A Tale of Two Mountains
by Brian Fowler

Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee are Ideal Ski/Snowboard Hot Spots
If you quiz anyone about which ski area in the U.S. has the most difficult terrain, somewhere among the answers you are sure to find Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Located in the heart of the Teton Mountains with a top to bottom vertical rise of 4,100 feet, it sure seemed like a great place to visit. Since few areas can captivate skiers for six straight days, we decided to add another location to our itinerary, Grand Targhee, which is located on the flipside of the Tetons. Just weeks before our visit, a skier broke the world record for a jump off a cliff on skis by launching himself off a 245-foot cliff at Targhee. Our destination secured, we set off for Wyoming, the state with rodeo horses on its license plate, not skiers.

Once in Wyoming, what we found was a contrast in ski resorts. Jackson Hole was all about being big and steep and moving skiers around the mountain. On the other hand, Grand Targhee catered to locals from across the border in Idaho, the state once famous for potatoes, and more recently for Napoleon Dynamite. What we discovered was one mountain range, yet two totally different ski experiences.

Jackson Hole
Although the tram is labeled Jackson Hole, the base area is known as Teton Village. The drive up, as well as the final approach before landing at the airport, is extremely impressive. Gigantic, jagged snow-covered mountains in all directions set the backdrop for some great skiing. The blinking "full" parking lot signs and steady flow of buses reiterated the numbers game that Jackson Hole Corporation was playing. Once up on the mountain and away from the lift lines, the area took on a splendor that I’ve only experienced at a few other resorts. Jagged rock peaks jutted up out of the snow and towards the clouds. Two of my coworkers came along on this trip, one who had never been west of the Mississippi. His jaw dropped and perspiration formed on his forehead as we disembarked at mid-mountain. In the distance, Rendezvous Mountain peaked out of the clouds. It was obvious we weren’t at Alpine Valley in Chesterland anymore.

Throughout our week, we had snow every day but one, not bad for late March skiing, and the area lived up to its reputation with plenty of difficult terrain. A variety of open bowls were there to be enjoyed when the light was good, but we also spent a lot of time in the trees, forced there by poor visibility. Some of the black diamond runs ran almost top to bottom, making for some real thigh burners. By the second day, we figured out the lift lines and committed to taking the tram to the summit; by coincidence we were in Jackson Hole the last week the tram was open. At the end of 2006, management plans to begin replacing the resort’s icon with a state-of-the-art, $25 million tram.

The ride up the longest continual vertical rise of any ski lift in North America was spectacular and when we stepped off, we weren’t disappointed. Through the blowing snow, the whole Teton Valley sprawled out before us. The walk to the trailhead was like the final 200 yards atop Mount Everest. When we bent over to buckle in, we knew we were at 10,450 feet above sea level. We kept our stay short and dropped into Rendezvous Bowl, then traversed over Corbet’s Couloir for a look at an off-the-charts, double black diamond chute. It was extremely impressive, but not worth breaking any bones over. We worked our way around through the bowls, down the chutes, through the woods and eventually 4,100 feet back down to the lodge at the base.

Throughout the week, we had the chance to explore the mountain and find many new trails and bowls to try. Grooming efforts at Jackson were limited to a few main runs, so we were constantly looking further and further off trail for untracked powder hits.

On our fourth day at Jackson Hole, clouds gave way to clear blue skies. For the first time we got a clear view of the Tetons in their entire splendor. I took advantage of the clear skies, loaded up my paraglider and took the tram to the top for an aerial view of the majestic landscape. It was my highest mountain launch and my first time flying at a ski area.

The launch from 10,400 feet was a piece of cake and I had the whole sky to myself. The ride down was clear and smooth. I climbed out over the base area with about 2,000 feet of altitude to burn. I caught a glimpse below me of a huge moose standing in the freshly groomed, cross country ski trails. About 20 minutes later I was gliding in for a landing next to our car in the parking lot. Not a bad way to get down the mountain.

Grand Targhee
Located about a two-hour drive from Jackson Hole, on the other side of the Tetons, it takes some effort to get to Grand Targhee. It seems a little ridiculous to leave one of the premier resorts in the U.S. to go to what most people describe as a "locals resort," but the way I see it is that you only have so many ski days in your lifetime, you might as well try as many areas as possible. The drive into the village at Grand Targhee was the exact opposite of Jackson Hole. The parking area was as small as a grocery store lot and no buses were in sight. What we discovered was only one place to buy lift tickets, one choice for a lift from the bottom, and just five lifts total in the area compared to 11 at Jackson Hole.

After negotiating the lift lines at Jackson Hole, the lack of people was a welcome sight. At times, we did not see any other skiers, on the lifts or on the slopes. The terrain was mostly intermediate with some black diamond options. Off the trails and through the woods, there were plenty of challenges to be had, and at the top of the mountain was a snow cat waiting for skiers willing to fork out extra cash for a backcountry experience.

The trails themselves were well groomed from top to bottom, a welcome relief from the chunked up powder we experienced at Jackson. Even the day after a dump of snow we were still finding untracked powder hits at Targhee.

Wyoming welcomes wildlife lovers
Six days of skiing in the Tetons was a great way to end the ski season, with two completely different mountain experiences all in view of the most spectacular mountains in the U.S. In addition to the skiing, the western side of Wyoming has a lot to offer anyone who loves the outdoors. This is the place to visit for all kinds of wildlife viewing; we saw our first moose as we exited the airport parking lot.

Ninety-five percent of the land in this area is owned by the government as national park and forest lands. Turn left out of the airport and you quickly enter the Grand Teton National Park and just 60 miles up the road you’ll enter Yellowstone National Park from the south. Add in a huge elk refuge and a bunch of forest service lands and you can understand why animal sightings are so prevalent. Moose, elk, bison, sheep, coyote and eagles are just a few of the animals you can see right outside your car window. Great skiing and wonderful wildlife made our Wyoming adventure well worth the trip.

For more information

Jackson Hole Ski Area
www.jacksonhole.com

Grand Targhee Ski Area
www.grandtarghee.com

Grand Teton National Park
www.nps.gov/grte

Yellowstone National Park
www.nps.gov/yell

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For avid skiers, the changing of the seasons from summer to fall is an exciting time because it brings them one step closer to hitting the slopes. It's never too early to start planning a winter ski getaway, so in this issue we offer you a guide to some of the finest drive-to ski resorts in Ohio and beyond.

Alpine Valley
10620 Mayfield Road
Chesterland, Ohio 44026
440-285-2211
www.alpinevalleyohio.com

Set in the heart of the Snow Belt, Alpine Valley offers downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing and an "XTreme Park," complete with Ohio's longest permanent half-pipe and rails. Alpine Valley has 11 slopes and trails, ranging from beginner to expert, as well as a large tube park and freestyle areas.

Boston Mills/Brandywine
Boston Mills Ski Resort
7100 Riverview Road
Peninsula, Ohio 44264
Brandywine Ski Resort
1146 W Highland Road
Sagamore Hills, Ohio 44067
800-875-4241
www.bmbw.com

For Northeast Ohio residents looking for a great place to ski close to home, Boston Mills/Brandywine just may be the answer. "The neat thing about Boston Mills/Brandywine is that it's like skiing and snowboarding at two resorts for the price of one," says marketing director Kim Laubenthal. "The resorts were developed separately in the '60s, but your pass can be used at both."

About five minutes apart, the two resorts offer 79 skiable acres. With a total of 19 slopes geared to all skill levels, Boston Mills/Brandywine is great for a day in the snow. And for the boarders out there, each resort has its own terrain park.

Mad River Mountain Ski Resort
1000 Snow Valley Road
Zanesfield/Valley Hi, Ohio 43360
800-231-SNOW
www.skimadriver.com

Make "every day a snow day" at Mad River Mountain by skiing on one of their 23 trails that cover more than 140 acres. Just a short drive outside of Columbus, the resort is perfect for skiing, snowboarding and tubing without too long of a drive. One special feature of the resort is its three terrain parks, each with a different skill level from beginner to expert. Mad River Mountain also features a 10-lane, 900-foot tubing park. Many of these improvements stem from the resort's $2.5 million expansion for the 2006-2007 season.

Clear Fork Ski Area
Resort Drive
Butler, Ohio 44822
419-883-2000
www.skiclearfork.com

Although smaller than some resorts, Clear Fork Ski Area still offers 10 trails, including its tubing area, for skiers of all experience levels. The action is geared more toward skiing than boarding, with no terrain parks. However, first-time skiers will be glad to note that the beginner's area is separated from the main slopes for easy learning.

Snowtrails Ski Resort
3100 Possum Run Road
Mansfield, Ohio 44903
1-800-OHIO-SKI
www.snowtrails.com

With 50 skiable acres and 16 trails, Snowtrails is not a place to miss this winter. Though most of the trails are geared toward intermediate skiers, the resort offers a unique "snow carpet" system for beginners who fear the dreaded ski lifts. Like most of the larger parks, Snowtrails offers three terrain areas and other amenities such as a Snow Sports Learning Center.

Peek'n Peak Resort and Conference Center
1405 Olde Road
Findley Lake, New York 14736
716-355-4141
www.pknpk.com

A golf resort by summer and a ski resort by winter, Peek'n Peak is worth the drive for a day or weekend of skiing. Guests have access to 37 slopes and trails, a tubing area, three terrain parks and a large cross-country skiing and snowshoeing area. The resort has invested in state-of-the-art snowmaking technology for the upcoming season, part of a $6 million, resort-wide capital improvement project.

Nicole Messner, a ski enthusiast from Cuyahoga Falls, recently visited the park and was impressed. "The atmosphere is really cozy and outdoorsy," she says. "You feel like you're in the middle of nowhere at this resort. Everything looks very nice and well kept."

She says she took a beginner's snowboarding class late last season and felt right at home at the resort. "The staff was great," she says, adding that the resort also has a terrific bar.

Holiday Valley
6677 Holiday Valley Road
Ellicottville, New York 14731
716-699-2345
www.holidayvalley.com
Just three hours from Cleveland, Holiday Valley is the crème de la crème of ski resorts with its 53 slopes covering more than 1,100 acres. It also offers three terrain parks and trails reserved for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The three lodges in the resort, one with free WiFi access, give visitors a relaxing environment to put their feet up after a long day of hitting the slopes. Night skiing is also offered, with 37 of the slopes available until at least 10 p.m. every evening.

No matter the resort, winter sports are a wonderful way to stay in shape over the long winter months. And all of these great places to ski are just a tank of gas away.

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Talent scout leaves the big city to reclaim health
Daniel Smith
Age: 38
Hometown: Vermilion
Occupation: Personal trainer, photographer
Daniel Smith seemed to have everything going for him. Splitting his time between New York City and Miami as a talent scout and photographer, the Vermilion native had the opportunity to work for celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Heath Ledger and Madonna. A former model, Smith says he slowly noticed his body changing—and not for the better.

"Right around 9/11, I had gone through casting for Abercrombie and Fitch and I was doing castings for their catalogues. You can only see so many beautiful people and bodies before you realize you are a complete loser," he says.

A decline in the industry left many people without jobs, and Smith says he moved home to get back into shape. "I decided it was time to take charge of my life," he says.

A heavy smoker, Smith had to slowly wean himself back into an active lifestyle. "My lungs were recovering from three packs a day and living in Manhattan," Smith recalls. He worked on a horse farm, cleaning 50 stalls a day, and started retraining his body, giving up smoking and alcohol. "When I moved back here, I had no direction and I moved into something I never knew before," he says. "It's been a great change in my life."

Though he could only run a half mile at first, Smith was determined to become healthy again. Pairing his running with a swimming routine and a strict holistic diet, Smith started feeling confident again and was ready to attempt his first triathlon.

It was at this race that he would meet Sharon Knecht, an alum of Team USA's triathlon team, who would help him land a job at Bally's as a personal trainer. Through his connections in the racing world, he eventually moved on to working at The EMH Center for Fitness in Avon, where, alongside Yvonne Saul-Craigo, he developed a fitness and triathlon group. He says the pair have helped train more than 70 triathletes.

"I try to take people who don't know how to get into shape and try to instill in them that anyone can do it," he says. Smith attributes most of his success to Saul-Craigo, whom he says is a great asset to the sport.

Smith says he enjoys training athletes and helping them discover what they want out of life. "You only get one life to live," he says.

After cutting the bad habits out of his life, Smith says he feels younger and more prepared to help others progress in their training. Though he still takes jobs as a photographer and does modeling through The Talent Group, Smith prefers his job as a coach and fitness instructor, allowing him to help others while helping himself. Smith says he has qualified for nationals again this year, even after he endured a serious leg injury that required a year of recovery.

The once overweight Smith is pleased with how he turned his life around and how being healthy and active has changed him. Five years ago, he couldn't run a mile, but now his determination helps him finish in the top three for his age group at most events. "It's not all about winning for me. It's about being healthy and doing the best you can," Smith says.

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