Ski in Sun Valley

Skiing in Sun Valley

Sun Valley - Ski Resort in American Rockies (1750m to 2790m)

The original Sun Valley (there are now three others, two in Japan and one in Cyprus) is the oldest ski resort in the US and celebrated its 75th birthday in December 2011. America's original ski resort, favoured by America's favourite writer, Mr Hemingway, and more skiers than anyone else in the country according to some skiing magazine reader polls. Sun Valley claims to offer more uphill capacity per skier than any other ski area and is the originator of chair lifts and hot tubs, a classic.

Sun Valley

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Sun Valley Ski Facts

Sun Valley Ski Facts

		Expert Skiers
		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-Ski
40km		Cross Country Pistes
18		Ski Lifts
1040m		Max Vertical
2790m		Highest Lift
1750m		Lowest Piste
1750m		Resort Altitude

Sun Valley

The American ski resort of Sun Valley has direct access to 78 individual pistes, served by 18 ski lifts.

The ski resort itself is above 1500m, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- Sun Valley is able to augment natural snow, with 570 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 18 Ski Lifts of Sun Valley are able to uplift 28,180 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

Skiing in Sun Valley

Sun Valley has two ski mountains. The vast majority of skiing takes place on Bald Mountain, dubbed 'Baldy' which has an excellent mix of trails , many of them cut down through the forest, but with bowl skiing above the treeline beneath the summit graded intermediate or advanced.

The mountain is famous for its constant pitch, with no flats and it has unrivalled high speed quad access. The second ski mountain is Dollar Mountain, where the world's first chairlift was installed, which is ideal for beginners and the centre for ski school programs. Dollar mountains lifts are on the edge of Sun Valley resort but Baldy is a short drive or bus ride away with access by twin high speed quads by Warm Springs Day Lodge or from River Run Plaza by the nearby town of Ketchum.

As important as the skiing for some, when you're ready for lunch, dinner or a quick snack between runs, you'll notice one more contrast to most resorts: Sun Valley's on-the-mountain menu! Fresh offerings such as mesquite-grilled chicken, salmon, swordfish and prime rib are waiting to reward you. Meals are served in a unique cluster format, offering a variety of dining choices.

You may visit different stations to order each course. And every item is freshly prepared to your order. Apart from downhill facilities Sun Valley's cross-country facilities extend to 40km (25 miles) .

Snowboarding in Sun Valley

According to Sondra van Ert, US Olympic Snowboarding team member for the '98 Nagano Olympics and holder of nine National and world championship snowboarding medals, and a Sun Valley resident, Sun Valley's famous mountain... Baldy offers the most fun of any resort mountain because of its wide choice of runs and terrain and its impeccable grooming.

Baldy does have the big advantage of a constant pitch - with no flats to get grounded on. Plus there's all the chairs including seven high speed detachable quads to get you back up, with no lift queues. Beginners have the separate Dollar mountain - away from advanced boarders and skiers on Baldy, on which to master technique.

Private lessons only are available for all abilities are on Dollar and Baldy. Lessons can also be useful for intermediates who want to make the most of the big open bowl terrain that's found on the Lookout and Mayday runs. The resort now has a 130 metre (400ft) half pipe on Baldy

Sun Valley Aprés Ski

Après in Sun Valley is generally relaxed and refined. Evening activities are centred primarily on the lodges or the venues for other activities like the cinema, swimming pools and games room. Sun Valley Lodge offers dancing to live music or you can head to the boiler room to take in a comedy show. Other choices include shopping or the ice rink.

Sun Valley Snow Reports by e-mail

For a Free 7-Day Snow Forecast for Sun Valley, including a Snow Report with current skiing conditions, just sign-up to our Ski Chat Forum and set Sun Valley as a favourite ski resort in your Profile.

Sun Valley in brief

Sun Valley Ski Resort is:
Ok for Expert Skiers.
Good for Intermediate Skiers.
Ok for Beginners.
Good for Snowboarding.

Sun Valley Snow Forecast

Map of Sun Valley