little Hill, including the 1952 National Classic Combined championships, which combined cross country skiing with ski jumping, said Corey Engen, Dave's father. Corey Engen, 74, said he trained on the jump to prepare for his com- petition in the 1948 Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where he placed third in ski jumping. "I looked at the darn thing almost every day," he said. "I wish I could feel sad, but it might have been a good thing. I just wish it could have been kept up for the kids to use." Edgewater Circle in Mc- Call. s7-,q�Z- NE_ ws -S131q McCall residents study -tax district to help ski hill MCCALL — McCall residents are looking into the possibility of forming a recreational taxing dis- trict to help finance operations of the Little Ski Hill near McCall. The hill has been run by the Payette Lakes Ski Club and fi- nanced by community fund -rais- ers. But this year, in addition to raising money to operate the ski hill and its alpine ski program for ,children, money must be found to repair damage caused by severe wind storms. Wind destroyed the old ski jump at the hill and damaged oth- er structures. At this week's ski club meeting, an exploratory committee was formed to look into the possibility of forming a taxing district to finance the ski facility and other community recreation. The board will decide at its May 14 meeting whether there is enough financial support to open Little Ski Hill for next season. Skiers,,snowmobilers take Little Hill conflict to table CASCADE - Representatives of the Little Ski Hill's nordic skiing program and area snowmobile clubs will sit down to attempt to iron out a compromise to a conflict between groomed snowmobile and groomed cross - country skiing trails near the Little Hill. That was the result of discussions at last Thur,;diy's meeting of the Valley County Snowmchile Advisory Committee. Barry Dow, manager of the Little Hill, was asked to attend the meeting to repeat concerns he had taken before Valley County's Board of Commissioners last week. Ski area representatives were concerned about the potential safety problems that might arise from the Criss- crossing of the groomed trails. They also complained about several close calls that have been had between skiers and snowmobilers in recent years. They are seeking an end to grooming on about 4 miles of snowmobile trail. Jim Hardy and Gor- don Titus, representing McCall snowmobilers, said the problem resulted from the grooming of cross- country traiir_ �,,er top the of the snowmobile trails. Hardy said about 500 miles of snowmobile trail is being gronnicd in the northern part of the county, We didn't intrude on their trails, they intruded on ours, Hardy said, lle ch lienged statements made to commissioners ski area representativ @s, and reputed in this newspaper that the groomed cross -coun- try trails were there first. Valley County Commissioners Tom Olson and Carl Kerrick were at the meeting and Olson said there should be a compromise that can be worked out. A snowmobiler himself, Olson challenged what he said was a trait of many snowmobilers to feel that they have the right to go anywhere in the county where there is snow. He suggested that snowmobilers and skiers sit down together and see if they can work out a com- promise. Snowmobilers at the meeting said they were concerned because lately, every time they turn around, they're facing more restrictions on what they can and can't do. Part of the solution should involve better sionage that could keep snowmobiles on the snowmobile trail and off the groomed ski trails, he said. Dow said the ski area has tried signs, but many are vandalized and ignored by snowmobilers who see the ski trails as more groomed trails to ride on. Hardy said he didn't think McCall snowmobilers would give up the 4 -mile section of trail, which has long been used as an access for riders going from McCall to New Meadows. Dow said there are alternate routes available, but Titus and Hardy said those routes are significantly longer. Two downhill ski areas serve the McCall area, each with its own unique facilities and characteristics, but both offering one common, important ingredi west -ce Little Hill Located three miles northwest of McCall, the Little Ski Hill is a commu- nity- sponsored ski area that offers something for everyone. Varied terrain with open meadows and mixed timber covers up to 50 kilometers of excellent skating lanes for cross - country skiers and 405 vertical feet of groomed downhill runs. Alpine and Nordic ski programs for all ages and abilities are offered, including racing instruction, telemarking and touring. The Little Ski Hill hosts and conducts numer- ous events, including clinics and races on the local, divisional and national level. A sanctioned biathlon range and competitive racing terrain is one of the many highlights of the Little Ski Hill. This ski area includes a T -bar lift to serve the alpine and telemark skiers. A major change in the area's cross country trails is the signing in 1993 of agreements with Boise Cascade Corp. and other owners of 1,000 acres of land near the Little Hill. The agree- ments ensure the land will be used exclusively by cross country skiers, and what used to be a groomed snowmobile trail no longer exists. The Little Ski Hill was the second ski area developed in Idaho, pre- ceded only by Sun Valley. Since 1937, the Little Ski Hill has maintained a non - profit organization status, run by volunteers of the Payette Lakes Ski Club, whose goal has been the development of skiing as a lifetime sport for all ages. The hill's T -bar lift is open Tues- days, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The area's Nordic tracks are open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Day passes on the T -bar cost $12 for a full day and $8 for a half -day pass. Passes for cross - country trails cost $5 for a full day and $3 for a half - day pass. For more information on the Little Ski Hill, call 634 -5691. rkP Spar- Ae.""Ys r1,ik O 3 Photo by Shari Hambleton Although two- year -old Kathryn Pope of McCall may be a bit small for these skis, there was a wide range of equipment to browse through and bargains galore at the Payette Lake Ski Club's Annual Ski Swap Sunday. When the doors opened at 11 a.m., a throng of would -be buyers poured into the McCall - Donnelly Elementary School multipurpose room in pursuit of the best buys of winter gear. IAA) '9y'I Photo by Roger Phillips Ski club gets park run funds The 18th Annual Ponderosa Park Run held last month and Gravity Sports co -owner Terri Busby. Also pic- attracted 246 entrants, 113 more than last year, and tured, from left, are: Travis Hatfield, assistant race netted $1,800 that will benefit the Little Ski Hill. Dan director; Alan Busby, co -owner of Gravity Sports; and Ostermiller, second from right, president. of Payette Jordan Lawley, fund - raising director for the Payette Lakes Ski Club, recieves the check from race director Lakes Ski Club. Photo by Roger Phillips Mike McCabe and son, Clay, take the T -bar lift at the Little Ski Hill. Little Ski Hill opens with ideal conditions The Little Ski Hill opened last weekend with a successful beginning to the ski season. Ideal snow condi- tions and good attendance by the pub- lic made both the Alpine and Nordic terrains popular. The Little Ski Hill has packed pow- der runs for the downhill enthusiast and the Nordic cross- country trails offer 25km of groomed track for both traditional and skating techniques. The cross - country trails have been redesigned this year and a new Yel- low Trail has been introduced which will provide scenic views of Payette Lake. The Tourist Trap Restaurant will resume its Friday night dinner spe- cials at the Little Ski Hill beginning this Friday. Darcy and Rob will be offering seafood enchiladas, refried black beans and salad with Aztec dressing for $6 a dinner, serving from 5 p.m. The atmosphere is informal and friendly with the gourmet dinners being a special treat for skiers and non - skiers alike. Night skiing will again be featured on Friday and Saturday nights start- ing this Friday. The lift opens at 6 p.m. and closes at 10 p.m. with the lift pass costing $8. With recent snow conditions the opening night will offer excellent ski- ing conditions. The ski school at the Little Ski Hill offers a number of programs that will cater to everyone's needs. Instruction is available on weekdays except Mon- day, weekends and holidays. There is instruction provided for downhill, cross - country, snowboard and telemark techniques. Special rates for the Christmas holidays, Ladies -Day on Wednesdays with discounted rates and special group lessons are regular features of the school. The tradition of after- school in- struction for primary children contin- ues with the first session starting on Jan. 3 and the second on Jan. 31. Each session lasts four weeks, three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The cost for each session in $80 and includes the afternoon lift pass. By request, a special class has been set up to introduce students to cross - country skiing. Two days of the week session will be spent on downhill tech- niques and one day will be devoted to Nordic techniques. For further information or regis- tration for any of the ski instruction programs contact Rob Dow at 325- 8606 or the Little Ski Hill at 634- 5691. %he5�1 r — rye W5 Your eyes won't believe the bargains to be found at the Ski Swap! Ski Swap offers values, helps the Little Ski Hill The ski season doesn't start with the opening of the chairlifts. It starts with the annual Ski Swap sponsored by the Payette Lakes Ski Club. The 1994 Ski Swap will take place Saturday and Sunday at the McCall - Donnelly Elementary School Multipurpose room. Interested sell- ers can check -in sports equipment and clothing for sale on Saturday from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. Experts will be on hand to assist with safety checks of all equipment and help with pricing of items for sale. Items will be on sale to the public on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $1. Twenty percent of all sales proceeds will go to benefit the Little Ski Hill, which is operated by the ski club, with the balance to seller. Merchant displays, ski movies, vid- eos for sale as well as delicious food will also be available during the week- end. Sellers should pick up items not sold after the sale on Sunday. For more information, call Pat Allen at 634 -3975 or 634 -4442. T,,, Z, �f W/� ,a ., /J/,g Little Hill's opening weekend a. success The Little Ski Hill, located three miless west of McCall on Hwy. 55, is up and running for another ski season. Last weekend's opening was highly suc- cessful with ideal snow conditions and good atten- dance. The Little Ski Hill has packed powder runs on its downhill slopes and the cross- country trails offer 25 kilometers of groomed track for both traditional and skating techniques. The cross - country trails have been redesigned this year, and a new Yellow Trail has been introduced which will provide scenic views of Payette Lake. The Tourist -Trap Restaurant will resume its Friday night dinner specials at the Little Ski Hill. Darcy and Rob will be offering seafood enchiladas, refried black beans and salad with Aztec dressing this week for $6, serving from 5 p.m. until it's all gone. The atmos- phere is informal and friendly, with the gourmet din- ners being a special treat on Friday nights. All skiers and non- skiers are welcome. Again, night skiing will be featured on Friday and Saturday nights starting Friday, Dec. 16. The lift opens at 6 p.m. and closes at 10 p.m., with lift tickets costing $8. With recent snow conditions, opening night will offer excellent skiing conditions. The ski school at the Little Ski Hill offers a num- ber of programs that will cater to everyone's needs. During weekends, weekdays, and holidays there is instruction available for downhill, cross - country, snowboard, and telemark techniques. The Little Ski Hill offers a unique variation in terrain that enables instruction in a wide variety of skiing techniques. Special rates for the Christmas holidays, Ladies Day on Wednesday - with a discount and special rates for large group instructions are a special fea- ture of the school. The tradition of after - school instruc- tion for school children continues with the first ses- sion starting Jan. 3, and the second session on Jan. 31. Each session lasts four weeks, three days a week, Tuesday through Thursday, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The cost of each session is $80 and includes an after- noon ski pass. By request, a special class has been set up to intro- duce students to cross - country skiing. Two days of the week will be spent in downhill techniques and one day will be devoted to Nordic techniques. For further information and/or registration for any of the ski instruction programs, contact Rob Dow at 325 -8606, or the Little Ski Hill at 634 -5691. Try the Little Ski Hill, where there is a family - style atmosphere, attention to individual needs, and a friendly staff, Dow said. Little Hill promotes Nordic trails BY ROGER PHILLIPS The Star-News With the opening of the Little Ski Hill this weekend, the Payette Lakes Ski Club wants to invite skiers out to enjoy the hill and the new cross coun- try trails and to remind snowmobilers to avoid the ski area. "We're looking for cooperation from the snowmobile people to re- spect our trails," club member Don McClaran said. "We spend a lot of money grooming those trails and to see a handful of snowmobiles come in and trash them is very disappointing." The Payette Lakes Ski Club has received an exclusive -use contract with Boise Cascade Corp. for several miles of new trails on its land. McClaran said past disputes be- tween snowmobilers and cross coun- try skiers have been greatly reduced, and he hopes to see that trend con- tinue. He asks that local snowmobilers help spread the word that those trails are off limits to snowmobiles. "It really takes locals to let other people know," McClaran said. He said the Nordic ski community is appreciative of the cooperation it got from the snowmobilers last year in helping to keep uninformed riders off the cross country trails. "We defi- nitely applaud them for that," McClaran said. Meanwhile, he is looking forward to the opener of the Little Hill this weekend. With the addition of a Bombadier grooming machine and a new em- ployee dedicated to grooming, McClaran expects the trails to be bet- ter quality than they have been in the past. "That's what cross country skiers want this year is really buff trails," he said. The trails have been redesigned to allow lift access to the ridge above the lodge, which allows the skiers to gain their elevation with minimal ef- fort. He said there are a wide variety of trails for all skill levels, and they will be groomed for both track and skate skiers. "Just about anybody with a pair of skis can enjoy this," McClaran said. The Little Ski Hill will also be hosting afull calendarof Nordic events this year, as well as night skiing on weekends with dinners available in the lodge. The Payette Lake Ski Club is also planning a family oriented New Year's Eve party at the lodge. There will be more information on that event as it becomes available. A New Year's Eve square dance was held Saturday at the Little Ski Hill lodge. Dancers hopped to the sound of the Morris Creek String Band from Boise and local musicians. Proceeds will help the Payette Lakes Ski Club buy new trail - grooming equipment. Photo by Roger Phillips V e mar - 1 l 4 /ys_ Little Hill to start new lessons session The second session for the after - school ski program at the Little Ski Hill will begin on Tuesday. The ses- sion lasts for four weeks and lesson days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week. Session times are 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and a bus from the elementary school brings children to the Little Ski Hill each day of the lessons. Les- sons are open to children age 5 and older with classes offered for all abil- ity levels. The cost is $80 for the entire ses- sion and includes the afternoon lift pass. A $10 bus fee is requested for each child that uses the bus for the four -week session. All other children that use the bus are requested to con- tribute $20 for a season's use of the bus. For more information or registra- tion, call Rob Dow at 634 -5691 or 325 -8606. • Telemark Races: Telemarkraces at the Little Ski Hill will start this Friday evening at 8 p.m. The entry fee will be $5 and a prize will be awarded for the best average time from two runs on the course. The race format will be open sla- lom, and all are invited to participate in this annual event. Races will also be held on the Feb. 3 and Feb. 10 during the McCall Winter Carnival. Call Irwin Mulnick at 634 -3239 for further information. The Children's Nordic Ski School has begun at the Little Ski Hill with the second session beginning on Feb. 7. The emphasis is upon introducing Nordic skiing in a positive, caring way to students while maintaining a fun - filled environment. The cost of the session for each child is $25 and covers four afternoon instructions. For further information call Pat Zenzic at 634 -8564 or Mackenzie Rivers at 325 -8243. • Ski Marathon: A new course for the Payette Lakes Marathon Ski Race has been set for this year. It has been groomed and is open for practice for competitors and non - competitors alike. Feb. 11 is the date set for this year's race and entry forms can be obtained from the McCall Area Cham- ber of Commerce. • Tourist Trap: The Tourist Trap Restaurant at the Little Ski Hill is offering another gourmet delight this Friday night, Jan. 27. Basque bouilla- baisse, sourdough bread and a green salad with dressing will be this week's fare. Dinner starts at 5 p.m and patrons are reminded to come early. Last week again was a sellout dinner with some individuals missing out for their late arrival. Music will again be provided on Friday nights by local folk musi- cians. • Night Skiing: The Little Ski Hill offers night skiing on Saturday nights as well as Friday nights, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. f., ,� P7 9 Va Ile- Y Ad v o c a tp- New board takes over little Hill, works to attain fiscal stability Payette Lakes Ski Club's new board ponders the area's future MCCALL — It's been one of those things that people have sort of had a "just don't let it die on my watch" attitude toward. But, it's not that anyone's wanted the Little Ski Hill to fold up and die. It's just that every board of directors in recent years has been faced with chronic fiscal insta- bility. Nurse it along, get it through another year. Well, a new board has taken the helm, and some members of that board met last week to set some new directions. `°The goal is to make us fiscally sound," board member Richard Taplin said at that meeting. He wants to see the Payette Lakes Ski Club get to the point where it's a question of "what do we do with our profits rather than how do we make it until next spring." The group finally got all of the bills paid Sept. 15, thanks to some terrific fund- raising efforts dur- ing the summer. Some long -range planning is in the future, and board members are talking about the feasibility of putting together a master plan for the historic ski area northwest of McCall. In fact, should growth continue in that direction, it won't be very far to the northeast of town. Ed Allen, another new board member, said one of the things he'd like to see the board do is make the winter programs part of an overall, year -round fitness and recreation program that could be based at the Little Hill. Making better year- around use of the ski area, including the alpine hill and the nordic trails, is some- thing that has to happen, board members agree. A master plan would allow the board and future boards to "stop looking at our feet because we're missing the horizon," Taplin said. Se� d7, � 9Y5 New board member, Ed Allen want to see Little Hill prosper. "We're always crisis managing." To help provide some conti- nuity to the programs the hill offers and to provide some day -to -day decision making ability, the board is also looking to hire a full -time manager, at least full -time during the winter months. That manager would do some of the things board members and othe volunteers have been doing, he said. Not that there's a problem with volunteers. Board members at last week's meeting agreed that they've been, and continue to be terrific. And, community support over the years has been everything the Little Hill and the ski club could ask for. But, too much reliance on vol- unteers and area businesses for the support they give the hill isn't fair to them over the long haul. Greg Lawley, another board member said the area has just too much potential for it not to be developed into a major attraction for the region, particularly the nordic ski trail system. Lawley recently returned from the Methow Valley in north -cen- tral Washington state. The econ- omy of that region now depends on the valley -wide system of nordic trails that have been built there, he said. "It's booming, it's a big attrac- tion, a human - powered trail sys- tem" that he said is used for ski- ing in the winter and mountain biking and hiking in the summer. "This is a tremendous asset, people just don't realize it," he said. Not that the Little Hill will aban- don its alpine program. Discussion last week focused on returning to some of the things that made the Little Hill popular. A family atmosphere, the hill's capacity as a place for youngsters to learn to ski, and to ski after school, are among those things. Also, night skiing and some of the city league -type recreational ski racing that took place in years past, are things that need to be looked at again, board members said. And Allen said they've got to do something to accommodate snowboarders at the Little Hill, and plans are being developed for building a half -pipe. On Monday, Allen and Brundage Mountain's lift manag- er walked the tow at the Little Hill and looked at some things that can possibly be done to improve that. He also said there's a lot of maintenance at the hill that's been deferred and there has to be catch- ing up done on it. While there's a lot of history that goes with the Little Hill, board members realize that isn't enough to sustain its operation. Key to the new board's plans is compilation of the master plan. That document will open the doors to a lot of possibilities. Immediate, mid -term and long -temi needs and plans can be readily accessible and if money, possibly through a grant, becomes available, parts of the plan can immediately be put into action. /ifle 36- heVS llllbl %S �)o many choices Shoppers examine a wallfull of used skis Sun- day during the annual Ski Swap staged by the Payette Lakes Ski Club. The event, held in the McCall - Donnelly Elementary School multipurpose room, featured a selection of us- ed boots, poles and accessories for both alpine Photo by Tom Grote and Nordic skiers. The sale raised just under $2,000 for the ski club, which operates the Lit- tle Ski Hill west of McCall. ST a �- (V 0 (,v 5 Nov Little Hill boosters never quit BY ROGER PHILLIPS The Star-News If you've driven by the Little Ski Hill and seen a lonely groomer in an empty parking lot, you might think the place has been forgotten this win- ter, but it's definitely not the case. Stop by on a Friday night and you may see a packed lodge filled with families, friends and neighbors shar- ing a communal dinner that would grace any dining table. Hang out after dinner and you can listen to talented local musicians picking tunes for smiles from an appreciative audience. Oh yeah, there's skiing too. The 59- year -old Payette Lakes Ski Club, located three miles west of McCall, is the second oldest ski op- eration in the state. The club has un- dergone a number of changes through- out its years, transforming from a Nordic jumping center to its current combination of Nordic and Alpine skiing. Dedicated groups of local people have guided the club through its long history, and that dedication contin- ues. Last fall, volunteers were break- ing ground on new ski trails and the club's board members were breaking new ground their own way, creating an enticing membership package with the support of 50 local businesses. Then came a schizophrenic Old Man Winter and an annoying cycle of t � f Into the Outdoors snow and rain. But instead of staring at their feet and cursing foul luck, club members turned their attention indoors and held several social functions in the lodge, including a Halloween Party for kids, a packed -house Christmas dinner, a New Year's Eve square dance and a catered gourmet dinner that cost club members and guests about the same as a movie and popcorn. And despite the frustrating start this winter, the club still did not write off skiing. When the snow finally arrived, clubmembers fired up the groomer and buffed the Nordic trails, keeping them in top condition. Last weekend, the club drew more than 50 adult racers and nearly 100 junior racers for the annual Red Ridge Run. That race will be followed by the Payette Lakes Marathon during Win- ter Carnival, which has become a pre- mier regional race that draws top rac- ers from throughout the West. While racing is an important part of the Little Ski Hill's function, it is not only racers who benefit from its operation. West One Bank recently recog- nized the important work the club does providing inexpensive recreation for the area's children, and awarded the club a $600 grant for its continued operation. According to club president Ed Allen, that is still one of the club's primary focuses. "The club strives to make snow - boarding, Alpine and Nordic skiing affordable and convenient so that kids can have a place to come after school. In the summer we'd like to add moun- tain biking and other recreational ac- tivities for them," Allen said. Board members are currently working toward turning the club into a year -round operation. There are also tentative plans to expand the Nordic trails system into Bear Basin and add a snowboard park to the Little Hill. The board has hired a consultant to draw up a master plan for the club, and an executive director to oversee the clubs day -to -day operation. Since the club is a non - profit or- ganization, most of the work will be done by local people who donate their time and effort. There are too many to list here, and they deserve more than just thanks; they deserve support. Ultimately, it will be up to the whole community to roll up its collective sleeves and make the club a continued success story. The club has had its problems in the past, which is how the current board members see it - the past. The board is extending a welcome to past members and perspective members who would like to join in and help the Little Ski Hill remain a proud tradi- tion with a burgeoning future. "We want to bring the ski club back to being a part of the commu- nity," Allen said. "It should not be an albatross around our nebks, but rather, an asset and tribute to the great people we have living here." Membership for the Payette Lakes Ski Club is $25 per year, which in- cludes $12 worth of free ski passes and numerous discounts from local businesses. For more information, call 634 -5691. McCALL mamas sou WHILE McCall is the town where everybody skiis and babies are born with skiing aptitudes. At least, that's "what they say" and these photos by Walt Rubey seem to prove it. Upper picture, left to right, shows Mrs. Pauline Brandenburg, Mrs. Lillian Scrogham, Mr's. Betty May and Mrs. Eva Cameron — booted, spurred and ready to ride the ski lift to the snowy heights. Lower picture shows the preliminary training for future McCall skiing champions, parked at the Ski Lodge while mamas glide over the course. Mrs. Jackie Hilbun is singing ski songs to the babies while State Patrolmen, Matt Vice, is giving some pointers on skiing form. These are typical pictures of the Payette Lakes winter +ponderland, in the All Season Recreation Land — the land of magic charm. ��t C A g r o w i n g b r e e d o f c r o s s - c o n t r y t r a i l s c a t e r t o s k i e r s a s w e l l a s t h e i r b e s t f r i e n d s D o g g y d o ' s a n d d o g g y d o n ' t s H e r e a r e s o m e t i p s f o r t a k i n g y o u r d o g c r o s s - c o u n t r y s k i i n g : �% T a k e a l o n g a s c o o p a n d p l a s t i c b a g t o p i c k u p d r o p p i n g s . �% D o g s m u s t b e u n d e r v o i c e c o n t r o l a n d s h o u l d n ' t b e a l - 1 z S l o w e d t o r u n w i l d a n d d i s t u r b , ��5 o t h e r s k i e r s , o r g e t i n f i g h t s - i : �� w i t h o t h e r d o g s . �% T a k e a l o n g a l e a s h t o c o n - t r o l y o u r d o g a s y o u p a s s o t h e r s k i e r s a n d d o g s . �% N e v e r a l l o w d o g s t o c h a s e w i l d l i f e . �% D o g s n e e d s n a c k s a n d r w a t e r j u s t l i k e y o u . �% D o n ' t f o r g e t t o t a k e a r e s t . T h a t ' s s o y o u d o n ' t o v e r w o r k y o u r p o o c h . �% M a k e s u r e s n o w c o n d i - t i o n s a r e n ' t t o o m u c h f o r y o u r d o g . D o g s d o n ' t h a v e t r o u b l e r u n n i n g a l o n g p a c k e d t r a i l s b u t d e e p p o w d e r c a n b e d i f f i c u l t f o r s o m e d o g s t o h a n d l e . Y o u d o n ' t w a n t a p o o p e d o u t p o o c h m i l e s f r o m t h e t r a i l h e a d . I c y o r c r u s t y t r a i l s c a n c u t a d o g ' s p a d s . D o g g y b o o t s a r e a v a i l a b l e . �% A l w a y s k e e p a n e y e o n y o u r c a n i n e a n d k n o w w h e r e i t i s . D o g s r u n n i n g f r o m a p a c k e d t r a i l t o d e e p p o w d e r c a n f a l l a n d i n j u r e t h e i r l e g s o r f e e t . S o r r y a n d p h o t o s * : - b y P e t e N o w s k y . \�� � \ iM 31 A4 ����:� ^�� . \ bove- Ed Al en a 11 skis the icial d k rail at ittle Ski Hi I In a ith ad, the k, n dle and �Bel a, �the A tra a�nhep�herd T�hearea �opened �the d�ogtrail �this u li "�a 3 so - to cco McC cross_co off ry oggy s I t r po L s Top 11 oto. cC 11 w T y to go s t I g 0 p w sig mars Y. n a modate unt skiers and the oche ph Tad is read a the tpraiolhead A a n arsk the wsa 4 % MCCALL — Tad isn't your typical cross - country skier. He's got four legs and doesn't wear skis. But he easily compiles the canine kilometers. He tags along with his skate - skiing master, Ed Allen, of McCall, as they do laps at the Little Ski Hill. The Little Ski Hill, a cross - country trail system north of McCall, added a 3- kilometer doggy trail this winter, and it has a lot of tails wagging. More cross - country ski trails around -the state are going to the dogs as skiers want to work out and just enjoy the company of their best friends. Tad bounded in front of Allen burning up canine calo- ries. Jill, an Australian shep- herd, also likes the trail. Just ask her master, Peggy Weaver, of McCall. "They feel so bad when you get your ski boots on and they can't go with you," she said. "It breaks their heart." So, Weaver does a lot of ski- ing with her pooch. Weaver welcomed the doggy trail at Little Ski Hill. Doggy trails do create a stink among some skiers who don't want dogs or messes on groomed trails. Dog poop and ski wax don't mix. Skiers and dogs have to be on their best behavior if trails are to continue to be opened to lap -going Labradors. But Little Ski Hill manager Philip "Whale" Szczepanowski believes there is a need for it and is trying to work things out. Besides, his Australian shepherd, Bella, likes to go cross - country skiing. "All the dog lovers were regulated to snowmobile trails," said Szczepanowski. Skate skiers like groomed snowmobile trails for skiing but snowmobile traffic gets too busy on them for schuss- ing sheepdogs or kick -and- glide collies. He wanted to add a place at the Little Ski Hill where skiers and their dogs could go and not be bothered or bother other snowgoers. Szczepanowski has made sure the doggy trail is away from regular ski trails and .`McCall .Cascade ,Challis r Lowman. Sun Valley • Idaho 801se Falls Pocatello .Twin Faits admits the first year is trial and error. "There are some people not totally wild about the idea," he said. But doggy ski trails have been popular for years in the Sun Valley area, where many are open to skiing schnauzers and trail -going terriers. "It's a shame to leave dogs out," said Weaver. Here are some places in Idaho for canine cross - country skiing: (Numbers correspond to locations on map above.) 1. Little Ski Hill Getting there: 3 miles north of McCall on Idaho 55. Trail fee: Daily, $4 per per- son (includes dog). Terrain: Three kilometers (1.8 miles) out of 50 kilome- ters open to dogs. Information: 634 -5691 2. Whoop Um Up Getting there: 17 miles northeast of Idaho City on Idaho 21. Trail fees: $15, annual Park N' Ski Pass; $7.50 a vehicle for three -day pass (dogs included). Terrain: 10 miles of ungroomed trails. Information: 334 -4180 (ext. 228) 3. Galena Lodge Getting there: 24 miles north of Ketchum on Idaho 75. Trail fees: Daily, $7 for adults (includes dog). Skiers can buy a $6 doggy season pass to support the trail sys- gems around Ketchum (doggie scoops included). Get passes at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters, 7 miles north of Ketchum, or at The Elephant's Perch, Backwoods Mountain Sports or Ketchum - Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce in Ketchum. Terrain: 7.5 kilometers (4.5 miles) out of 50 kilometers open to dogs. Information: 726 -4010. 4. North Valley Trails Getting there: North of Ketchum off Idaho 75. Trail fees: Same passes as 'Ibrrain: 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) North Fork Trail sys- tem located near Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters; part of the Boulder Mountain Trail from a starting point across Idaho 75 from the SNRA headquar- ters to Cathedral Pines; 8 kilometers (4.8 miles) of Billy's Bridge Trail, north of Ketchum. Information: 726 -6662. S. Wood River Trails Getting there: Located along Idaho 75 from Bellevue north to Ketchum and Hulen Meadows. Tad tries to rob his master's glove at the Little Ski Hill t,railhead. New all - terrain park caters to adventurous snowboarders .................................................... ............................... Story and photos by Pete Emowsky Ae Idaho Statesman .................................................. ............................... MCCALL — They're human heli- copters, missiles and bullets. Snowboarders at the Little Ski Hill's newly opened All- Terrain Park are liter- ally jumping for joy. "It's awesome," said Holly Hawkins, who could be seen launching off a jump like a giant snowball hurled from a giant slingshot. "Go Holly. Go Holly," her teammates yelled. "It's groovy," Alan Busby said. The Little Ski Hill, a community sup- ported ski area three miles northwest of McCall, is getting the jump on super boarding. The ski area, which is operated by the Payette Lakes Ski Club, always has been known as a perfectly manicured cross - country ski area, where Olympic Nordic skiers and biathletes train. It is also a well -known training area for downhill alpine skiers. The Little Ski Hill has a long history. It was the second ski area developed in Idaho, preceded only by Sun Valley. In 1937, the area was first used by skiers training in Nordic jumping. Now, as the ski area is grooving into the next century, a new generation of baggy -pants athletes is soaring across the face of its mountain overlooking Idaho 55 — techie, freestyling, freerid- ing, freecarving boarders. "This is definitely a new experiment," "Whale" Szczepanowski, mountain man- ager, said. "It's a fun alternative for the boarder." The snowboard park, or all- terrain park as boarders like to call it, is still in its infancy. Members of the Gravity Sports and Alpine Science snowboard teams last wet : were out helping with the design ano,;roundwork, and naturally, testing Dart:, of the mountain for launching lads. walls, rails and halfpipes. The teams include about 50 members, through 27. i could be seen with shovels build- ing snow bumps and obstacles for board - ers to catch air, do helicopter spins, or just have fun making white - knuckled freestyle moves. Some crashed and burned, a natural Dart of snowboarding. Saturday was the opening day for the park. but more snow is needed to really expand it, Szczepanowski said. Bales of hay were set out before the It's up, up and away as Brent Willey attains liftoff from a jump at the Little Ski Hill. With a new all- terrain park, the jumps are consistent. snow hit and now are covered. They look like natural bumps and tabletops. Szczepanowski plans to use the blades of the area's snow groomer to make walls and other obstacles for throwing some spins. Next summer, ski area crews may do some excavation work to carve out more groovy and bumpy terrain. Skiers with an attitude to catch some altitude are not being left out. The sec- tion of the hill is also open to them. That's why it's not being called a snowboard park, but instead, an all -ter- rain park. The advantage of the park at the Lit- tle Ski Hill is its convenience. Y, . Boarders and skiers don't have to make long runs to get to a snowboard training area like they do at larger ski resorts. The all- terrain area is located a few seconds from the ski area's T -bar lift. Students can easily make a few runs and bumps after school. It's also a con- venient place for visiting parents to drop their boarding kids off and watch them on the mountain from the parking lot or lodge below. "It's quicker to get to," Jeremy McGlathery, team coach, said. "And, the jumps are consistent." A portion of the community ski area is being made into an all- terrain park with bumps and jumps for snowboarders and freestyle skiers. VNP .4, 4� 7 ,, Sim Bob offers words of snowboarding wisdom and a pep talk to teammates on the Gravity Sports Snowboard Team. The croup takes a breather on top of the Little Ski Hill with an exhilarating panorama of snow- ladened Central Idaho Mountains ' Buddy Berner Championships set for Little Hill The best young skiers from 20 Northwest ski areas will come to the Little Ski Hill near McCall this weekend for the annual Buddy Werner Alpine Ski Championships. The two days of racing, sponsored by Idaho First Na- tional Bank and sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest Ski Association, will draw skiers under the age of 13 from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana in what amounts to the PNSA championship for this age group. Each ski team will be limited to 16 members, three girls each in the 12 -13 year -old and 11- and -under categories, plus five boys in each division. While ski officials in the Mc- Call and Bogus Basin areas have named their young ski racers Mitey Mites, teams from other states in the PNSA are still under the Buddy Werner system, which in- volves the same age group of kids. The Payette Lakes Ski Club will be the host team for the event. Although seeding order has not yet been completed, members of the club who will race this weekend are Debbie Engen, Jill McCoid, Lisa Swan, Darren Coats, Jay Mc- Coid, Pat Davidson, Curtis Hitchcock, Tamara Grove, Renee Hitchcock, Michelle Miller, Shane McCall, Michael Miller, Jason Nash, Zane Utley and Josh Zensic. There will be two runs of the slalom at the Little Ski Hill on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. Action moves to Brundage Mountain on Sunday for the giant slalom, which also is scheduled for a 10 a.m. star- ting time. 1130/ �r7 Star -News Photo by Roger Phillips Michael Perez of Boise takes flight during snowboard competition at Little Ski Hill. Little Hill hosts snowboard contest Jesse Sexton of Boise and Amanda Millington of McCall took top male and female honors at first - ever Slopestyle snowboard compe- tition. 'The event was held last Satur- day at the Little Ski Hill west of McCall. The event attracted 21 riders, mostly locals, who earned style points by launching off jumps on a course specifically designed for the event. The top male and female riders won snowboards as prizes. Another new snowboard went to Jesse Cordtz, who won the "Buttslide," a fun race where snowboarders slid downhill on their boards without standing on them. Sponsors were Gravity Sports, Flight snowboards, Airwalk, Rossignol and Transworld Snowboarding Magazine. Here are the results of the first Slopestyle competitions held at the Little Ski Hill: Overall Male: 1. Jesse Sexton, Boise, 2. Alan Busby, McCall, 3. Jesse Cordtz, McCall. Female: 1. Amanda Millington, McCall, 2. Jenna Sumner, McCall, 3. Claire Olavarria, McCall. Age Groups 9 and under: 1. David Thiede, McCall. 10 -12: 1. Alec Olavarria, McCall, 2. Tyler Stright, McCall, 3. Marty Theide, McCall, 4. Chad Sumner, McCall, 5. Andy Dalgleish, McCall, 6. Martin Campbell, McCall. 13 -15: 1. Terry Campbell, McCall, 2. Brian Ripka, 3. Chad McGinnis, McCall, 4. Jake Wilson, McCall.' 16-25: 1. Michael Perez, Boise, 2. Levi Brown, McCall, 3. Andy Johnson, McCall, 4. Matt Ryan, McCall. U q 1 e, 72 1q, /VG 6, t& 117157Y A gem of a race About 70 cross - country ski racers of all ages made the starting line at the Little Ski Hill Saturday where they enjoyed some mighty fine racing conditions in the annual Race for Diamonds, sponsored by McCall Drug and the Payette Lakes Ski Club. Race for Diamonds draws good turnout MCCALL - About 70 cross - country ski racers of all ages were blessed with some great racing conditions Saturday as they took part in the Race for Diamonds, a series of cross - country ski races spon- sored by McCall Drug and the Payette Lakes Ski Club. Joel Harrison of New Meadows was the first finisher across the line among the men in the 15- kilometer race, and Nicki Humphries of McCall was the first woman over the finish line. Complete results and their times are: SENIORS - 15- Kilometer Overall Women - 1. Humphries, 49 minutes, 37 seconds; 2. Karen Morrow, 51:34; 3. Christine Hall, 54:59. Men - 1. Harrison, 45:39; 2. Scott Lung, 46:40; 3. Brad St. Clair, 46:43. 18 -30 Years, Men - 1. Harrison; 2. Jay Black Hurst, 48:56; 3. Scott Anderson, 51:03. 31 -40 Years, Men - 1. Lung, 46:40; 2. St. Clair, 46:43; 3. Mike Cooley, 49:47; 4. Dave Axelrod, 52:35; 5. Bret Hurtz, 58:23; 6. Scott Acker, 58:56; 7. Dan Smith, 59:11; 8. Brad Sanders, 59:30. 41 -50 Years, Men - 1. John Esposito, 46:48; 2. Steve Entell, 47:32; 3. Greg Lawley, 50:14; 4. Dick Knowles, 51:29; 5. Neal Davis, 54:52; 6. Mike Murphy, 54:59; 7. John Humphries, 55:59; 8. David Reddick, 1:03:15; 9. Carl Ruhkula, 1:08:16. 50 +, Men - 1. Pat Armstrong, 50:12; 2. Dave Kellogg, 53:37; 3. Pat Harren, 54:30. 7.5- Kilometer Men - 1. Dan Ostermiller, 26:33; 2. Doug Mastaler, 26:33. Women - 1. Brooke Murphy, 25:21; 2. Breuna Knowles, 25:24; 3. Cindy Miller, 25:38; 4. Bonnie Esposito, 29:37; 5. Margaret Patterson, 30:07; 6. Lisa Ostermiller, 31:03; 7. Susie Reddick, 31:25. JUNIORS - 1.5- Kilometer Boys - 1. Todd Fereday, 7:11; 2. Ian McClaren, 7:13; 3. Sam Davis, 7:36; 4. Matt Bryant, 7:46; 5. Andrew Armstrong, 9:10. Girls - 1. Alina Everett, 9:38; 2. Joy Denisoff, 13:27. 3- Kilometer Girls J1 - 1. Kendra Lawley, 9:59; 2. Kelsey Troutner, 10:06. Girls J4 - 1. Betsy Kiefer, 13:05; 2. Krista VanVelzen, 13:51; 3. Tegan Troutner, 14:01. Girls 15 - 1. Sara Davis, 10:55; 2. Mariah Reddick, 11:08; 3. Tara Van Velzen, 11:25. Boys Jl - 1. Chapin Storrar, 8:45. Boys J2 - 1. Keif Storrar, 9:30; 2. Spencer Lawley, 9:31. Boys J3 - 1. Jaime Everett, 8:42; 2. Jesse Murphy, 8:43; Graham Sours, 10:14; 4. Tom Troutner, 10:17; 5. Max Ostermiller, 10:30; 6. Tristan McClaren, 10:32; 7. Keenan Storrar, 10:45; 8. Scott Fereday, 12:10. Boys J4 - 1. Andrew Reddick, 10:47; 2. Bret VanVelzen, 10:49; 3. Ezra Axelrod, i 10:54; 4. Tyler Bryant, 13:39. Star -News Photo by Roger Phillips Glenn McLaughlin, left, assistant Little Ski Hill manager, and President Tuck Miller display ski club logo. Little Ski Hill climbs out of debt BY ROGER PHILLIPS The Scar-News The Little Ski Hill is off to its strongest start in years and in the black for the first time in recent memory. "We had a pretty deep hole to crawl out of last year," Payette Lakes Ski Club President Tuck Miller said. "We paid about $30,000 of debt off this year, and we are dedicated to ending this season in the black." Miller said the club, which oper- ates the Little Ski Hill, is getting back to its roots of offering races, clinics, lessons and other programs to get people involved in the skiing. "One thing we recognize is we have to run programs," he said. "That's our niche, and we've lost that over the last couple years." The club has offered a series of cross country skiing clinics and hosted one race this season. There are three more Nordic races on the calendar, as well as a series of snowboard events slated for later this winter. The Little Hill recently completed its "BoarderCross" course for snowboarders, which will be ready for practice runs on Saturday evening. The club has also resumed after - school bus service Tuesday through Friday from the McCall schools to the Little Hill, thanks to a grant from Warren Brown and the McCall Ro- tary Club. To make skiing a sport anyone can enjoy, the club is offering scholar- ships and equipment for area youth who otherwise could not afford to ski. "There is no person in McCall who can't ski because of money," Miller said. The club also offers Nordic, Al- pine and snowboard lessons every Saturday, or by appointment. Miller sees the club's renewed vigor as the beginning of the next era for the Little Ski. He wants to con- tinue improving the club and show it is a viable and valuable part of the community. "We think it offers a lot," Miller said. He would like to see former club members carry the Little Hill's tradi- tions into the future. The Little Hill has been in operation for 61 years, making it the second oldest ski area in Idaho after Sun Valley. "I think we've made a big mistake over the years not keeping up with traditions," Miller said. "We're try- ing to get people back involved who have been involved over the years." Miller has big plans for the future, which he hopes to have formed into a model by spring. "We're looking to do a total re- build at the Little Hill," he said. "Our goal is to have a ski hill that operates into the future. Everything is on the table. It's going to be a very large undertaking." S4,4R AIF WS N /,4kc�,3/ /99Jf` Photo by Greg Pittenger These McCall Ski Racing Team members have qualified for the Western Region Junior Olympics for Alpine skiers. Back row, from left, are Adam Carter, Jamie Laidlaw, Mat Lohff, Kristina Revello and Brett Jones. Front row, from left, are Erin Pittenger and Pennie Patterson. Not pictured is Eric Straw. Coach Steve Bell is at far right. McCall Alpine racers qualify for j0 Eight members of the McCall Ski Racing Team recently quali- fied for the Western Region Junior Olympics for Alpine skiers. The eight comprise more than half of the McCall ski team's junior racers ages 13 -19. J3 racers Pennie Patterson, Erin Pittenger, Mat Lohff and Erik Straw qualified for the J3 Junior Olympics at a recent qualifying race at Mt. Hood, Ore, which will also host the J3 Junior Olympic competition March 12 -15. "It is a great honor to be chosen for Junior Olympics, but a particu- larly great honor to be chosen as a first -year J3 such as Pennie and Erin," Coach Steve Bell said. Bell will also attend the J3 Jun- ior Olympics as one of the coaches for the Pacific Northwest Ski Asso- ciation. J2 racers Adam Carter, Kristi Revello and Brett Jones qualified for the Junior Olympics for J2 and JI racers at Mt. Hood. They will head to the J2 Junior Olympics at Mt. Bachelor, Ore. March 9 -15. J1 racer Jamie Laidlaw also earned. a JO berth at Mt. Hood in the Jl division, and team mate Colby Nielsen was selected as an alternate. Laidlaw will compete at the Jl Junior Olympics at Jackson Hole, Wyo. on March 6 -12. The J1- J2 racers are coached by Kathy Gans. All the McCall racers will com- pete against the top ski racers from teams throughout the West, except Colorado. They will race in down- hill, slalom, giant slalom and Super G events. Top racers at the JO races will qualify for the U.S. Nationals ski championships at Jackson Hole, Wvo.. later this vPar ��x ` l I n N 4 C A R D S A L E S A I D S K I T E A M - C h r i s t m a s c a r d s f e a t u r i n g a r e p r o d u c t i o n o f a n o i l p a i n t i n g o f a P a y e t t e L a k e s a w m i l l a r e n o w o n s a l e t o b e n e f i t t h e M c C a l l S k i R a c i n g T e a m a n d t h e P a y e t t e L a k e s S k i C l u b . T h e p a i n t i n g , b y E m m a D a y , s h o w s t h e B r o w n T i e & L u m b e r C o . s a w m i l l o n t h e c u r r e n t s i t e o f L e g a c y P a r k . T h e s a w m i l l b u r n e d i n 1 9 4 0 a n d w a s r e b u i l t a t a n e w s i t e w h e r e B r o w n F a m i l y P a r k i s n o w l o c a t e d . T h e c a r d s c o m e w i t h a r e d b o r d e r o r a p i n e c o n e b o r d e r , e i t h e r b l a n k i n s i d e w i t h t h e g r e e t i n g " H a p p y H o l i d a y s . " C o s t $ 2 e a c h o r 1 0 0 f o r $ 1 0 0 . T h e y a r e a v a i l a b l e a t l o c a l s t o r e s , i n c l u d i n g M o u n t a i n M o n k e y B u s i n e s s , f r o m a n y M S R T m e m b e r o r b y c a l l i n g N a n c y G i l e s a t 6 3 4 - 8 1 5 6 . P r i n t i n g o f t h e c a r d s w a s d o n a t e d b y M r . a n d M r s . S t a n H a r w o o d . Photo by Ed Roper Volunteer workers make progress on the deck that will surround the lodge at the Little Ski Hill. Little Ski Hill lodge to get deck on east and south sides The Payette Lakes S}� ub as started the first major a din to the Lodge at Little Ski Hill. A new deck is being added along the east and south side of the lodge. The deck will almost double the usable space on the main level of the Lodge. This will allow the club to host larger groups and make a great viewing spot for watching skiers on the hill. A new door will open on to the deck near the west end of the deck. The project was kicked off by a large dona- tion by ski club board member Amy Dague. New board member Chris Kirk is overseeing the construction, and Lance Gardner of G &G Construction handled the concrete work and has donated much of his labor cost. Rowland Brothers Concrete donated all the concrete and delivery. The framing has all been done by volunteer labor. Long time board member Jared Alexan- der has been coordinating the volunteers along with making laser straight cuts. A special acknowledgment to Larry Keller of Infinity Design who has lent his exper- tise and tools to keep the project moving. This weekend volunteers are need to screw down the Trex decking that has been donated by Lumbermens. Anyone with a screw gun or a strong back who wants to help out should come to the lodge at 10 a.m. Saturday. Contact Ed Roper at 634 -9417 for questions. With the new deck being added to the Lodge at Little Ski Hill it has become apparent that the windows that surround the deck must be replaced. However, the ski club board did not have this unexpected expense budgeted for this season. Pat and Kim Allen of Pat's Glass, who do- nated replacement windows downstairs last year, have worked with their suppliers to get good pricing on new windows. The total budget to replace the 24 windows is just over $7,000. The ski club is looking for individuals or business to donate $200 to purchase a window for the lodge. If the windows can be sold soon, they can be installed before Christmas. Call Roper at 634 -9417 for information. *(O� Bear Basin Nordic ski trails open for the season The Bear Basin Nordic Ski Trails are open for the season thanks to this week's winter storms. By the weekend the Payette Lakes Ski Club hopes to have 15 to 20 kilometers of trails open and groomed for skate and classic skiing. As of mid -week there were lokm of trails open. The formal season opening will be Saturday and Sunday. Nordic skiers and snowshoers can enjoy hot drinks and treats will be available at area's yurt. Primo and Little Ski Hill season passes will be available for sale, and season dog passes will be available for $25. Daily trail pass fees will be $8 per day for adults, $4 for those under age 18 and $2 for dogs. The trailhead location has moved to a new and expanded parking facility one half mile up North Club Hill Road one - quarter mile west of the former parking lot. Skiers should turn north off of Idaho 55 about 1 -1/4 miles west of McCall. Look for the Bear Basin Trailhead sign. Skiers are invited to grab their headlamps and come out on Friday, Dec. 21, to celebrate the winter solstice and a full moon. The fun starts at 6 p.m. with hot drinks, treats and a bonfire. The McCall Nordic Ski Team will stage its second Masters Clinic on Saturday. Go to www mccallskiing.com for information on the entire series of clinics. The ski club plans to offer a number of in- structional programs throughout the season. These will include a Wednesday men's day, a Thursday women's day, and weekly Saturday morning clinics. id r Sk I i • iis A decades -old McCall tradition thrives at The Little Ski Hill as generations pass on their love of winter sport to the young � d . � 1 s i. t 1 f i _rte BY LUCIA V KNUDSON The Star -News reston Child loves to tease his snowboard instructor that he is not learning tricks. "He's OK, but I'm not learning anything. You aren't even teaching me," Child said to instructor Delan Allen, a McCall- Donnelly High School junior. The joking is all in the spirit of goody - fun at the After- School Ski Program at the Little Ski Hill, a decades -old McCall y MOM ti t i 9 6 .I� f* BY LUCIA V KNUDSON The Star -News reston Child loves to tease his snowboard instructor that he is not learning tricks. "He's OK, but I'm not learning anything. You aren't even teaching me," Child said to instructor Delan Allen, a McCall- Donnelly High School junior. The joking is all in the spirit of goo fun at the After- School Ski Program at the Little Ski Hill, a decades -old McCall tradition that keeps going thanks to com- munity support and avid young winter sports enthusiasts. The scene is the same each afternoon as eager students pile off the bus and rush to the lodge to sign in. A free ski bus picks up students from McCall and Donnelly schools after school and takes them to their snowy classroom. The program runs six weeks, offer- ing elementary school -aged students ski instruction Tuesdays through Thursdays and snowboard instruction Wednesdays through Fridays. On Saturdays there is an afternoon session available to students from Council and Cascade schools. The youngest students are age 5, the minimum age for enrollment, said after- school program director Colby Nielsen. This season, an impressive turn -out of 90 students have enrolled in the after - school program and they are being taught by 20 instructors, Nielsen said. Alumni of the program and parents lend a hand with instruction, which helps the Little Hill keep down the cost of pro- grams and passes, Nielsen said. Alumni Come Back to Teach Child's mother, Sharon, teaches begin- ning skiers. This is her first season as an instructor, and she said she has learned a lot about teaching skills in stages and at an elementary level. Allen learned to ski through the after - school program eight years ago, and he credits the program for developing his technique. "Someone telling me what to do helped a lot," he said. "And when I was snow- boarding, they gave me hints, helped me learn to carve." Youths do not have to take lessons . arr ... while attending the after- school program. About half the youths who ride the bus are there just to have a good time on the slopes. Nielsen also learned to ski through the after- school program. He spent 10 years away from McCall living in other ski towns, none of which had a program similar to that in McCall. "It takes a lot of support to keep every- thing going — the events, people making donations for scholarships to kids who cannot afford the tuition, and making equipment available to them," Nielsen said. Donors can contribute their points from Paul's Market to fund Little Ski Hill pro- grams. This year, Little Ski Hill received grants from U.S. Bank, The Wittenberger Foundation, and the McCall Rotary Club. PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Ninety students and 20 instructors have enrolled in this year's After School Ski Program. Willow Cogan and Anisa Ryan ride the T -Bar lift to the top of the hill. Osha Wolfe carries her skis across the Little Hill parking lot followed by her sister, Stokli. Both snowboarders and skiers are part of the after - school program. A watchful volunteer checks equipment. Kate Kirkpatrick laces up her snowboard boots. Sponsored buses are a key to the success of the program. Photos for The Star -News by Gary Ertter, page design by Tomi Grote ii pl.� 4, " It takes a lot of support to keep everything going — the events, people making donations for scholarships to kids who cannot afford the tuition, and making equipment available to them." — Colby Nielsen `}.17 -It Little Ski Hill, Bear Basin top 8,000 visitors More than 8,000 people visited the Little Ski Hill downhill ski area and the Little Bear Basin Nordic Center duringthe 2010 -11 season, according to the Payette Lakes Ski Club. Nearly 3,000 skiers came to the Little Ski Hillwestof McCall and more than 5,000 people used the nearby Little Bear Basin trails, said Colby Nielsen, who manages both areas for the nonprofit ski club. A total of 88 youths were involved in the af- ter- school ski program at the Little Ski Hill, and the ski club ran vans and buses from schools in Donnelly, McCall and New Meadows The fees of 23 youths were partly or fully paid by the area's scholarship program, Nielsen said. There were 20 volunteer instructors this season, many of whom were first time instruc- ""w� tors. Many were involved in the Brundage •� Mountain Resort ski instructor apprentice program to provide more training to young instructors. It completes the cycle of the Little Hill," "t Nielsen said. "Kids learn to ski there, then return to instruct and leave as skilled skiers and boarders with a job skill as well." Solveig Sinclair skied the most days dur- ing the just - completed season with 46 days at (See VISITORS, Page 14) The Little Bear Basin Nordic Center was used by an estimated 5,000 people (and pets). Visitors (Continued from Page 16) the Little Hill, followedby Will Crossley with 26 days. Both will receive a season pass for nextseason. There was a three -way tie for third at 23 days between Willie Ruemmele, Reed Cross. ley and Adam Ellis. They receive a $15 gift certificate from the Little Ski Hill. Former Little Hill manager Ed Roper returned in mid -w in- ter to assist with management of the Little Bear Basin trails, keeping trails groomed and making sure users were paying for their.trail passes. "We began providing all of our own grooming at Bear Basin," Nielsen said. "We were eventually able to get our track setter on the cat and we were up and going." Donations of labor, materi- als and equipmenthelpedboth areas have a successful season. These donations included: • Doug Bixby and Ben Gau coordinated and transportee the area's new snow cat. • Ed Troupe at Goldforl Automotive helped with ca maintenance and getting thi track setter put on the cat. • Phil's Plumbing installer new toilets donated by Robert- son Supply. • Fred Coriell built a new deck downstairs on the lodge and remodeled the bath- rooms. • DustinTatum andPreston Woods installed new features at the terrain park, which featured several rail jams this season with at least 30 partici- pants at each event. • Josh Ray, Tatum and Woods built a large big air jump on the face. • Julie Neustadt and Jim Corbet provided experienced help on the hill day -to -day by assisting young instructors and providing them with tips for instructing. Several projects are planned this summer as the Little Ski Hill begins to imple- ment its new master plan. Plans call for replacing the lift maintenance shed, putting in a new well, replacing and fixing lights on the hill, and starting work on an amphithe- ater in front of the lodge. Volunteers and donors are needed to help with these projects. Contact Nielsen at Colby @littleskihill.org. Outdoors Page The StarNews Page 1 of 1 Little Ski Hill to h—,t Fnd -of- season party Mnrrh ?1 The Little Ski Hill west of McCall will host an end -of- season party on Saturday, March 31. The party will start at 4 p.m. and will feature a banked slalom, big air competition and quarter pipe. The final Friday Night Dinner at the Little Ski Hill lodge will be this Friday, with Toll Station Pizza providing the food. The dinner starts at 8 p.m. and costs $10. The Little Hill also will have special hours during Spring Break. The runs will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 29-31. http: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /outdoors _page.php 3/22/2012 IFOutdoors Page The StarNews Page 1 of 1 s N r 5rorbo.Nc loom 6rlL. su -x... iy rr Yedrff.w t.s{ae f6am LMIE FULL ENDS' ;Lkq(.)N -Me Lmfr Sh Hill west of Alc,CaE ended lts season on Saturda\-with a pony and events At top. Cantel0n St Ptene front Buse gabs some ass m (rout of the civwd watcbu{g hr the sh lull's lodge AbmY, members ct Tenor Lvrh celebrate i unug of the soil Toeu League Rxr Serves u�ih theu'hvpht' Flomleft mr Ahke Doitta ALlce Pedeiseu :tad i;eoige Duns Not pctmrdu Lolo Nelson h4: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /outdoors _page.php 4/5/2012 Events and Arts The StarNews Little Ski Hill notes events for 75th season The Little Ski Hill in McCall has scheduled a variety of event to note the area's 75th season. "Further," a sniwvboard movie featuring Jeremy Jones, will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at the ski area lodge. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for youths. On Oct 19, TGR's "The Dream Factory" ski movie will be shown. The annual Ski Swap will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 -21, at Payette Lakes Middle School, and a Haunted House will be held at the lodge on Friday, Oct. 26. A gala 75th anniversary party is set for Saturday, Nov. 10, at Shore Lodge. Back _page.php Page 1 of 1 9/20/2012 ties of Donnelly, New Meadows : LITTLE HILL, BIG HISTORY - A Jumper soars to a landing from the ski Jump that dominated the Little Ski Hil until It was blown down In a windstor��II in 1992. The local landmark celebraf� Its 75th anniversary this week http://www.mccalistameWS.com/pages/front_page.php i lb 11/8/2012 This week's front page stories Little Hill, Big History McCall ski area celebrates 75 years ofoperation BY TOM GROTE The Star-News A Norwegian's knowledge of snow and a millwright's knack with equipment combined to create the Little Ski Hill west of McCall, which has been serving the area's youth for 75 years. Originally from Norway, Alf Engen worked for the Wasatch National Forest, and he earned an international reputation as a ski jumper along with his brothers, Sverre and Kaare. AM Engen helped establish 30 ski areas in region in the 1930s and 1940s. He served as the 1948 U.S. Olympic Ski Team coach, as well as the ski school director at Aka, Utah. The family of Carl Brown, who owned the sawmill on Payette Lake, gave land to the Forest Service for the Little Ski Hill. The Forest Service built the infrastructure for the ski area with help from the Civilian Conservation Corps and local volunteers. The Little Ski Hill opened to the public in 1937, and the Forest Service operated the facility. Alf Engen selected the site because it was ideal for building an "A" and a "B° jump and for cross- country skiing. According to Warren Brown, son of Carl Brown, Engen did not really consider the merits of the hill for slalom or downhill racing Brown's Tie and Lumber's sawmill millwright, Joe Kasper, designed an original "boat tow" sled system that took skiers to the top of the hill. Sleds And A Cable The system was described by Mack Miller, a McCall skier who competed in the Winter Olympic games in 1956 ad 1960: "The ski tow that Kasper built is unique and may be the only one like it in the country," Miller said. "Powered by a gas motor in a log tow house, it consists of two sleds hooked to a cable.' SCRAPBOOK 11 Aw_ J�tr' ti 3R A) 1 C�l __1 - 9�0 "The cable goes up the hill, around a bull wheel, and back down to conned at the bottom,' he said. "One sled is hooked into the cable at the bottom and one at the top. Put #top, mach sill Bromi Jr msencts tocal hhte, the motor in forward, and one sled goes up, one comes rht eshesmfroutof the on,givatlAtdeslaHdl down." lodge Ar mater. ldeCatl school kids get off the Brmm s Tie and Lumber Comp— bus as part of the after - school prog am that sell coueaues At AN Engen set the record for the longest jump at 204 feet. bottom shersnde the boat tow to die top ofthe The first two years that ski jumpers used the "A" jump, they littleshHill landed in front of the highway now called Idaho 55. After landing, the run -off crossed the road and continued on the opposite side of the highway, requiring traffic to be stopped. After two years, Warren Brown brought in heavy equipment and changed the run -off so the jumpers no longer had to cross the road. They banked left and returned to the boat sled for the runoff. The jump's scaffolding was destroyed by a severe windstorm in 1992. The area's T -bar lift was installed in 1955 and the current lodge is the third since the area's opening. The previous two lodges were destroyed by fire. In 1959, Warren Brown and Corey Engen decided it was time to take the next step and offer a bigger and steeper mountain for skiing. With the help of partner Jack Simplot, the three men would open Brundage Mountain Resort on Thanksgiving Day 1961. Olympian Memories Among the thousands of youths who learned to ski there, Lyle Nelson believes he may have benefitted the most. "The Little Ski Hill was the starting gate for me that lead to four Olympics, over 40 trips to compete in Europe, and countless ski stories that still make me laugh or tingle with excitement," said Nelson, who competed for the U.S. team in triathlon with his last Olympics in 1988. "I remember Cory Engen instructing the big kids, those 13 to 18 years old, to get right behind us little http://www.mccallst=ews.com/pages/fp jitories_page.php Page 11/8/2012 This week's front page stories tykes to help us lift up the rope on the rope tow," said Nelson, who is now director of public relations and marketing at St. Luke's McCall. "The cadre of mothers who met the ski bus after school, and watchful coaches who let us thrill - seekers ski a little too fast or jump a little too high, but within a boundary of safety, gave me an unyielding can-do attitude," he said. More than anything else, Nelson remembers caring adults, family fun, and encouragement. Frank Brown said skiing at the Little Ski Hill taught him sportsmanship, establishing goals and competition. "The Little Ski Hill was successful because we could spend time on the snow," said Brown, who competed for the United States at the 1960 Winter Olympics. "We could spend many more hours each week on the snow practicing,' he said. "This was critical because the kids we were competing against did not have this advantage." (Note: Much of this story was assembled from the newly released history of Brundage Mountain Resort, `Brundage Mountain - Best Snow in Idaho," by Eve Chandler and Donning Company Publishers, who consented to their reprinting here.) http://www.mccallstamews.com/pages/fp—stories_page.php Page 2 of 2 11/8/2012 Events and Arts The StarNews AROUND TOWN Ponro b.The srNe.s by Ya MoNr ARE t \T SCARED Wr? - Camas _llexaude , S, wd Cassdc lamb, Q, fi-om WC AL put mt tlw sc.� faces Fnw v mgbt dwmg the " Ri mted Lodge' . held at tlw lattle Skt Hill twa NcCdl Pbuceeds —ut to the Pacew Lakes Slu Club Page 1 of 1 http://www.mccallstamews.com/pages/events—arts—Page.php II/l/2012 The Star News Groups Page Page 1 of 1 Valley groups receive foundation nranrs Valley County groups were included in the Idaho Community Foundation's Southwestern Regional Grants program. Money for the grants comes from ICF's Greatest Need Endowment Fund for Southwest Idaho, which receives money from numerous ICF funds designated to benefit southwest and central Idaho. Valley County recipients were: • Central Idaho Historical Museum: $2,000 to stain and preserve the deteriorating logs of the historic Assistant Warden's House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. • McCall Public Library: $700 to purchase blocks, storage units, block play related books, math and language materials for the "Block Play Story Time" program at library. • McCall Senior Citizens Center: $1,000 to supplement the wages of the kitchen personnel and to assist in the purchase of basic food for the meals provided to the seniors. • Payette Lakes Ski Club: $2,500 to purchase a soft start for the T -bar. http: / /www.mccallstarnews .com/pages /groups _page.php 12/13/2012 Photo by Matt Moehr / for The Star -News S(4 Jean Gallagher, Kara Collier, Deanna Schnider and Kathryn Mount, all of McCall, fly down the slope in a cardboard creation dubbed the "Snow Beast" at the Little Ski Hill on Saturday afternoon. The cardboard box race was part of an end -of- season bash that also included an Easter egg hunt, banked slalom contest and big air competition. l sue, //9//� LSH to offer after - school, Saturday ski programs The Little Ski Hill west of McCall will offer af- ter- school and Saturday programs for youths in kindergarten to sixth grade beginning Tuesday if there is enough snow to open the area. The programs will run from 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. two days per week for six weeks. Programs include beginner and advanced skiing and snowboarding, freeride, and audiovisual. The beginner /inter- mediate program focuses on learning the basics of skiing /snowboarding. and developing the beginning rider. The advanced program focuses on improvingriding abilities and includes intro- duction to terrain parks, jumping, running gates and riding off trail. The freeride program is the next level after stu- dents have completed the advanced skiing /snow- boarding programs. This program focuses on provid- ing training for skier and boarder cross, slope style, and freestyle skiing. Cost for either program is $300 and includes a sea- son pass, locker rental, transportation to the hill, instruction, and coaching. A $50 discount is offered to parents who commit to voluntedr one day per week. The Saturday program will be offered to all levels of skiers and snowboarders starting Jan. 18 if the area is able to open. The program runs from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for six weeks and costs $150 for a season pass, instruction, and coaching. Register online at www, littleskihill.org, or at Home- town Sports, Gravity Sports, or the HUB. Outdoors Page The StarNews Skiers. boarders take air at Little Ski Hill competition Snowboarders and skiers hit the snow and went airborne on Saturday during the Banked Slalom & Big Air competition held at the Little Ski Hill west of McCall. Winners were crowed in both adult and youth categories. Below are the winners. Last names and home towns not listed were not available: ADULT Banked Slalom: Men's Boarders - 1. Matt Hughes 2. Greg Goulet 3. Aj Ogden. Men's Skiers - 1. Caleb Albrect 2. Scott Bourne 3. Furel. Women's Boarders - 1. Chana Wojan 2. Audrey H. 3. Yadi. Women's Skiers - 1. Marcie Briggs 2. Tianna 3. Julie. Snowskaters - 1. Jeff Tulloch 2. Jon Metz. Big Air: Men's Boarders Advanced - 1. Aj Ogden 2. Scott Wasden 3. Josh Dombi. Men's Skiers Advanced - 1. Max Knudson 2. Caleb Albrect 3. Chris Henery. Men's Boarders Intermediate - 1. Willie Rumelle 2. Cyrus Corbet. Men's Skiers Intermediate - 1. Jonas Bourne 2. Graden Guest. Men's Boarder Beginner - 1. Owen Buchanan. Men's Skiers Beginner - 1. Jess 2. Camas Alexander 3. Hayden Kucy. Women's Boarders - 1. Chana Wojan. Women's Skiers - 1. Marcie Briggs YOUTH Boys 12 and Under Skiers: 1. Graden Guest 2. Hayden Kucy 3. Noah Spangenberg. Boys 12 and Under Boarder: 1. Dylan Rene 2. Travis Winters 3. Cyrus Corbet. Boys 13 =17 Skiers: 1. Caleb Albrect 2. Max Knudson. 3. Elliot Guest. Boys 13 -17 Boarder: 1. Willie Ruemmele. 2, Barret Kilroy. 3, Caleb Rothwell. i 'hat, f,, The S-N-by Mtt M,eSt h1xx Knuth n,,f M, nn h¢nbles chuu ,g a hick m S itttrdw it the Tattle Ski Hilt Page I http: / /wwNv.mccallstarnews.com/pages /outdoors _page.php 3/20/2014 Outdoors Page The StarNews Little Ski Hill plans to widen Outback run by next season BY KYLA SAWYER for The Star -Nees McCall's iconic Little Ski Hill hopes to receive approval from the Payette National Forest to widen its popular Outback ski run in time for the 2014 -15 winter ski season. "We're pretty excited about this because we're hoping to move forward on real improvements people can see on the hill," Little Ski Hill manager Colby Nielsen said. The Little Ski Hill has been in operation since 1937 and is owned and operated by the nonprofit Payette Lakes Ski Club through a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. Plans to widen the Outback run would include cutting and removing trees on less than five acres along both sides of the existing run. "Widening this run will allow us to build a slightly larger terrain park and still have room for public skiing on a beginnerfintermediate run," Nielsen said. The Little Ski Hill and its companion Bear Basin Nordic Center had more than 7,000 skier visits last season, he said. "Last year we had to split up our after - school program into two groups because we had so many people here," Nielsen said. "We're trying to accommodate all the different uses we offer," he said. "We have about 120 kids in our after - school program, then we have the race team training here, a terrain park and we want to grow with more freestyle options." Plans to widen the Outback run have been in the works for a few years, Nielsen said. The tree removal likely would be completed as early as this summer and fall, Payette Environmental Coordinator Jeff Huntsman said. Public comments about the proposed ski run widening will be taken through May 12. Page I of 1 http: / /www.mccallstarnews.com /pages /archive_2014 /05_01 _ 14_webedition/ Copy %20of%2Ooutdoors _page.php 5/17/2014 The Star News Groups Page Page 1 of 1 McCall Farmers' Market donates to Little Ski Hill, TEPA The McCall Farmers' Market has donated $1,000 to the Payette Lakes Ski Club and $500 to the Tamarack Environmental Protection Association. The ski club will use the money to support the after - school program that transports students from Donnelly, McCall and New Meadows to the Little Ski Hill near McCall through the winter. The Tamarack Environmental Protection Association will use the grant to install and enhance a Firewise Garden at Tamarack Resort. The McCall Farmers' Market is open -air market that benefits local non - profit groups that sell fresh local produce, flowers, locally grown meats and poultry. http: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /groups _page.phn 9/18/2014 Star -News News Outdoors Page Page 1 of 1 Little Ski Hill lodge adds new room to treat Injured skiers BY CEMSTfE GROB for The Star -News Young skiers who get injured at the Little Ski Hill west of McCall this winter will be able to be treated in privacy this winter The lodge on Idaho 55 is adding a new room for members of the National Ski Patrol to care for skiers and snowboarders who take a hard fall. 1 "We are using the space much better," said Colby Nielsen, } general manager of the lodge for the Payette Lake Ski Club. r j� Other changes to the lodge include a new main entrance, If i 4 6 separate access to the ski patrol room, instructor equipment 1 storage room, and new flooring. Cody Nielsen takes a measurement during The work is being done with grants from the ski patrol and ""notion to the lime ski Hill lodge. the Payette National Forest, which leases the land on which the lodge sits When work began on the remodel, parts of the main interior wall were found to be rotted and in need of replacement. The unexpected repair was more extensive than the original plans the club had for this project. The result is a new interior structural wall and new roof. Funding for unexpected work came from money raised at the first annual Jason Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament held earlier this year at McCall Golf Course. The work is expected to be finished in time for the haunted house to be staged at the lodge before Halloween. Future lodge projects include kitchen, locker room, and bathroom remodels. The club is able to offset its Forest Service lease through improvements to the building each year. The Payette Lakes Ski Club operates both the Little Ski Hill and the nearby Bear Basin Nordic Area. http: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /outdoors _page.php 10/1/2015 Star -News News Outdoors Page READY TO SHRED t. N— br c ,n Bryce Lannon of McCall finds the perfect [roots during the Ski Swap held on Sundav at Payette lakes Middle School. Great bargains on used ski equipment were found at the event, which was a fundraiser for the Payette lakes Ski Club Page 1 of 1 http: / /www.mccallstamews.com /pages /outdoors _page.php 10/22/2015 l The Little Ski Hill west of McCall will open Friday for the 2015 -16 season. The ski area will be open every day through Jan. 2 from noon to 8 p.m. except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Located two miles north of McCall on Idaho 55, the Little Ski Hill has an alpine hill served by a T -bar lift providing 405 vertical feet of terrain which is the only lit ski and snowboard hill in the area. The area also offers a terrain park. Daily ticket prices will be $12 per day for youths age 5 to 17 and $15 for over age 18. Youths age 4 and younger ski free. The area will again offer ski and snowboard programs for youth in grades kindergarten through sixth grade. The sessions will begin Jan. 12 and last two days per week for seven weeks. All lessons are from 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. First -time and beginner skiers will have lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while intermediate and advanced skiers plus snowboarders will have lessons on Wednesdays and Fridays. All lessons include a season pass, seasonal locker rental, bus transportation from school, and instruction. The cost is $300 per child, and a $50 discount is given to parents who commit to volunteer one day per week for program. Scholarships are available based on income. For information or a scholarship application, write to Jennifer Dummar at jen @littleskihill.org. Built in 1937 as a winter diversion for local forest workers, the Little Ski Hill has served the region's youth and skiing community for over 75 years. The Little Ski Hill is operated by the Payette Lakes Ski Club. The club also operates the nearby Bear Basin Nordic Center, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Star -News News Lead Story Page Hiding in Plain Sight U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree fired at Little Ski Hill BY TOM GROTE for The Siar-Nens The "secret' location of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree wasn't so secret after all. The 80 -foot Engiemann spruce that will stand in front of } the U.S Capitol in Washington D.C. was in plain sight of motorists driving along Idaho 55 past the Little Ski Hill west of McCall. y! .. The location was officially hidden until Monday, when the Payette National Forest announced the tree cutting for Wednesday. Two Payette employees, Jared Schuster and Chris Niccoli, cut the tree Wednesday morning using a crosscut saw to Jared Schuster, left, and Chris Niccoli use an old- honor the traditional skills used in designated wilderness fashioned cross -alt saw to fell the U.S. Capitol areas. ChristrnasTree Wednesday at the little SM Hill near McCall. Cranes then gently lifted the tree onto a massive flatbed trailer, where it will travel around Idaho and the nation during the next month before arriving in Washington D.C. Before that journey begins, however, the people of McCall will give the tree a proper send -off on Saturday. The tree was designated as "the perfect tree' by Ted Bechtol, superintendent of grounds for the Architect of the U.S. Capitol, when Bechtoi visited McCall in July to view candidate trees, Payette Public Affairs Officer Brian Harris said. Niccoli and Schuster were in charge of picking out finalists from among the millions of trees located on the Payette. The Little Ski Hill tree was separated from other trees, allowing it to grow quicker, be more healthy and to have branches all the way around it, Harris said. The focation near Idaho 55 was a bonus that made getting the cranes and haulers in and out easier, he said. Saturday Festivities On Saturday, the tree will be located at Alpine Village, where children are invited to gather at 4:30 p.m. to receive goodie bags and meet Smokey Bear. At 5 p.m., a parade through downtown will begin and children and their parents will be escorted in front of the tree. The tree will stop on Second Street, where the celebration will continue with the Big Idaho Potato Truck, a chili cook-off, cookies and hot chocolate, and live music by Play Date sponsored by the McCall Public Library. Both Smokey Bear and Santa Claus will be greeting guests. The city of McCall will kick off the holiday season early in honor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree by lighting the city's holiday tree in Art Roberts Park at 6:30 p.m. 'Come out and enjoy this event, sign the banner, and celebrate Idaho and the Payette National Forest as our'ldaho Mountain Gem' crosses the U.S., bound for our nation's capital,' Payette Supervisor Keith Lannom said. After the McCall celebration, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tee will be prepared for its nearly 4,000 -mile expedition. The tree will make several stops throughout the state before heading east. The tree will stop in Cascade on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kelly's Whitewater Park and visit downtown New Meadows on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. 25 Celebrations Twenty -five community celebrations are planned along the tour route, culminating with the official tree lighting on Dec. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. The tree will be decorated with more than 18,000 ornaments designed and created by Idaho residents, Forest Service employees, and civic organizations_ Also arriving in Washington D.C. with the tree will be 122 bottles and one keg of beer from Salmon River Brewery in McCall brewed with boughs from the tree that were trimmed to prepare it for transport. The brew, Called U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Ale, will be featured during events associated with the Page 1 of 2 http: / /www.mccallstamews.com/pages /lead _page.php 11/31/2016 `.Jews News Lead Story Page A. rare it tree lighting, Matt Ganz of the brewery said. Smaner companion trees will be provided by the Idaho Christmas Tree Growers to decorate offices inside of the U.S. Capitol building and other sites around Washington, D.C. Page 2 of 2 http: / /www.mccallstarnews .com/pages /lead _page.php 11/3/2016 Star -News News Groups Page q toZ Sur N—cy C-lives HAVING A BALL- Jen Dummar of the Payette Lakes Ski Club hams it up at the portrait station at the Snow Ball held Saturday at Northfork Lodge in McCall. The dinner and dance was a fundraiser for the dub, which operates the Little Ski Hill and Bear Basin Nordic Center west of McCall. Page 1 of 1 http: / /www.mccallstamews.com/pages /groups _page.php 12/8/2016