Commentary

The Gathering

Sun Valley, Idaho, hosts collection of ski filmmakers and athletes

Originally Published: September 28, 2011
By Griffin Post | ESPN.com

Erik SeoSun Valley hosted The Gathering for the second year.

There was a time when Sun Valley, Ida., was at the epicenter of the ski world. The home of the world's first chairlift, the ski resort has produced numerous Olympians and hosted several World Cup races. The town's significance in the ski world wasn't just limited to ski racing; ski celebrities such as Warren Miller, Dick Barrymore, and David Chappellet1 called the small central Idaho town home. As time rolled on, however, fewer and fewer ski icons were calling Sun Valley home2. By the early 2000s, the skiing scene there had dropped off the radar.

To paraphrase one of my favorite movies, "There was a time in (Sun Valley) when (skiing was) a metaphor for the nobility of man. Historic moments forged by the love of (skiing) celebrated the human potential to achieve excellence. But as time passed, and (Sun Valley) neared the millennium, something went awry3." It's hard to say what exactly went wrong4, but returning home to Sun Valley last weekend for The Gathering -- a film and music festival -- I was apprehensive to see just what, if anything, was left of the scene.

It wasn't until late Saturday night that I finally got my answer. Friday had been filled with the 4bi9, Prospecting Idaho1, and TGR premieres. Although the crowds seemed stoked, they were noticeably reserved compared to the Bozeman TGR showing I'd been at the night before6. Saturday was the Level 1 movie, and the main event in terms of Sun Valley. For the second year in a row, Level 1 spent the spring building features on Sun Valley's lower slopes that looked like features out of video games. The locals, and the youth especially, were pumped to see their hometown finally back in the spotlight. But people weren't standing up in the aisles and pumping their fists like I'd expected they would be; they were just quietly enjoying Sun Valley's big moment on screen.

That's when it hit me: Sun Valley breeds modesty and, to the untrained eye, it seems like there's not a bustling ski scene there anymore. Here's what Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation athlete Callum Stearns said after the Level 1 movie, "The editing was on point, the skiing was on point. It was all around a great ski movie." Not once did Stearns, a youth who should by all means be claiming Sun Valley's pivotal roll in the film, even mention his hometown's presence. The entire town is humble about their mountain, their legacy, and their return to the spotlight. In Sun Valley, it's strictly about the mountains, not what you can do in the mountains7.

The boast-free spirit of Sun Valley is likely a trickle-down from parents and coaches of the area. As SVSEF head coach Andy Gilbert comments mildly, "Sun Valley was at the forefront of skiing 50 years ago and it's good to see it come back around." There's not a hint of arrogance or impatience in his voice, just an authenticity that's reverberated in the entire town and, now that I think about it, the entire festival.

Footnotes

1I made this last one up to emphasize the importance of reading footnotes in this article. David Chappellet is actually Robert Redford's character from "Downhill Racer."

2Arnold Schwarzenegger does not count as a skiing icon, sorry.

3"Baseketball" (1998). Yes, "Baseketball" is one of my favorite movies.

4For one, they changed the name of a classic run, "Flying Maid" to "Arnold's Run" (see footnote 2). A small group of locals want to compromise and call it "Arnold's Maid."

5If you've ever dreamed of having a private backcountry park (who hasn't?), check this movie out.

6To Bozeman's credit, that show felt more like a rock concert than a movie premiere.

7Contrary to popular belief, this is true in every ski town.

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