Luis Alberto Lecanda moved to Sun Valley in 2019 to pursue Nordic skiing full-time with hopes to qualify for the 2022 Olympic XC ski team for Mexico. The catch? He was a complete neophyte in the sport, coming from a career as an engineer in Silicon Valley.
3 Reasons to Travel to Sun Valley for Opening Day
If you’ve never experienced an Opening Day in Sun Valley—don’t you think it’s about time? Here are 3 reasons to travel to Sun Valley for this double-holiday.
Guide to Leaf Peeping
Your guide to Leaf Peeping in Sun Valley has arrived! Discover stands of aspens crawling up the mountains to hulking cottonwoods along the Big Wood River.
What to Expect in Sun Valley this Winter
As with everything this year there are some changes, but as always Sun Valley has adapted to still provide the magic that we all love. Below are some of the changes you can expect this winter in Sun Valley. On Mountain No reservation system or visitation limits for Sun Valley Season Pass holders or Epic Pass holders on Bald Mountain or Dollar Mountain this 20/21 winter season. If necessary, the Resort manage peak day access for both Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain through day-ticket restrictions. This year they encourage all guests to pre-purchase their lift tickets online. On-Mountain Lodges and Dining To accommodate for physical distancing and in accordance with State and County ordinances, indoor seating has been reduced in all lodges and they will add to our outdoor dining options. The Resort has simplified menus, instituted reservation systems in some venues, and will offer grab and go options to assure appropriate distancing is maintained in our lodges. SnowSports Lessons and Guest Services It will be a good year to arrive at the mountain prepared to ski, and to plan ahead. If you wish to store items at the base areas, the Resort will offer secure and sanitized bag check …
Zoom Town Guide to Sun Valley – Winter Edition
Covid certainly changed things for all of us, but notably for the town of Sun Valley, aka a “Zoom Town,” it brought lots of remote workers looking to enjoy all the splendors of the area that were previously limited to short vacations. With so many new folks in town, we at Visit Sun Valley wanted to create a helpful zoom town guide for how to do things the “local” way. It’s a delicate balance that keeps Sun Valley a great place to live. Sun Valley Culture When coming from a big city or even just a town bigger than ours, it’s easy to forget that what was once common practice in your life is frowned upon here. Our small town prides itself on a slower pace of living, where errands might take longer because you ran into old friends in the grocery store, where you might pull over to help someone with a flat tire on the side of the road, where a car honk doesn’t mean you’re angry, but means you saw someone you knew walking on the sidewalk. It’s easy to get frustrated with this slower pace—especially if you actually have somewhere to be—but remember that this is …
24hrs with a Local: Sawtooth Brewery’s Kevin Jones, September
In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. Back-to-school vibes are in the air, and just last week, the peaks around Sun Valley had their first dusting of early snow. Fall comes a bit early here in the mountains, but you won’t find us complaining—it’s a magical season. With perfectly warm days and deliciously cool nights, fall is the perfect time to experience Sun Valley’s natural beauty and cultural events, including Wagon Days, the Gallery Walk, the Ernest Hemingway Seminar, the Baldy Hill Climb, and Oktoberfest. To hear more about this year’s Oktoberfest, we reached out to Kevin Jones, co-founder and Business Director of Sawtooth Brewery. Sawtooth Brewery, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in November, began as a small taproom in a hotel in Ketchum. “We started the brewery when we were young and single,” says Kevin. “We had a vision of a place where people could drink local beer after a day of skiing or biking.” Now, Kevin and his business partner, head brewer and CEO Paul Holle, have two restaurants, the Public House in Ketchum and the Tap Room …
24hrs with a Local: BCRD’s Mark Davidson, June
In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are warming up, and if summer hasn’t officially arrived, it will soon. June is a special month in Sun Valley—warm enough to break out the summer clothing, but early enough in the season to have the trails and rivers all to yourself. For our 24hrs Sun Valley – June edition, we reached out to Mark Davidson, Executive Director of the Blaine County Recreation District. Known locally as the BCRD, the Blaine County Recreation District’s mission is to enhance Blaine County’s quality of life by creating healthy, active recreational opportunities for all. They do this through a mix of programming, including youth sports leagues, adult fitness classes, and HUB after-school care, and facilities such as the outdoor Aquatic Center, FitWorks fitness center, Galena Lodge, and a network of summer and winter trails. Though perhaps best known for their extensive groomed Nordic trail network, it’s a different trail system that has captured the attention of trail lovers this spring—BCRD’s new Quigley Trails Park in Hailey. Quigley Trails Park …
Locals Guide to Sun Valley’s Trails
With over 400 miles of trails spread across the Wood River Valley, from Bellevue all the way up north to Galena Lodge, it’s hard to know where to start. The area’s extensive, multi-use trails are fit for all kinds of recreation—biking, hiking, trail running, and horseback riding. Whether you’re new to the area or just new to the trails, there are some great starter trails in Hailey, mid-valley, and Ketchum. We talked to Sara Gress, the Executive Director of the Wood River Trails Coalition which works to create, maintain, and sustain the Valley’s network of trails to get her take on the best spots to try first. Hailey Sara: You have to ride Croy because it’s super fun for biking. The Two Dog Loop [6.7 miles] is fun and flowy, and you get some good views of the Pios, but it’s not butt-puckering. And it’s still enjoyable enough that if you’re an advanced rider, it’s still a really good ride. It’s a good place to hone your skills. I ride out there because it’s enjoyable and it’s not scary. People hike and trail run the trails out Croy and even ride horses sometimes too. Also try: Quigley Trails Park which …
How to get the most out of Spring Snow in Sun Valley
With all of the spring events returning this year, you may forget about how fun spring snow can be. Spring in the Wood River Valley brings about juxtaposed weather patterns mixing courteous doses of sunshine and thaw inducing temperatures with winter flurries inflated by frigid arctic winds. While the south slopes turn a muddy brown and the lower valley starts to get buds on the trees it is still winter up high. Some of the best turns of the season happen after the calendar says the seasons have changed. The most obvious place to get your turns in is Baldy. Corny and soft snow awaits you for that oh so glorious spring “pow” turns. Although its little brother Dollar Mountain, with its rad terrain parks, is probably closed this late in the season, there are a few “pocket” parks plus all the classic hits scattered around Baldy. Winter certainly hasn’t waved it’s red flag in the higher elevations. Depending on when you’re reading this, Baldy will either be nearing the end of their sanctioned lift service or closed. If they’re finished up for the season, it’s up to your self-ascending or snowmobiling access to get those last winter fixes. Go for a …
24hrs with a Local: Sun Valley Museum of Art’s Courtney Gilbert, March
In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. Say hello to long(er) sunny days! March in Sun Valley nudges at the first hints of winter bending toward spring, and the promise of summer just around the corner. Still, it wouldn’t do to wish away this glorious month, when Baldy’s bowls turn into perfect corn conditions and the backcountry skiing and Nordic trails are on point. For this 24hrs in Sun Valley March edition, we caught up with Courtney Gilbert, Curator of Visual Arts at the Sun Valley Museum of Art (SVMoA). SVMoA, formerly called the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, is dedicated to enriching the community through transformative arts and education experiences. In her role, Courtney organizes multi-artist, thematic exhibitions that usually relate to SVMoA’s BIG IDEA projects, which “ask timely questions and investigate them through art, music, theatre, conversation, and workshops.” The latest exhibition, on display at the SVMoA (191 Fifth Street East, Ketchum) through April 16, 2021, is titled “Deeds Not Words: Women Working for Change.” This multidisciplinary curation coincides with the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US …