'Kildow's Climb'to inspire: dedicates its tow rope in honor of Lindsey Vonn

. Tad Johnson - Sept 26,z}tg Burnsville Eagan Sun/Thisweek News

"Anything is possible."

That's what Lindsey Vonn told wide-eyed young skiers Monday during a dedication ceremony for the tow rope that ferried a young Lindsey Caroline Kildow hundreds of times to the top of Buck Hill.

The tow rope, which will be called "Kildow's Climb," will include markers along the way that tell the story of Vonn's rise to become the world's most successful female skier of all time.

The day's schedule allotted Vonn 15 minutes to Breet people in the chalet, but she lingered in the main building for much longer than that, posing for photos, signing autographs and chatting with people young and old.

Some of the children had her sign photographs, their shirts and ski helmets; one girl brought a report she did on the Olympic gold medalist, four-time World Cup champion and most decorated female World Cup skier of all time with 82 World Cup wins.

There were plenty of smiles and hugs from Vonn and the young skiers as nearly all in line had time to meet her. Vonn also gave time for pictures and autograph signing on the hill after the dedication ceremony.

"Little Lindsey Vonn, who would have thought of the accomplishments she would have in a lifetime," Buck Hill President and CEO David Solner said during the ceremony. "You are such an inspiration for everyone here, the kids and community."

Solner presented Vonn with a section of the tow rope mounted on a trophy stand, and Monday, Sept. 23,2019, was designated as Lindsey Vonn Day in the city of Burnsville, as Mayor Elizabeth Kautz read and presented a framed copy of the proclamation to Vonn.

Vonn said she wanted to use the family name for the tow rope since it was her grandfather who got the family into skiing and also built a tow rope in Wisconsin.

"My dad started me here at Buck Hill. Before I could even ski I was in a backpack while he was coaching and going to law school at the same time," Vonn said during a media interview. "My family just has a long history with skiing ... and I didn't really feel right to have, you know, not their name incorporated into it, and I know my family's really excited about it, so it's pretty cool."

"Kildow's Climb is here to show you that anything is possible," Vonn told the crowd of about 200 people during the dedication ceremony. "Keep the Buck name alive. I hope to see you guys in the Olympics someday."

She said in a later interview that the tow rope was "l-00 percent a part" of the reason that as a young skier she was able to take a lot of runs at Buck Hill from the time she was a toddler until about age 12, before the family moved to Vail, Colorado. "You can get 20 to 25 runs a night here where in the mountains you can only get five runs a day," Vonn said. "That's a big advantage when you are young and getting started."

The Kildows lived in Apple Valley during Lindsey's early years, and she trained under Buck Hill Ski Team coach Erich Sailer, who helped guide several skiers to international success.

"l have a lot of great memories here," Vonn said. "l would sit up at the shack at the top with Erich sometimes when it was cold."

They would talk about skiing and focus on ways to improve.

She said it being a little cold was the only bad memory of training at Buck Hill, but the cold also provided the kind of icy conditions skiers need to excel against the best competition.

"Obviously being from Buck is not the most likely of paths to become an Olympic downhill champion," Vonn said. "But lthink I proved to allof you kids racing here that anything is possible."

She said the event was like a reunion, seeing many people she hadn't seen in a long time, including former skiers and the parents of those she used to ski with at Buck Hill.

"lt is really meaningful I feel so much love and support every time I come back," Vonn said. "Coming back here as an adult, it's a little bit smaller than when I remember it as a kid. lt seemed really big when I was a kid.

"l have a lot of great memories here," she said. "lt has been a fun day."

Solner said he was thrilled with Monday's event.

"l was very happy with it," he said. "My wife, Chip, and I are super excited to honor her."

When the installation is complete it will relate Vonn's foundation at Buck Hill at the bottom of the tow rope and her rise to the pinnacle of the ski world at the top.

"l think there's going to be a lot of people who come out just to see what it looks like and ride it," Solner said.

Barb Everson, owner of the Ski Challenge that meets at Buck Hill, said she thought the event was great since it brought the Minnesota ski racing community together.

"There were young racers, high school racers, college racers and adult racers all in attendance as well as supportive parents and coaches," she said. "Everyone in this community is really proud to say that Lindsey (Kildow) Vonn is from Buck Hill and from Minnesota. Naming the rope tow on the race training hill is such a great idea and a good way to honor Lindsey and continue to inspire racers of all ages at Buck Hill.

Lindsey Vonn talks with a girl who brought Vonn s report she wrote about the Olympic ond World Cup Chompion to Monday's event ot Buck Hill, Photo by Tad Johnson