It’s been an inspiring few weeks here at Brundage Mountain and we want to take a moment to share heart-felt thanks with all of our guests for your support as we celebrated the McCall Winter Carnival.

By now, you’ve probably seen the photos of the magnificent snow sculpture crafted by the Payette Lakes Ski Patrol at the Brundage Mountain summit.

If you were here to see this masterpiece in person, you can appreciate the artistry and dedication it took to create it. We want to recognize the driving force behind the design, Ski Patroller Jimmy Bryan, who came up with the concept and sketched out the sculpture. While Jimmy was also the engine behind the construction, the actual sculpting machine was powered by the entire ski patrol staff.

Building a snow sculpture at 7,640 feet is no simple task. Every ounce of water used to shape the 15-foot-tall monolith and to burnish the fine details had to be hauled to the top of the mountain via the BlueBird Express chairlift. The emerging sculpture was pounded by fresh snow for EIGHT STRAIGHT DAYS leading up to judging day. But the artist’s vision and the team’s dedication prevailed, and in the end, the Ullr: Snowgod Legend sculpture was truly a sight to behold.

We are proud to be able to tell you that Ullr won Second Place in the official judging of the carnival-wide sculpture contest. That was exciting. What was even more gratifying to those who worked tirelessly on the sculpture is that it was awarded the People’s Choice award on Monday. And not just by a few votes. At last count, the sculpture had 2,609 votes, more than a thousand more than the rest of the field. Our Ski Patrollers tell us they are truly touched by this outpouring of support.

The Brundage Mountain family feels blessed to have this beautiful art piece to enjoy. But there is one more group of people who deserves thanks for helping us feel the ‘Winter Carnival Spirit’.  The next huge THANK YOU goes out to our skiers and snowboarders.

Your patience over the ten days allowed more than 1,000 people who don’t ski or snowboard to enjoy the summit-level sculpture. We understand it can be frustrating when the lift slows and stops to allow foot traffic up and down the mountain. We want you to know that we do truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

We also want to make sure you know that the proceeds from the single ride tickets have been used to purchase THREE new AED (Automated External Defibrillator) units for year-round use on the mountain. Because as much as the Ski Patrol has enjoyed delighting our guests with their artwork, their most gratifying mission is providing care and first aid when our guests need it.

Once again, Thank You!

• The entire Brundage Mountain Resort Team