View Post
24hrs with a Local, Family, Spring, Summer

Locals Guide to the Weather of Sun Valley

Ketchum and Sun Valley are in a weather forecasting dead-zone in the rural mountains of Idaho. The one thing you’ll notice first with locals is the backseat of their cars are ready for both an Everest expedition and a day at the beach. As someone enmeshed in the very fabric of Sun Valley, Matt Gorby (or “Gorby” as he’s know to many locals) is as good as anyone to help break down the intricacies of the weather in our unique town. Ketchum’s favorite bartender and all-around mensch, Gorby, moved to Ketchum from the east coast 27 years ago. Since then, he can be found bartending at The Casino, doing graphic design, drinking coffee at Starbucks, starring in the area’s plays, announcing the Wagon Days parade, or simply being a family man to his wife and daughter. How would you describe the weather year round in our area? Matt: You know what they say about the weather here: if you don’t like it, wait 5 minutes because it’s going to change. The fact of the matter is, it’s life in the mountains; you don’t know what you’re going to get. Weather makes a right turn at you all the time and …

View Post
Arts & Culture

Locals Guide to Art Galleries in Sun Valley

Ketchum local Rudi Broschofsky grew up with art—after all, his parents opened Broschofsky Galleries in 1987 when he was just 5 years old. Spending days in the gallery after school and helping with Gallery Walks enmeshed him in Ketchum’s art scene and gave him an appreciation for art that would last a lifetime. After becoming partnered into the gallery in 2005, Rudi moved to Portland for several years where he started his own street art gallery, Flat Blak, before moving back to Ketchum almost two years ago to take over the majority of day-to-day operations at Broshofsky Galleries. An artist himself, Rudi’s street art approach to western art can be seen in various spots around town like his “Roper” sculpture on Main and Fourth in Ketchum. As a lifelong local, artist, and gallery owner, Rudi is the best man in town to give you the 411 on Ketchum’s art gallery scene. How would you describe the gallery scene in this town generally? Rudi: I’d say the gallery scene here is better than most cities actually. A lot of people don’t realize the magnitude of the art scene here in Ketchum, it’s world-class and conveniently stuffed within a few short blocks. …

View Post
Family, Summer

Get your Western on Sun Valley Style

Before Count Felix Schaffgosch arrived in Ketchum and created “America’s First Destination Ski Resort,” the area had already experienced the boom and bust of a profitable mining settlement, the rise of sheep ranching, and the quiet days of the Great Depression. The Wood River Valley was settled in the 1860’s by a handful of mining prospectors, and by 1880 the area was on its way to being one of the richest silver mining regions. Mule and horse-drawn wagons transported ore between the mines and Union Pacific depots until the rail line extended into Ketchum. After the silver bust in the 1890’s sheep ranching in the area grew from the 1890’s to the 1920’s, when Ketchum became the largest sheep and lamb shipping station in the United States. Though the town changed with the creation of Sun Valley Resort, the past lived on in buildings, ranches, and colorful stories. Through activities like horseback riding, sport shooting, and festivals like Wagon Days and Trailing of the Sheep the story of the area is not being forgotten and you can still experience the Western heritage of this one-time mining town. Horseback Riding While Sun Valley may not flaunt its reputation as a part of the …

View Post
Wellness

5 Ways to Immerse Yourself in Sun Valley’s Wellness

With fresh mountain air invigorating your soul and the sun shining deep into your subconsciousness, you will come to know why Sun Valley revels in a level of wellness and health not found many places. From healing hot springs to meditative botanic gardens to day spas and health food stores, it’s place where the words “clean living” take on real meaning. We have gathered the five best ways to dive into all of Sun Valley’s wellness offerings so that you can make the most of your visit and return refreshed and recharged. Yoga Spas If you simply need to chill, pamper yourself with a hot-stone massage, facial or acupuncture treatment to relax your mind and revive your senses, you can do that, too. Fitness and Exercise Sure, Sun Valley has trails that go on for miles, and hiking up or skiing down Bald Mountain is a sure-fire way to torch some calories. But, if you’re more in the mood for a good stretch, a core/muscle building workout or a trainer pushing you to try even harder, there are several world class gyms and studios for you to choose from that offer everything from yoga mats to salt water swim lanes. …

View Post
Arts & Culture

Sun Valley’s Diverse Arts & Culture Scene

You might not expect a small mountain town in the middle of Idaho to be an oasis of arts and culture, but then again Sun Valley is known for differing from expectations. Sun Valley is one of America’s top small towns for art. With more than a dozen galleries, several live theater companies, the lauded Writers’ Conference, the Sun Valley Film Festival, free summer symphony concerts in the Sun Valley Pavilion, and one of the West’s premier nonprofit arts organizations, the Sun Valley Museum of Art Sun Valley packs an enormous cultural punch for its size. Blogs and Videos Art Galleries and Museums Sun Valley has more art galleries and museums than you could see if you spent a whole year here! So we’ve added a direct link to the directory of them all below. Performing Arts From ballet to abstract improv, Sun Valley has a live performance to keep you entertained. Live Music Ketchum and Sun Valley have a variety of venues and get some great musicians as they stop in on their cross country tours. From big name concerts at the resort to the local favorite Ketch’em Alive free music every Tuesday in Forest Service Park there will …

View Post
Fly Fishing, Summer

4 Ways to Best Experience Fly Fishing in Sun Valley

Sun Valley still supports the kind of fishery you might have imagined existed back when Lewis & Clark first made their trip through Idaho. Fly fishing on four extraordinarily diverse waterways sit anywhere from a stones throw to an hour drive away hold a diverse species of fish. Find monstrous brown trout in Silver Creek, healthy rainbows in the Big Wood River, vibrant cutthroats in the Lost River, and apex bull trout & salmonoids in the Salmon River. Combined, these famed Idaho rivers/creeks make the area a true nexus of freshwater fly fishing. The Sun Valley area offers an incredible diversity of fly fishing opportunities for everyone from the casual novice to the ambitious expert. Time to buy a stack of postcards for Mom, because you’ll have plenty of fish stories to tell after wading our local waters. Guides There are a ton of great fishing holes spread all across the Wood River Valley and even more on the neighboring drainages. With hundreds of miles of waterways and ever-changing meanders the best way to maximize your fly fishing experience is to hire a guide. Beyond just knowing all the honey holes, guides will set you up with the tastiest fly’s to get …

View Post
Biking, Summer

5 Best Ways to Mountain Bike Sun Valley

Known for flowy, laomy buff singletrack complemented with more rowdy, advanced terrain in the sub-alpine and alpine, riders can turn it up for weeks on end without ever repeating the same ride. In a place where every ride takes you somewhere magical, it’s as though you’ve arrived in mountain bike nirvana. It can be overwhelming at first so we have put together the 5 things that will help you best maximize your experience in Sun Valley. Bike Shops and Guide Services With so many trails of varying levels of difficulty it can be overwhelming on where to start. Whether your just getting into the sport or a seasoned professional looking for that brutal expedition there is a bike shop or guide that can get you headed in the right direction. Beyond decades of local knowledge and having all the best spots to go Guides are crucial in local stewardship and personifying etiquette. Whether your looking to dodge the crowds or expand your skills there is a guide in town that will make your short time here unforgettable. Blogs Lift Access Whether you’re enjoying lunch at the Roundhouse Lodge or the of hiking and biking trails, you can’t beat the incredible …

View Post
Hiking

3 Best Ways to Maximize Hiking in Sun Valley

With hundreds of miles of trail within easy reach of downtown, Ketchum and Sun Valley are a hiker’s paradise. The Wood River Valley is fenced in by the Smoky, Boulder and Pioneer Mountains and within an hour drive lies the Sawtooth, White Cloud and Lost River mountain ranges, each boasting their own unique hiking experiences. Views will have you channeling your inner Ansel Adams, with wildlife sightings virtually guaranteed. The best ways to maximize your hiking experience is to check out some local guide experiences, read up on some of our blogs, and educate yourself on trail etiquette. Guide Services Guides are the best way to take all the leg work out of deciding where to hike and puts the leg work on the trails. There are plenty of guides across the valley with decades of local knowledge and all the best spots to go at any time of year! Beyond just dodging the crowds, Guides are also a vital resource for trail stewardship and etiquette. With more and more visitors venturing to the outdoors to take advantage of the trails, they may feel busier than normal. Guided hiking trips and shuttles to your favorite trailheads are available for any …