Snowflakes began to fall just moments before 72-year-old Peggy Bryan performed her last mountain ‘sweep’ as director of the Brundage Mountain Ski Patrol on Sunday, April 14. Bryan is retiring after spending the last 37 years patrolling the slopes of Brundage Mountain.

Bryan joined the Payette Lakes Ski Patrol as a volunteer back in 1981. Peggy was originally encouraged to join the patrol because she had the ‘right attitude’, according to long-time patroller, Earl Dodds.

Bryan joined the paid patrol in 1984 and became a full-time paid patroller in 1988. In 1991, she was named Ski Patrol Director. It was extremely rare to find a female patrol director in the early 90s, but Bryan’s colleagues say she was a natural for the leadership position because she kept the patrol team cohesive.

“She was very good at delegating responsibility and allowed patrollers input, giving our crew credibility,” said long-time patroller, Barb Pyle, who is also retiring this season.

“The patrol, as a whole, is long-lived, many employed at Brundage for 25 plus years. This is a tribute to Peggy’s ability to supervise,” added Pyle. “She is a great boss and a great friend.”

Bryan’s Ski Patrol colleagues honored her service at the annual Ski Patrol banquet on Saturday, April 6.

“When you’ve got an organization of people helping people, that’s the best organization you can have in the world,” said Bryan. “And I’m not going anywhere. I hope to continue being part of people helping people, I’m just not going to be in charge anymore.”

“Although her retirement is well deserved and certainly earned, she will be greatly missed on the mountain,” said Payette Lakes Ski Patrol Director, Eugene Smith. “Peggy will be remembered for her commitment to the highest levels of ski patrol service and her leadership to the ski patrol.”

Peggy was also honored at Brundage Mountain’s end-of-season award ceremony.

“Brundage Mountain is extremely grateful for Peggy’s 37 years of service to Brundage Mountain,” said Brundage Mountain General Manager, Ken Rider.

“During that time, she not only raised her own family, but was also a key player in building the Payette Lakes Ski Patrol and the Brundage Mountain family.”

“Peggy is exceedingly humble and hardworking,” added Rider, “which means she’d be the last one to make a big deal of her contribution, or the fact that she was one of the first women to lead a pro patrol anywhere. It is a big deal and her accomplishments are worth celebrating.”