Ready to go big? SVSA is your big mountain base.
As an SVSA student-athlete and a member of the SVSEF IFSA Big Mountain Team, you can compete in IFSA regional, national and potentially international events.
Your TEAM
SVSA athletes on the SVSEF Big Mountain team will be introduced to mountaineering concepts such as snow safety, backcountry travel, and avalanche awareness, as well as Big Mountain competition strategy and execution for performance success.
Your Training Venues
Big Mountain athletes will train on Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, and in the stunning backcountry surrounding Sun Valley. (Off-resort training sessions require third-party guide services and are offered at an additional cost per session.)
In addition to on-snow venues, Big Mountain athletes will train in Community School's Air Barn, our indoor anti-gravity training venue located at the Dumke Family Sagewillow Campus. Here, athletes have access to a dry-slope tow-in ramp to airbag, three trampolines equipped with spotting rigs, and an additional airbag pit.
SVSA skiers also have access to the Athletes’ Training Center, located within Community School’s Ketchum Campus. The state-of-the-art 3,200-square-foot Athletes’ Training Center serves Community School Upper School and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation athletes and offers everything an athlete needs to become strong and fit for their athletic endeavors.
What your year will look like
Athletes begin their season in mid-October, when dryland training begins, with sessions at the Air Barn and other conditioning venues.
On-snow training and competition runs November through April. In a typical week, the Big Mountain Team trains four days, Thursday through Sunday, with supplemental Air Barn training throughout the season.
WINTER TRAINING
Winter training takes place Thursday and Friday afternoons, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. Select Air Barn training will be utilized as well as specific off resort training opportunities.
Please Note: Big Mountain Team members will be required to own avalanche safety equipment. This equipment will be required for all training sessions, both at the resort and during off-resort opportunities. Equipment use and education will be provided. General outline of gear: pack, avalanche transceiver, snow shovel, probe and slope meter.