STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

A Party on the Hill featuring spectacular twists and flips and even skiing ballet and a Fashion Show offering a peek at the 2023 ski fashions are among the “must attend” free events that Sun Valley residents can enjoy this week during Skiing History Week.

The International Skiing History Association and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame had planned the big shindig in March 2020, but it was rudely interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Better late than never. Now, two years later, the two organizations are joining hands to honor some of skiing history’s greats. And they’ll treat locals to a wingding while they’re at it.

“It’s time to celebrate great skiers and great Sun Valley history,” said Jake Moe, an enthusiastic Sun Valley resident and founder of “Powder” magazine.

There will be numerous free events for locals to take part in:

First and foremost is the PARTY ON THE HILL on Friday, March 25.

    The Party on the Hill, sponsored by Peterson Lexus, will kick off at 3 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Dollar Mountain with the music of world champion freestyler and James Bond stunt double John Eaves on guitar with his band.

    Attendees will be treated to a jam session of skiers showing off their skills in ski racing, speed skiing, freestyle skiing, big air jumps, terrain park tricks and ballet skiing.

    Attendees are invited to wearing their finest retro outfits for the party as prizes will be awarded for the Best Retro Dressed. Prizes include Ikon ski passes and a pair of The Ski autographed by Bobbie Burns, the designer and founder of The Ski.

    Cheryl Jensen will be presented with the Women in Snowsports Industry Award at 4:15 p.m. And a Salute to 85 years of Snowsports in Sun Valley will kick off at 4:30 p.m. with tributes to such legends as Warren Miller, Dick Barrymore and Greg Stump.

    “Powder” Magazine founder Jake Moe will narrate a show that features athletes from the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation twisting and flipping on the jumps and rollers at Dollar Mountain Terrain Park.

    Other stars include five-time World Champion freestyle skier Scott Brooksbank; Ross Anderson, a member of the Navajo nation who holds the speed skiing record for 154.06 miles per hour; Olympian Suzy Chaffee, the pioneer of women’s freestyle skiing; John Eaves, men’s overall world champion; world ballet skiing champion Alan Schoenberger, known as “The Puppet;” Bob Howard, world ballet skiing champion; the K2 Demo Team members, and The Unknown Ballet Skier.
    Gorsuch will present a runway SKI FASHION PREVIEW of 2023 fashions at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 26, outside the Sun Valley Inn.

    The show will feature fashions from top brands in the industry, including Bogner, Head Sportswear, Alps & Meters, Stormy Kromer, M. Miller and Skea. Double Diamond Jewelry will present swoon-worthy diamond jewelry for snow enthusiasts who love sparkly white diamonds as much as snow-filled black diamonds. Attendees will get the chance to win some swag.

    “What I think is especially exciting about this show is that almost all of the looks are samples for next season giving those in attendance a sneak peek at the on mountain and apres fashion trends for '23,” said Kathy Benharris, chief executive officer for KB Fashion Productions. “This is noteworthy as never before have consumers and snow fashion fans been shown the next season's styles so early in the current year. This typically does not happen until the fall.”
    Greg Stump’s iconic ski flick “BLIZZARD OF AAHHS” will be shown at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Sun Valley Opera House. And Hall of Fame inductee filmmaker Greg Stump, Sun Valley’s Mike Hattrup, who starred in the movie, and Hall of Famer Scot Schmidt will be on hand to field questions and answers and sign autographs afterwards. Tickets are free but RSVPs are recommended at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-hall-of-fame-inductions-snowsport-history-c-tickets-185924835187?mc_cid=99b0d10505&mc_eid=f05a204abf

    The Sun Valley premiere of “SPIDER LIVES,” a film tribute to pro skier Spider Sabich, will take place at 5:45 p.m. Friday, March 25, at the Sun Valley Opera House. Hall of Fame alumnus and Sun Valley’s Olympic silver medalist Christin Cooper will emcee the film with questions and answers following. The screening is free but tickets should be reserved at https://skihall.com/induction/tickets/ due to indoor capacity limitations.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame will induct 11 honorees Saturday night during a Hall of Fame Induction celebration at the Sun Valley Inn.

Sun Valley’s own Bobby Burns, who pioneered freestyle skiing, and Alison Owen, who was the first U.S. racer to win a FIS cross-country World Cup, will be among 11 honorees inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

They will be joined by Kit Deslauriers, the first person to ski down the Seven Summits; filmmaker Greg Stump; American freestyle skier Kristean Porter; former U.S. Ski Team leader and Marker bindings owner Hank Tauber; Scott Brooksbank, the most decorated freestyle skier in history; three-time Olympic silver medalist cross country racer and jumper Johnny Spillane; ski map artist Jim Niehues, and Art Clay and Ben Finley, who helped launch the National Brotherhood of Skiers.

Here’s the schedule:

WEDNESDAY, March 23

1-5 p.m. ISHA Film Festival at the Sun Valley Opera House. Free.

1 p.m. “Fire on the Mountain,” the story of the 10th Mountain Division; 2:30 p.m. “The FIS-100 Years;” 3 p.m. “Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story;” 4:30 p.m. “The Secret Ski Race” about the World Championships in Portillo, Chile in 1966.

5-7 p.m. ISHA Welcome Reception. Free with cash bar in Sun Valley Inn Limelight A. Includes presentation on the Legacy of Skiing by Seth Masia, ISHA president, and historical presentation by Ketchum author John Lundin on “Sun Valley—the Early Days.”

 7:15 p.m. “The 120 Years of Ski Club Arlberg” film with a Q&A at the Sun Valley Opera House. Free.

7:45 p.m. “Dear Rider: The Jake Burton Story” film with a Q&A at the Sun Valley Opera House. Free.

THURSDAY, March 24

1-5 p.m. ISHA Film Festival at the Sun Valley Opera House. Free.

1 p.m. “America’s Golden Ski Anniversary,” featuring Sun Valley icons. Producer Joe Jay Jalbert will introduce the film; 1:45 p.m. “Legends of American Skiing;” 3 p.m. “The Performers,” with Dick Barrymore following the K2 Demo Freestyle team Charlie McWilliams, Pat Bauman, Bob Griswold, Jim Sterling and John Clendenin—names well known to Sun Valley residents. 3:30 p.m. “Blizzard of Ahhs” starring Mike Hattrup, Glen Plake and Scot Schmidt. Introduced by Greg Stump and Hattrup with Q&A.

1-3 p.m. Book signing, presentations and reception for authors Doug Egan, author of “30 Years in a White Haze,”and John Lundin, who wrote the book “Skiing Sun Valley,” at the Regional History Museum in Ketchum’s Forest Service Park.

5:30-9:30 p.m. ISHA Awards Reception and Dinner in the Limelight Ballroom.

9-11 p.m. Legends of Snowsport Party in Continental Room  $50 includes entertainment, appetizers and drinks.

FRIDAY, March 25

3 p.m. Party on the Hill at Dollar Mountain.

5 p.m. “Spider Lives” film premiere at Sun Valley Opera House. Free.

9-11 p.m. Inductee Welcome Party at Sun Valley Boiler Room featuring local talent. $75.

SATURDAY, March 26

3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Gorsuch 2023 Fashion Show outside Sun Valley Inn.

4:30-5 p.m. Book signing for Jim Niehues, the man behind ski maps, in the Sun Valley Inn Limelight Room.

5-11 p.m. Hall of Fame Induction in the Sun Valley Inn. $295.

9-11 p.m. Last Chair Afterburner Party. $25.

SUNDAY, March 27

8-10 a.m. Famous First Tracks at the River Run Gondola. Hit the slopes with Hall of Famers for $100.