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 dog days of summer have arrived, and with them, our favorite combination of warm days, cool nights, and long evenings that beg to be enjoyed with close friends and a favorite beverage in hand. For this August edition of 24hrs Sun Valley, we caught up with Heather LaMonica Deckard, the Executive Director of the Sun Valley Wellness Festival & Conference. This year’s conference, Sun Valley Wellness Virtual, takes place online from August 22-23. Speakers include Dr. Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams; Seth Cohen, MD, MS, Director of Infectious Disease Medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center and lead of their COVID-19 clinical program; and Nora McInerny, award-winning host of the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking. In addition to the incredible speaker lineup, the Festival also includes guided meditations, movement classes, and sessions on finding happiness and nurturing creativity. Though hosting a virtual event wasn’t what Heather anticipated, she’s excited about the possibilities. “Because it’s virtual, participants can interact with the Festival in ways they haven’t been …
24hrs with a Local: Mike McKenna, July
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. And just like that, summer is here! From north to south throughout the Valley, visitors and locals are getting out to enjoy the area’s uncrowded trails, tasty dining, and cultural activities. It seems that everyone is determined to make the most of our socially distanced summer, and we invite you to join us in experiencing everything the season has to offer. For this July edition of 24Hrs Sun Valley, we caught up with Mike McKenna, the Executive Director of The Chamber of Hailey & the Wood River Valley. Mike is an award-winning journalist and author, passionate fly fisherman, and youth sports coach. He explores the Wood River Valley with his wife Brooke and his two sons, Jack and Sam. What does Mike’s perfect July day look like? Hint: it involves more than one round of fly fishing! Read on to learn more about Mike’s favorite spots in the Valley. What’s for breakfast on your perfect July day? I’d order a Bowl of Soul and “The Usual” (a toasted bagel with cream cheese, tomato, and …
24hrs with a Local: Chris Leman, May
In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24hrs in Sun Valley during the month of May. Happy May, friends! Chris Leman, the Wood River Valley Trail Coordinator for the Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD), knows a thing or two about how to enjoy a spring day in Sun Valley. In addition to maintaining a site that every local trail-lover visits daily—the BCRD Summer TraiLink—Chris does trail maintenance and public outreach, works closely with the BLM on trail design, and writes the BCRD Summer Trails blog. If there is something to know about the dirt trails in and around Sun Valley, Chris knows it. So, what does that ideal May day look like for Chris? It’s full of great food, epic trails, and maintaining that sense of community that we all love about Sun Valley. What’s first on your perfect May day? I’d let the cat in, make coffee, and water the vegetable garden. I love hanging out in our backyard, so an ideal breakfast would find me there, eating homemade pancakes made with fresh, stone-ground Hillside Grain flour. How would you spend your morning? Since it’s May, and …
24hrs with a Local: Hunger Coalition’s Kristin McMahon, April
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 – April edition. This April isn’t quite what we expected. Far from skiing the corn on the Baldy Bowls and drinking Bloody Mary’s at River Run, here in Sun Valley, we are sheltered-in-place and trying to make the most of our new reality. For this special edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley – April, I caught up with Kristin McMahon, the Communications and Development Supervisor at The Hunger Coalition. The Hunger Coalition “builds a healthy community through access to good food and addresses the root causes of food insecurity in collaboration with key partners.” Over the past few weeks, The Hunger Coalition has served twice as many people as usual at their curbside Food Pantry, which is open three times a week. Kristin and I chatted about what her typical day sheltered-in-place looks like, and how The Hunger Coalition is supporting the community during this uncertain time. With the shelter-in-place order in effect, what do you do first thing in the morning? I made sure to stock up on coffee, so I start out …
24hrs with a Local: Sun Valley Film Festival’s Candice Pate, 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. March is one of our favorite times in Sun Valley — the corn skiing is on point, spring breakers are in town, and most importantly, the Sun Valley Film Festival turns Ketchum into a raucous mix of films, celebrities, and iconic mountain town parties. With the Festival right on the horizon, we checked in with local resident Candice Pate, the Director of the Sun Valley Film Festival, to see how she would spend her perfect March day in Sun Valley. Here’s what she said. (Psst! There’s still time to grab your Festival pass!) What would you do first thing? I’d get up, get the kids to school, and head to IdaYOGA for a flow class with Beth Stuart. After that, I’d get a cup of Gorongosa Coffee (which supports the restoration of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique) at a Sun Valley Film Festival’s Coffee Talk and settle in. Coffee Talks are always great and give an intimate insight into the ins and outs of the entertainment industry. What is next on your perfect day? I’d do some spring skiing on …
24hrs with a Local: Paddy McIlvoy, February
In this monthly series, we check in with some of our favorite locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. February is the time of year when a Sun Valley winter really hits its stride. Not only are snowstorms filling the mountains and turning the streets of Ketchum into a snow globe, but the longer days mean there are more hours to explore the outdoors. No one knows how to better pack a day full of winter adventures in Sun Valley than Paddy McIlovy, Managing Partner of Backwoods Mountain Sports in Ketchum. Backwoods is “an outdoor shop run by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts,” and it’s a great spot to check in on daily conditions, buy or rent gear, and get stoked for a day in the backcountry. We caught up with Paddy to see how he would spend a perfect February day in Sun Valley. Here’s what he said. What would you eat for breakfast? A muffin, straight out of the oven, from the kitchen at Galena Lodge. They are just so good. Ok, so a muffin first thing, then what? Oh no, the muffin isn’t the first thing. It’s a reward! Before breakfast, I’d …
24hrs with a Local: Tiffany Larson, January
In this monthly series, we check in with some of our favorite locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. With the arrival of a new year — and a new decade! — it’s a good time to settle into your intentions and goals around wellness and self-care for the months ahead. There’s no better place to nourish your mind, body, and soul than here in Sun Valley, where living your best life is a part of our DNA. For this “Wellness Month” edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley we’re checking in with Tiffany Larson, the owner of The Mill SV. The Mill SV, located on Sun Valley Road in Ketchum, is a running studio and personal training gym. It has a reputation for challenging workouts and a fun, community vibe. Tiffany can be a tough coach, but she knows how to kick back and relax, too. Here is how she’d spend her perfect January day in Sun Valley. What would you do first thing? Every morning is a ritual at my house. The alarm goes off at 5:00 AM, and my partner Gary Tickner and I drive into the backcountry to exercise our five …
24hrs with a Local: Galena’s Don & Erin, December
In this series, we check in with some of our favorite locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. No trip to Sun Valley is complete without a day enjoyed at Galena Lodge, a community-owned recreation lodge nestled in the Boulder Mountains, 22 miles north of Ketchum. And no one knows Galena Lodge better than its proprietors, Erin Zell and Don Shepler. For 14 years, Erin and Don have welcomed Nordic skiers, backcountry skiers, snowshoers, mountain bikers, hikers, and sightseers to Galena Lodge. Visitors enjoy delicious, locally sourced meals in the restaurant, rental gear and lessons at their on-site shop, and a beautiful trail system in both winter and summer. For this edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley, Erin and Don share their perfect December day in the mountains. What would you do first thing? We’d start by waking up, having some tea, stretching, and eating a breakfast of eggs with avocado and toast in our cabin. We live across the street from Galena Lodge, and the beauty of it, for us, is that we don’t have to go far to have our perfect day off. It’s all right here. How would you spend …
24hrs with a Local: Sun Valley Resort’s Mike Fitzpatrick, November
In this series, we profile a local every month to get the down-low on what their perfect day in Sun Valley looks like. With the opening of Baldy just weeks away, I reached out to Mike Fitzpatrick, the Manager of Guest Services at Sun Valley Resort, to hear how he would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley this November. Mike is in charge of all aspects of a guest’s experience on the mountain at Sun Valley, so he knows a thing or two about how to make the most of a day on and off the slopes! What would you do first thing? A perfect day would start with going out to breakfast at the Konditorei. They have my favorite breakfast, the Baked Swiss Eggs Rösti. It has these special potatoes, almost like hashbrowns mixed with a lot of bacon, and they crack eggs over the top and bake it in the oven. And I’d get a triple mocha, too. How would you spend your morning? I’d go on an “early-ups” with a ski instructor on Baldy and get there for sunrise. When the sun hits the snow on the mountains, there is this golden hue — there’s nothing quite …
24hrs with a Local: Christina Giordani, October
In this new monthly series, we’re asking locals to share how they would spend 24 perfect hours in Sun Valley. For this first installment, we interviewed Christina Giordani, a local food and beverage entrepreneur, to discover what her ideal October day looks like. I’d eat breakfast at: Hank & Sylvie’s, where I’d have a cold brew coffee with house-made vanilla bean syrup and local, raw milk from Old Almo Creamery, paired with a delicious croissant. In the morning I’d: Practice throwing at Boulder Mountain Clayworks. I’m working on making my own cups and plates. I’d eat lunch at: The Farmers Market. I’d grab a local Hangar Bread baguette (they are made with locally milled flour from Hillside Grain), local goat cheese, and the last of the summer peaches and tomatoes for a picnic. In the afternoon I’d: Hike Proctor Mountain to get a look back at the town, leaf peep, and enjoy my picnic lunch from the Farmers Market. Before dinner, I’d: Go to the Boho Lounge and drink a specialty cocktail featuring Roadbars’ shrubs or syrups. I’d eat dinner at: The Covey. I’d drink whatever Pét-Nat wine is on the menu or an Aperol spritz and eat one of their handmade pasta dishes. Buon …