Lead Photo Credit: Cam McLeod
Trust. It is a vital component of any team. Without it, a team is reduced to a group of individuals working together as a means to an end. However, when there is trust, the team becomes whole. Each person participating knows their role. They play their part, knowing the other will do the same in order to achieve their ultimate goal. Trust equates to a more successful and, in many cases, safer environment. When people feel safe and believe in each other productivity grows. For woman, Ski Patroller Hannah Baybutt of Sun Valley, Idaho, the trust she places in her colleagues as well as the Helly Hansen gear she wears helps her maintain focus in even the toughest of times.
Defining What it Means to be Essential
Photo Credit: Cam McLeod
On the mountain, the Ski Patrol defines what it means to be an essential worker. By removing obstacles, providing first emergency care to injured people, and responding to wreck scenes, they maintain and promote skier safety across varied terrain. Alone, a job like this can be quite daunting. Being a member of the ski patrol is demanding both physically and mentally. It is not meant to be a one-person job. Patrollers are never alone. They are very much a community that trusts each other with their lives.
Being a patroller is a job that Hannah Baybutt relishes greatly. Having joined the ski patrol at Sun Valley four years ago she is part of a team of experts that keep visitors safe. Baybutt and her co-patrollers trust in each other’s abilities in order to help each other maintain focus in the toughest of conditions. This is not without its challenges.
Combatting Challenges With the Help of Your Team
There is, of course, the obvious challenge of saving peoples’ lives, in what could amount to some harrowing conditions. “When arriving at a serious situation that could be life-changing for someone, there is a saying we have – you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back on your training,” says Baybutt in a new short film produced by Helly Hansen. Having this kind of confidence in your ability takes time and training. No one, no matter what their endeavor, can do be successful without the necessary practice they need, done over a prolonged period of time.
Successful performance also requires the support of the people around you. Baybutt elaborates, “Existing in the ski patrol community is a role where it’s easy to have doubts about yourself. These people help push you to see the good within yourself.” Through countless scenarios in practice or in real life, Baybutt’s trust in herself and, more importantly, her team shows she belongs in the mountains and helps ensure others belong there too.
It is obvious that Hannah Baybutt’s team includes the other members of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol however, her trust extends beyond the human element. Equally as important to her job is the ski gear she wears on a daily basis. By protecting her from the elements, which at times can be quite harsh, Baybutt is able to perform under any condition. The gear she wears is none other than Helly Hansen.
Your Gear Plays an Important Role
Photo Credit: Cam McLeod
Founded in Norway in 1877 and having survived the test of time, there is no doubt that Helly Hansen is trusted by industry professionals like Baybutt and her fellow ski patrollers. With over 200 ski resorts and close to 55,000 ski professionals currently using Helly Hansen, they have firmly cemented themself at the top of their class.
Over the course of their 140-year history, Helly Hansen is known for pushing the limits of outdoor gear technology. Products such as their technical mid-layers and base layers of the 1960s and 1970s, their Lifa Merino blend in the 1990s and the Elevation Jacket in 2016 were all considered groundbreaking for their time. Today, Helly Hansen continues to think outside the box and it shows in their newest innovation, the Lifa Infinity Pro.
Lifa Infinity Pro is the ultimate in sustainable waterproofing technology. Through advanced engineering, each piece is produced without the use of any external waterproofing chemical yet still delivers the waterproofing and breathability that Helly Hansen is known for. One such item that features the Lifa Infinity Pro technology is the Odin Infinity Insulated Jacket.
Pushing the Limits With Helly Hansen’s Odin Infinity Jacket
Photo Credit: Cam McLeod
The Odin Infinity Insulated Jacket was built with input from search-and-rescue professionals like Hannah Baybutt. Created without the use of DWR (durable water repellant) chemicals, it delivers an elite level of sustainability while maintaining the waterproofing, wind resistance and breathability that Helly Hansen is known for.
The exterior shell is rugged and durable and will last for years to come. The lightweight insulation keeps you warm without all the extra weight that can make some jackets bulky. On warmer days, you can even eliminate some of that heat with the underarm zipper and the two-way front zipper. The large stash pockets are backpack compatible and allow you to dump your skins, bars, beanie or whatever you need into them.
By including all of this and more, the Odin Infinity jacket is a verified member of your team. Just like other industry professionals who wear Helly Hansen gear, you too can trust that it will be there to protect you from the elements. This level of trust is a necessity for Ski Patrollers like Sun Valley’s Hannah Baybutt, and for you. Knowing that your team and your gear will deliver day in and day out is a welcome reprieve that ultimately allows you to do what you love to do most…ski and snowboard.
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après and the co-host of the Beyond the Après podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long-time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres