STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

A large blowup elephant loomed above the patio outside River Run Lodge Saturday night as dozens of people dressed in vintage ski wear filed in to Sun Valley Resort’s Pray for Snow Party.

The elephant seemed a little out of place given the snow piled up on nearby Lower River Run. And, true to form, it was not the elephant that children like Jasper and Ruby Rogers ran to but, rather, the snow.

“I can’t wait to ski through the powder and I can’t wait to win more ski races,” said 7-year-old Ruby Rogers, who won the Kindercup in her age group last year.

Sun Valley Resort has gotten several inches of snow in the past few weeks, but much of it has melted, thanks to temperatures climbing into the 40s and 50s.

“But we’re doing our snow dances tonight,” said Maria Brickman, who was handing out light-up snowflake rings on behalf of Sun Valley Resort.

Attendees must have danced hard because snowflakes began dancing through the air by midday Sunday, and overnight Sun Valley Resort and Galena Lodge picked up six inches of packable snow. Now if the two can hang onto it in the face of temperatures approaching 50 degrees later this week.

“I remember the year we got so much snow they had to cancel the Boulder Mountain Tour,” said Lulu Klatt. “I was with Bob Rosso and Nappy Neaman when they made the decision to cancel, and Bob was just heartsick about canceling it with a thousand Nordic skiers in town. It ended up being the right call—we skied the Harriman the day of the race and there were trees and limbs down everywhere.”

Mammut, a Swiss brand founded as a rope specialist in 1862, offered those who donated gently used winter coats a website code for 40 percent off Mammut apparel for every coat donated. The coats went to The Shoshone Project for workers and their families in Lincoln and Jerome counties.

Scott Jager, meanwhile, was on hand to thank people for donating canned tuna and chicken, dried beans and rice, peanut butter and other items to The Hunger Coalition. Jager, who oversees major gifts for The Hunger Coalition, just moved to the Wood River Valley in October from Park City after dating long-distance for five years.

The uncertainty behind the recent election, he said, has created more need among Hunger Coalition clients.  Last week The Hunger Coalition provided boxes of groceries for 550 families.

“But what a great event this is,” he said. “As for the snow, it’ll come. And, boy, if we could have all the snow in the world on the mountain and keep the paths in the valley clear for biking and hiking--wouldn’t that be perfect?”