Each winter, at the first hint of snow, local Nordic skiers pull out their gear and anxiously await the inaugural groom of the season. From the first pass of the snowcat in early winter until the trails disappear in spring’s warmth, stoke runs high. These long-time skiers know what many others are about to find out—that cross-country skiing is a great way to explore the mountains, clear the mind, and, especially this year, socially distance. While the pandemic may be partially responsible for this year’s meteoric rise in the sport’s popularity, cross-country skiing’s roots run deep in Sun Valley. Over 200 kilometers of Nordic ski trails wind through the Sun Valley area from Hailey in the south to Galena Lodge, tucked in the Boulder Mountains north of Ketchum. Our world-class trails are not only a destination for skiers from around the globe but are also the United States’ only designated cross-country skiing Olympic and Paralympic training site. Exploring Sun Valley’s Nordic scene for the first time can get a little overwhelming, but we’re here to help. In this guide, we give you the 411 on everything from where to ski to who can help you get the right gear. See …
Idaho Winter Vacation
An Idaho winter ski vacation is certainly a bucket list item for anyone. Names like “Aspen” or “Vail” may be more familiar to some, but Idaho’s ski resorts are known for tons of powder, minimal lift lines, and plenty of small-town charm. There are many small ski hills across the state, but the four listed below are the heavy hitters in terms of the best spots to visit for your winter vacay. Whether you’ve visited Idaho before and are looking to try out a different resort or it’s your first visit, these are the must-visit Idaho winter destinations. Bogus Basin As Boise’s ski resort, Bogus Basin is certainly the easiest resort to reach with the most options for places to stay and other, near-by activities. Founded in 1942, Bogus Basin is an accessible, family-friendly resort which receives between 200 and 250 inches of snow each season. At just 16 miles from downtown Boise, you can wake up and be on the slopes within the hour, ready to experience all Bogus Basin’s 2,600 acres of terrain has to offer. The 1,800-vertical-foot mountain is open for year-round recreation, but for the winter you’ll be enticed by downhill skiing as well as 37km …
Boise to Sun Valley: A Quick Getaway
Boise is not only the capital of Idaho but also it’s largest city. Boise is often ranked at the top of fastest growing cities lists in part due to its great access and proximity to the outdoors. Whether its a canyon excursion south into the desert or a whitewater thrill ride north of town boise has a lot of options of all sorts of speeds. Although we are going to be focused on one of Boise’s best attributes and thats being less than a 3 hour drive from the #1 ski resort in the nation. Not only is Sun Valley a must for any winter lover it is also a mountain hub of year around sun soaked activities and sights to see. We will start off with a bit of a winter focus with some stops along the way but then it gets into the year around possibilities of the Wood River Valley. Soldier Mountain Many thousands of skiers drive by the town of Fairfield, Idaho on their way to Sun Valley without even knowing there is a great little ski hill tucked away in the mountains to the north. After a wildfire damaged some equipment during the summer 2020 Soldier …
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.
Seattle to Sun Valley Travel
People from Seattle have long visited Sun Valley, Idaho for ski vacations. In under two hours, a nonstop flight will whisk you away from Seattle and right into the Sun Valley Sun. The mid-winter break that many Seattle schools get, often referred to as “Ski Week,” brings families to Sun Valley every year. There are several travel options, whether you prefer to fly direct, save some cash by flying to Boise, or take your time on a beautiful road trip. If you’re wanting to book a flight to Sun Valley, you have two options: fly nonstop into Sun Valley’s Friedman Memorial Airport (actually located in Hailey, 13.5 miles south of Sun Valley) or into Boise which is 2 ½ hours away by car. The easiest and quickest way from Seattle to Sun Valley is the nonstop flight from Alaska Airlines, flying daily through the spring and again through the summer (note that frequency changes depending on the time of year). Winter weather does present the potential for diversions. If your flight is diverted during the winter there is typically a complementary motor coach transport to Sun Valley. When flying out of Sun Valley, be sure to call the local SUN …
Sun Valley + IKON Pass
No matter how much you might love your home mountain, there are always other resorts to try out. And if you’re a powder hound, you might just spend your winters hopping from ski hill to ski hill, going where the meteorologist says the next dump will hit. This kind of winter adventuring is a heck of a lot easier with the IKON Pass, a multi-resort ski and snowboard season pass that gives you access to a whopping 50 resort destinations across five continents, 10 countries, 15 states, and four Canadian provinces. The 2023–2024 season, marks the first year that the Sun Valley Resort is a part of the Ikon Pass, adding itself to the list of iconic mountains one can experience as a pass holder. Sun Valley is also on the Mountain Collective Pass for the 2023-2024 season. Sun Valley is no longer on the EPIC Pass. What Are the IKON Pass Offerings? For the 2023-2024 season the original namesake IKON Pass costs $1,259 (for adults 23+, other options are available for young adults and children) and gets you unlimited access at 17 destinations and up to seven days each at 41 destinations. Included in those 14 with unlimited days …
McCall Vs Sun Valley
When visiting Idaho, there are plenty of different options for where to go: Boise, Stanley, Pocatello. But when deciding between a small resort town, you might come down to the decision between McCall and Sun Valley. Which to choose? There are many similarities between the two small resorts towns, but a bevy of differences to separate the winter experiences you might have in each. The populations of McCall and Ketchum are roughly the same (just under 3,000) though “Sun Valley” as a whole area encompasses a much higher number. McCall’s terrain focuses on lake life (Payette Lake being a major draw for the area especially in the summer) with more subtle mountain peaks surrounding it and a greater density of Ponderosa Pines. In Sun Valley, the terrain is ALL about the mountains—jagged peaks at high elevation surrounding you in every direction. McCall definitly sees peak traffic during the summer holidays with its large lake and boating activities. On the other hand Sun Valley is a winter Mecca that sees thousands of skiers descend on the town during December. Both towns are about 2.5 hours from the state capitol of Boise. Although the Boise airport is the main access point for …
Salt Lake City to Sun Valley Travel
A fellow ski resort town, Salt Lake has lots of great winter activities to keep residents happy. But at such close proximity to Sun Valley—potentially just a one-hour flight—it’s worth it to invest in a little winter vacay time at this Idaho resort. Whether traveling here entails flying or driving, it’s a quick trip to come experience a fellow western ski resort, albeit one with its own delights and attractions. Flying Direct to Sun Valley If you’re wanting to book a flight to Sun Valley, you have two options: fly direct into Sun Valley’s Friedman Memorial Airport (actually located in Hailey, 13.5 miles south of Sun Valley) or into Boise which is 2 ½ hours away by car. The easiest and quickest way from Salt Lake to Sun Valley is the direct flight from Delta, flying nonstop three to four times daily this winter. But while this option is the easiest on paper, it can become a different beast in reality when winter weather sometimes grounds planes in Twin Falls (75 miles south) instead of at Friedman Memorial Airport. If this happens when either departing or arriving, you’ll be given free, Winter Diversion Busing to Sun Valley. When flying out …
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 …