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 …
Rotarun Ski Area
Located 12 miles south of Ketchum, the home of Bald Mountain, is the town of Hailey and the home of the area’s lesser known ski mountain: Rotarun. Known as “the little mountain with a big heart”, this 475-foot ski hill located three miles east of Hailey out Croy Canyon has been a draw to the local community since it opened in 1948. With free night skiing, new snow making capabilities and terrain for Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) programs, this mountain is still making a big impact, showing how small ski hills like these are truly the soul of winter towns. Rotarun a ski hill where the essence of the sport is alive and well thanks to minimal barriers to entry and a welcoming demeanor. We highly recommend checking it out for yourself. History This small mountain has a storied history over the more than 70 years it’s been in existence. Starting after World War II, locals would boot pack up and ski down; shortly thereafter in 1948, Olympian Ann Winn started using the small mountain to teach kids how to ski, the first of many people to do so over the years. The mountain received its first “lift” in …
What We’re Made Of: The Sawtooth Avalanche Center
The Sawtooth Avalanche Center is an incredible community resource, serving all who live and recreate in the Wood River Valley. Offering forecasts, weather, snow observations, accident reports, education and events, Sawtooth Avalanche is so much more than simply an avalanche organization. Serving those working, recreating and traveling in the Sawtooth National Forest, the Sawtooth Avalanche Center begins daily avalanche forecasts in the fall after enough snow has accumulated and continues until about mid-April. These forecasts encompass a wide area of wilderness—2 million acres—and are broken into zones as well as a list of common backcountry locations. Those zones are Galena Summit and eastern mountains, Soldier and Wood River Valley mountains, Sawtooth and western Smoky Mountains, and Banner Summit. Sawtooth Avalanche’s forecast area doubled in late 2019 after receiving a grant from Idaho’s Off-Road Motor Vehicle Fund Covering an area this big for a relatively small organization is no easy task which is why Sawtooth Avalanche depends so much on help from the community. The public is encouraged to submit avalanche, snowpack, or weather observations through the sight (though they are not screened, edited or checked for accuracy by Sawtooth Avalanche). Nevertheless, these observations are crucial to ensuring safety in such …
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 …
What We’re Made Of: Pro Athlete Extraordinaire – Rebecca Rusch
The Sun Valley area has always been known for its athletes from Olympic skiers to world-renowned rock climbers. Rebecca Rusch, originally from Chicago, has called Sun Valley her home and training grounds for the last 15 years. The ultra endurance pro athlete and world champion’s career has included numerous adventure sports including rock climbing, expedition racing, whitewater rafting, cross-country skiing and most recently, mountain biking. Though other towns may have better gyms or access to elite training facilities, Rusch chooses to call Sun Valley home. “It’s the people and the place that initially attracted me to Sun Valley and that keeps me here,” Rusch said. “I travel all over the world and I still always want to come back here; it feels like home. I appreciate that it’s off the beaten path, it keeps it special.” A story similar to many who put down roots in Sun Valley, Rusch was a self-described “outdoor sports nomad” in her mid-30s, looking for a place to call home while living out of her car. One of her adventure racing teammates, Patrick Harper, was born and raised in Ketchum (his dad, Butch Harper worked for the Forest Service for 30 years; Harper’s Trail is …
What We’re Made Of: Art Connoisseur – Meredith Skillman
It’s no secret that the art and culture scene in Ketchum is akin to big cities like New York City. There are numerous concerts like the acclaimed Sun Valley Music Festival symphony performances and big names in indie, rock, jazz and more from the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. There are plays put on by the Company of Fools and the Spot and annual cultural events like the Wood River Studio Tour. But in terms of everyday art in Ketchum, nothing represents the scene better than Ketchum’s numerous art galleries. Displaying mediums from photography to sculpture and more, there’s a little something for everyone and it all caters to a sophisticated demographic. It was for this cultural scene that Meredith Skillman, the Gallery Registrar at Gail Severn Gallery, decided to call Ketchum, Idaho her home. “There aren’t many places in the U.S. where you can get the small-town experience and also work in art galleries,” said the North Carolina native who moved to the Valley seven years ago. Skillman had originally intended to be a musician like both her parents, even majoring in vocal performance at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but switched to art history after …
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 …
Epic Pass Road Trip: Sun Valley, Snowbasin, and Park City
Sun Valley (and its sister resort in Snowbasin) are yet again one of the dozens of ski resorts around the world that are part of the Epic Pass family. The Epic Pass offers unlimited or limited, unrestricted riding at over 40 mountains for $999*. Here at Sun Valley, the Epic Pass is good for seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates (after seven days, use your Epic Pass for 50% off lift tickets for the rest of the season!). There are other Epic Pass options. For all the details head here. The best part about using your Epic Pass at Sun Valley & Snowbasin is that you won’t need a reservation to ski here. With the two resorts being partners and not owned by Vail Resorts, they are not required to follow the same protocols that the other Vail owned resorts have instituted. For more information on Sun Valley’s winter operating procedures, head here. With our freshly minted Epic Passes in hand, we’re all-in for an Idaho-Utah Epic Pass road trip. Are you game? Here’s how you do it. *As of September 2020. Price subject to change. Day 1: Fly to Sun Valley Day 2: Ski Under Bluebird Skies …
Plan the Ultimate Ladies Weekend in Sun Valley This Winter
When you’re overdue for some fun with your favorite squad of ladies, we have everything you need for a weekend away from it all. Luxurious accommodations, world-class art, innovative dining, relaxing wellness experiences, outdoor recreation, and wine (lots, and lots of wine) mix together to set the stage for three spectacular days with your best friends. Book a ladies weekend in Sun Valley this year (we’re easy to get to!) and get ready for a little fun in the winter sun. Here’s how we’d do it: Friday Afternoon Arrive in Sun Valley, meet up with your favorite ladies, and check into your lodgings. The Limelight Hotel Ketchum is centrally located on Main Street and offers comfortable, sophisticated rooms and suites. They also have an airport shuttle to make your lives just that much easier. Pro Tip: Head to the Sun Valley Wine Company for an extensive selection of vino from around the globe. Once you’re settled in, ease into the weekend by checking out the vibrant art scene in downtown Ketchum. Don’t worry about needing a car, Ketchum is an entirely walkable town. Stop by Gail Severn, where you’ll find pieces by a mix of young, mid-career, and established artists working in …
Unique Winter Experiences in Sun Valley
It’s so easy to fall in love with Sun Valley in the winter. The stoke starts to build right before the opening day of Bald Mountain in November, and lasts right through the final chair ride in the spring. While it’s tempting to think of ski town life as one endless loop of ski runs, followed by après drinks, and back to the ski runs with brief stops for sleep and food, locals know that even in the winter it’s good to mix up the routine. Whether you’re in town for a month or weekend, check out these unique winter experiences that showcase some of the magic of a Sun Valley winter. Test Your Aim with Get Your Shoot On Idaho Firearm sports may seem like a far cry from the ski slopes, but here in Sun Valley, they are closer than you think. For a memorable experience book a shoot with Jeff Kreyssig, owner of Get Your Shoot On Idaho. Jeff is a National Rifle Association certified instructor and range safety officer who offers shooting packages for individuals, families, and groups at the Hurtig Shooting Center in Hailey. Whether you’re interested in firing a cowboy-action Colt Cattleman or an AK-47, Jeff’s thoughtful instruction, …
