People don’t only come here to ski

EAGLE COUNTY — When Texas native Eric Dalton moved to the valley a year ago, he had never skied in his life.

Or snowboarded. Or done many of the snow sports that draw so many people to Vail and the surrounding area. Like a growing number of valley transplants, Dalton and his wife, Susan, came to the area for reasons other than good powder or a mountain lifestyle.

Smaller place, bigger chances

In the Daltons’ case, they came for their careers — Eric’s company sent him as a contractor for a medical facility it was building in Eagle, and Susan soon found a job as a designer with Davis Partnership Architects in Edwards.

“We both have lived in Texas all our lives, so this is a big change for us,” Susan Dalton, 27, said. “But we’ve really loved it here.”

The valley has offered good career opportunities for both of them, she said. For Eric Dalton, 30, who works for H.C. Beck Group, working with Vail Valley Medical is helping him build a health-care experience.

For Susan, working in the valley has given her a chance to work on high-end projects such as Solaris in Vail, she said.

The office is smaller than some firms she worked with in Texas, she said, but that has given her more opportunities.

“You’re not overlooked in a smaller office. In Dallas, sometimes you really feel like a little fish in a big pan. I’m getting a lot of experience and working right next to the project manager here,” she said.

Not that the Vail lifestyle was not a plus, Susan said. Her husband has taken up snowboarding, and they also ski, mountain bike and hike, she said.

Landing the dream job

Avon resident T.J. Davis came to the valley two years ago in search of his dream job.

He moved from Houston, where he had been a cameraman for ABC. He had been covering breaking news typical of a big city, but he was getting tired of the quick pace and shooting crime stories, he said.

Davis, 28, came to Vail without a job lined up but quickly landed a position as morning-show director and cameraman for Vail Resorts’ TV8.

“I was looking for a change,” he said. “I knew I would find a job here. I came for the job opportunities, but the lifestyle was going to be a big plus.”

TV8, which reports on weather, events and entertainment in the valley, is a small-scale operation compared with what he did in Houston, he said, but he loves his job.

“It’s still broadcast TV, but I haven’t seen a dead body since I’ve been here. We tell people what is good that is going on,” Davis said.

Working at a smaller office also has given him the chance to develop management and leadership skills, he said. While he took a big pay cut to work in Vail, he enjoys what he does and has no desire to leave, he said.

“You come here to enjoy Vail not make money. A lot of people do come here to work but are willing to make the financial sacrifice,” he said.

Davis said he backpacks, mountain and road bikes and loves the outdoors in general, making the valley a perfect fit.

“I’m living in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and it still has a small-town feel. You can walk into Loaded Joe’s and everyone knows your name,” he said.

A change of scenery

Of course, some still come to the valley mostly for the lifestyle. However, it is no longer just snow sports that draws them but also Vail’s relaxed lifestyle.

Vail resident Daniel Panyako was at North Carolina A&T studying chemical engineering when he came to visit his brother in March. He decided to stay, taking some time off from school and working with his brother’s flooring business.

Since then, he has also worked in upholstery and as a waiter at Montauk Seafood Grill in Vail. He likes the mountains, the people and the laid-back lifestyle, he said.

He wants to try snowboarding this winter but already is involved in some less-traditional Vail sports. He regularly plays flag football, volleyball and basketball, he said.

As far as jobs go, he feels like he has “lucked out,” he said.

“It’s easier than it was at home,” Panyako said. “It’s easier to make more money, and it’s less stressful.”