Have you been itching to get out and travel a little bit? Have you been watching the forecasts roll in and the snow pile up? Well this year is the perfect year for a road trip to explore the mountains of the intermountain West. Below we have put together an itinerary that explores Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Whether you’ve got the Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, or Day tickets we’ve got you covered. Utah Assuming you’ll fly into SLC and get a rental car for this road trip we will start in the city. If you’re on the Ikon Pass or planed ahead for day tickets then head up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Snowbird and Alta. If you’re on the EPIC pass or a Sun Valley/Snowbasin pass holder head north out of the city to Snowbasin. If you’re really here to ski then plan ahead with your passes and ski all three! Ikon Pass: Snowbird and Alta Snowbird Alta *If you’re riding the shred stick (snowboard), enjoy another day of exploration at Snowbird as Alta does not allow snowboarding at their resort. Epic Pass: Snowbasin Idaho Drive to Sun Valley – Trip Time: Roughly 4.5hrs Epic Pass: Sun Valley Sun Valley …
Searching for Sun Valley
24hrs with a Local: Sun Valley Resort’s Peter Stearns, January
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. Happy New Year! While some may be saying “good riddance” to 2020, we’re looking ahead with hope and mindfulness for the coming year. We’re so lucky to have incredible outdoor winter recreation in Sun Valley, and that’s due in no small part to the opportunities at Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain, Sun Valley Resort’s two ski areas. For this month’s 24 Hours Sun Valley, we tracked down Peter Stearns, Director of Mountain Operations at Sun Valley, to hear about his typical day in January and learn more about this unique winter season. Welcome, Peter! Can you tell us a bit more about your role at Sun Valley Resort? As the Director of Mountain Operations, my ultimate responsibility is the management of Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain. I work with a fantastic team, most of whom have been doing this kind of work for quite a long time. You’ve been working at Sun Valley for quite a few years, is that right? I’ve been with Sun Valley for 40 years this past June. Wow, that’s impressive! …
Locals Guide to Driving & Parking around Sun Valley
Chief Deputy for the Blaine County Sheriff’s Department, Will Fruehling, has been patrolling the streets of the Wood River Valley for over 20 years. Since starting his career as a patrol officer for the Ketchum Police Department in 1995, Fruehling has been a patrol deputy, a Sergeant, Investigator for the Idaho Department of Corrections, and was appointed to his current position in 2017 by Sheriff Harkins. As a local and a police officer, Fruehling has seen plenty of visitors come and go over the years and through the seasons. So we asked him some tips on driving and parking, what his driving pet peeves are, and Fruehling settles the Miscellany II debate between left-lane drivers and right-lane once and for all. What tips do you have for visitors who haven’t driven in snow before? Will: “Obviously, the first thing is for people to slow down when the road’s covered in snow or when the road is slick. You see these people who wiz by and then you see them right in front of you at the next stoplight in town and you’re like, they made it at the same time that I did, but they went too fast for these …
Locals Guide to Skiing & Snowboarding Bald Mountain
Learning to ski or snowboard like a local is about so much more than committing a map of Baldy to memory or buying a full season’s pass. Like any other resort, there are many nuances to hitting the slopes in Sun Valley that are sure to make you stick out like a sore thumb if you don’t know or—god forbid—choose to ignore them. And though there are a plethora of professional skiers and snowboarders in Sun Valley, many of whom grew up here, we reached out to homegrown snowboarder Charles Gordon Knight, known by many aliases but most often referred to as C Gordon, C, and Gordo. A Sun Valley Resort ambassador and new D team snowboard coach for the Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF), Knight also works at the Boardbin, has been on the mountain for 28 seasons (since he was 2 years old), had three perfect seasons, and received six 100-day pins. And he’s not shy about explaining how to avoid being a jerry. Who is Bald Mountain For? C Gordon: “This mountain isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s steep, down the fall-line, and is chocked full of rippers. It’s the kind of mountain where you can put …
Why Sun Valley Should Be A Stop on Your Next Ski Trip
As if SKI Magazine ranking Sun Valley as the #1 resort wasn’t enough reason to make an addition to the top of your ski bucket list, well here is a few more. Sun Valley is chock full of activities on and off mountain to make your visit one to remember and maybe even a yearly tradition. Cross-country ski the US Olympic training grounds. Sun Valley is home to a Nordic Olympic Training Site for its ideal trails, training facilities and perfect conditions. There are over 125 miles of endorphin-inducing, visually stimulating cross-country terrain in the Wood River Valley. A US Olympic training site since 2012, the Sun Valley XC trail system may be home to the elite, but its groomed landscape provides sweet tracks for any skill level. Take time out for a drink and a bite to eat at Galena Lodge, no matter how good your crossover turns look. Tailgate in the same parking lot as ski-film icon Warren Miller. Ten years after the installation of the first ski lift, a young buck by the name of Warren Miller parted ways with the US Navy, packed his 8mm film camera, and hauled a teardrop trailer to the mountains of Idaho …
Guide to Getting Ready for Winter
Whether you are an Idaho winter veteran, a new transplant, or a planning a road trip, winters in Idaho bring with them a seasonal preparation. Just like our other animal friends, preparing for winter is something that is in our minds all year around and although building a nest is not on our lists there are more things to pass the time between raking leaves and ripping turns. Since we don’t hibernate here in Sun Valley, here is a whole list of stuff to not only reduce your season opener stress, but to also set you up for a successful and safe season of shredding pow! Avalanche Knowledge Go through your gear Prepare your Chariot Research the Road ahead This season is sure to be full of adventure and uncharted territory so be sure to prepare yourself to best enjoy it safely.
24hrs with a Local: Sawtooth Avalanche Center’s Scott Savage, December
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. Ready or not…winter is here! From the first snowflakes in early November to opening day on Bald Mountain, we have been enjoying every second of this early season. Scott Savage, the Director of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, is someone who loves winter more than most. A lifelong skier and a snow geek, Scott and the team of Avalanche Specialists provide avalanche safety information for people recreating, working, or traveling in the Sawtooth National Forest. “The Sawtooth Avalanche Center exists to help people make good decisions, have fun, and stay safe in the mountains,” says Scott. Don’t think that your winter recreation takes you into avalanche territory? It might. Though the Sun Valley area has plenty of room to explore, some of the most popular recreation areas are exposed to avalanche danger. But before you hole up and miss the chance to enjoy winter fun under a summer sun, take heart: Scott says making safe decisions is simply a matter of understanding the risks and knowing how to handle them. First, he says, check the …
24hrs with a Local: Photographer Dev Khalsa, November
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. A chill is in the air, and the snow guns blasting on Bald Mountain in preparation for opening day prove that it’s properly almost-winter in Sun Valley. Though we’re only weeks away from pulling out skis and boards, there is still plenty of fall left to enjoy this November. Don’t take it from me, though. Dev Khalsa, owner and photographer at Dev Khalsa Photography, has a secret love of this in-between month. “Summer is super crazy with work, and then suddenly there’s Daylight Savings, which means less light each day, which means that I get more time to relax,” she says. “It’s a time to be cozy with my family and enjoy the leaves that are still around. I love that transition and wouldn’t have it any other way.” Locals and visitors alike seek out Dev for her natural, candid, documentary style of wedding and portrait photography. How has this year differed from years in the past? “This year’s weddings totally changed,” Dev says. “Some of them moved to next year, but others became these really small, …
Experience the Magic of Galena Lodge
I envy all those who get to experience the magic of Galena Lodge for the first time. Located 23 miles north of Ketchum, Galena Lodge is the last remains of a once thriving mining town. The miners have long gone but thanks to engaged community members in the early 1990’s, Galena heritage as an adventure outpost thrives on. The trip to Galena Lodge begins with the beautiful drive north on Highway 75. Numerous turnouts along the road serve up welcomed opportunities to stop and admire the snowcapped ridges and foothills of the Boulder and Smoky mountains. Amidst the dramatic scenery, Nordic skiers can be seen racing up and down the groomed 30 kilometer long, Harriman Trail. Home to the Boulder Mountain Tour, this area snakes along the side the headwaters of the Big Wood River. Galena Lodge will come in to view just before the highways begins to gain significant altitude. Parking can be found right at the turn. If the lot is at capacity, backtrack a short distance on the road to an overflow parking area along the highway. Don’t be put off by the number of cars, once on the trails you’ll feel like you’re in your own private Idaho. …
24hrs with a Local: Silver Creek Outfitters’ Terry Ring, October
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 aspens are turning, snow is dusting the high peaks, and it’s time to slow down into the delicious, golden-soaked atmosphere of October in Sun Valley. Fall is a season that long-time local Terry Ring, owner of Silver Creek Outfitters, enjoys to the fullest. Silver Creek Outfitters is a fly fishing shop, destination retailer, and a guide service. “We focus on the ‘Sun Valley lifestyle,’” says Terry. “It’s energetic, it’s outdoors, and it’s around town. We’re so lucky to have rich cultural activities, like the Writers Conference, the Symphony, and the Trailing of the Sheep, and so much public land to enjoy.” “We cater to people who are out of doors hunting and fishing, as well as people around town,” Terry explains. “We are fire and ice—hooks and bullets, but we also have cashmere.” After the rush of a busy summer season, Terry takes advantage of the slower days of fall to truly soak in all that Sun Valley has to offer. Here’s how Terry would spend his perfect 24hrs Sun Valley this October. What would you …