A lifelong local (seriously, he was born in the old Sun Valley hospital), cross-country skier Peter Wolter has made his hometown his full-time base again as he competes with SVSEF’s XC Gold Team, racing nationally and internationally throughout the year. After graduating from Community School, Peter attended Middlebury College, where he was a two-time All American and Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association’s Rookie of the Year. He graduated Middlebury in 2022 and moved back to the Wood River Valley, joining the SVSEF XC Gold Team, for which he trains about 600–750 hours throughout the year, doing all manner of activities, from cross-country skiing to running, biking, roller skiing in the gym, and bagging peaks. Though he also works part time for Decked, doing digital marketing, Peter still spends about half the year travelling outside the Valley and competing; last year he raced in Minnesota, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Utah. In his two post-collegiate years, Peter has accumulated numerous accolades, including placing third overall in the SuperTour 2022–2023 season, fourth place at the US Nationals Classic 20k, and twelve World Cup starts. Though Peter admits that he doesn’t have a ton of free time, he is passionate about automotive …
What We’re Made of: Party Animal Vodka
Perhaps you’ve spied the bottle on the shelf at the local liquor store or bar—a clear glass bottle with a label featuring a wolf peering out of pine trees (an updated version of what used to be a jaguar peering out of the jungle, which they changed to showcase their Idaho roots)—and were intrigued enough to order a drink made with this award-winning, craft vodka made in Idaho from locally sourced russet potatoes. This is Party Animal, a cause-based vodka produced right in the Wood River Valley that not only tastes exceptional but also gives back to the many animal organizations in the area. After six years in business, Party Animal is going strong and has no plans of stopping. How It Started While Party Animal Vodka would get its official start in the Wood River Valley, the brand’s origins trace back to a Friday night in college, when founder Kate Cullen was pondering her weekend plans which, like that of many other college students, included drinking. It was 2011, and Kate felt unsatisfied by the vodkas on the market. She wanted something that related to her and her lifestyle, from having friends over to the dorms to attending a …
Your Guide to the Holidays in Sun Valley, Idaho
The holidays in Sun Valley are magical, and these are just a few of the festive moments that await this holiday season. Don’t know where to start? We’ve compiled your 2018 guide of must-see events and happenings from Christmas festivities to rock-the-house New Year’s shenanigans!
24 Hours with a Local: Higher Ground’s Kate Dobbie
Higher Ground’s Kate Dobbie has been with the organization for sixteen years, starting from when she came on as their four full-time employee in a Volunteer Coordinator Position to serving as Executive Director for twelve years, to her current role as Chief Development Officer. The Florida native originally moved to the Wood River Valley with five friends after college, intending, as so many do, to stay for just one or two years before moving on. But after waiting tables and nannying, she landed a job at Hemingway Elementary that would change her life forever. Working as a paraprofessional for a Kindergartener named Ruby (who, in a full-circle moment, is now working for Higher Ground as well), Kate worked one-on-one with Ruby for a whole year, taking her swimming and doing other activities. She got her first exposure to Higher Ground (then called Sun Valley Adaptive Sports)—a nonprofit that provides therapeutic recreation and education to children and adults with developmental, cognitive, or physical disabilities—when Ruby went on a ski outing. When a job came up at the organization, Kate jumped at the chance, rising through the organization over the years and taking it from an organization with a handful of full-time …