Fall has officially arrived. The sun soaked aspen and cottonwood leaves have slowly begun to make their way from branch ends to trail floors leaving behind nature’s very own yellow brick road. This vibrantly radiating carpet and canopy delivers a truly enchanting hiking experience. We’ve compiled a list of our top-five best fall hikes in Sun Valley to help you maximize your dose of vitamin yellow. Proctor Mountain (5 miles – moderate) Serving up some the earliest pops of color in the Valley, the Proctor Mountain area tops our list of early fall hikes. This zone starts by venturing through thick swaths of aspen groves before climbing to higher elevations. Thoughts of burning thighs quickly vanish as expansive perspectives of the colorful valley below take hold. The reward makes the trek well worth the effort. Tip: the leaves will be changing early up here so get after it as soon as you see the first leaves starting to change, usually the middle of September. Directions: From Ketchum, head northeast on Sun Valley Rd towards Trail Creek. In roughly 2.6 miles look for the “Hemingway Memorial” sign and use the parking lots on your right or left. Park here and follow the trail …
4th of July Week in Sun Valley – 2023
Why You Should Come Why should you come to Sun Valley for the 4th of July? Well, let us set the scene for you. It’s a warm, dry 78*. The sun won’t set until until well after 9pm and the twilight glow will linger until 10pm. Scents of sage and lupine waft delightfully through the air. The Valley is vibrant with visitors and locals alike enjoying abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. Restaurants are maximizing patio seating and fresh regional ingredients are highlighting the special menus. And, there are some of the best arts and cultural events, shows, and exhibits happening. Still looking for more to draw you in? Keep reading to dive deeper into what the 2023 4th of July week in Sun Valley is all about Activities With the first week of July, pretty much every mountain activity you could think of is ready for action. The golf greens are pristine, the mountain bike trails are tacky, the fishing water may be a bit high but is becoming manageable, the hiking trails are flush with wild flowers, and white water north of town is in prime condition. Don’t forget about the more mellow activities out there such as the fine …
S.A.A. – Spring Activity Anxiety
An intertwined combination of spring & winter can lead to a potentially chaotic outbreak of Spring Activity Anxiety. Symptoms most commonly associated with S.A.A. include: severe indecisiveness, confusion, and obsessive over packing of vehicles with sporting equipment. Patients are urged to remain calm, analyze possible activities, and cram as many said activities as possible in to one day to quell bouts of insanity.
24hrs with a Local: Community School’s Patrick Graham, April
As Outdoor Program Co-Director at the Sun Valley Community School, Patrick Graham spends roughly 75–80 days out in the field each school year, leading outdoor trips for students of each grade (in addition to other, less fun duties that fall under his purview). Before joining Community School in 2015, Patrick worked as a ski guide for Sun Valley Trekking and later as a licensed backcountry ski guide and an AMGA-certified climbing and skiing guide. He’s now been in the Valley for 17 years—specifically Hailey, where he lives with his wife and three kids. Read on as we dig into Patrick’s ideal 24hrs in Sun Valley for April. What’s your perfect morning start with? Patrick: Typically, it starts with coffee. I like to just have some quiet time in the morning to get myself centered, some sort of hot beverage. When putting my best foot forward, I often times write in a journal for half an hour or so and then prepare to go skiing. Skiing on Baldy? Backcountry? Patrick: To make the most of spring skiing, my day would start before the sun came up, and I would probably transition from coffee into looking at maps and determining the route …
Winter Events in Sun Valley, Ketchum & Hailey, Idaho
Let’s face it, there are only so many hours in the day that you can spend on the ski/snowboard hill this winter in Sun Valley. There will be plenty of time for eating, sleeping and relaxing. You’ll most-likely still have a solid chunk of down time to fill. Fortunately, there is a slew of great events and happenings going on all winter in Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey that are bound to keep you entertained. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find this season. Christmas in Sun Valley It’s a special time of year in the Valley and the area goes all-out with the festivities. In fact, there are so many daily happenings that we’ve created a separate blog specifically dedicated to the holidays in Sun Valley. Check it out below. Guide to the Holidays in Sun Valley Winter Outdoor Events December 21 | Starry Solstice Social January 6 | Ski Free Day on the BCRD Trails January 19 | Baldy Banked Slalom January 31 – Feb 3 | Sun Valley Nordic Festival & Boulder Mountain Tour February 15 – 17 | Stanley Winterfest February 23 | Snowball Fat Tire Bike Race March 6 | Sawtooth Regional Gelande Quaffing Championships Winter Arts …
What it Takes: The Making of the Winter Hyperlapse Video
We sat down with Stellar Media to get some behind-the-scenes perspecitve on what went in to making the Sun Valley winter hyperlapse video series.
10 Ski Experiences You Can Only Have in Sun Valley
From tailgating in the same parkign lot that Warren Miller used to hang to sharing the half-pipe with a gold medalist there are a variety of unique experiences that Sun Valley offers. Check out our top 10.
Kid-Friendly, Adult Approved Winter Activities in Sun Valley
Winter can be a challenging time of year when it comes to entertaining the kids. Sun Valley, Idaho rolls out the red carpet when it comes to delivering kid friendly, adult approved winter activites that will please the whole family. We’ve compiled a list of our must-do’s for the season to take the stress out of the equation.
A Quick Guide to Fall in Sun Valley, Idaho
There’s something special about fall in Sun Valley. While there are all of the nostalgic things that come with fall such as the vibrant leaves and pumpkin spiced lattes, it is the slower pace, and the unique festivals that really make for a special time of year. Take a quick spin through the highlights that fall has to offer here in Sun Valley with our video below. More Fall Inspiration For more inspiration on things to do in Sun Valley this fall, check out a few of our favorite stories from our blog. Fall Festivals You Have to See From iconic music to herds of sheep running down Main Street, Sun Valley’s festivals are designed to delight your senses. We invite you to experience how we celebrate fall in the mountains. But be careful, you may just find it hard to leave. Top 8 Fall Mountain Bike Rides Among the 400+ miles of singletrack in the area, several mountain bike trails hit the fall-riding sweet-spot. We’ve outlined top trails that optimize sweeping singletrack through the vibrant fall leaves located at lower-elevation exposed to sunshine maintaining tacky, yet drier dirt. 5 of the Best Fall Hikes We’ve compiled a list of our top-five best …
Labor Day Weekend
The long Labor Day weekend has become a bit of a big deal here in Sun Valley, Idaho over the years. It’s a last summer hoorah as the kids begin to head back to school and the crisp temperatures of fall start to nip at our heels. With spirits running high and festivities plentiful, this is one long weekend that you won’t want to miss. To make the most out of the Labor Day weekend we’ve put together a list of all the best happenings. Wagon Days What: Ketchum’s annual Wagon Days celebration is a full weekend of events including a barn dance at the Ore Wagon Museum, the Papoose pancake breakfast in Town Square, the largest non-motorized parade in the Pacific Northwest, cowboy poetry, bareback horse riding demonstrations and more! There will also be special children’s activities on Fourth Street between Walnut and East Ave as well as a street party in Town Square after the Big Hitch parade. When: August 30th – September 1st Where: downtown Ketchum More Info American Hero What: The first show of local theater The Spot’s 2019/2020 season, American Hero is a dark comedy about life, liberty, and the pursuit of sandwiches! Directed by The Spot’s Yanna Lantz, American …