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 …
Searching for Sun Valley
Native American Heritage in the Wood River Valley
Native American Heritage Month’s history started in 1990 when President George H.W. Bush approved a joint resolution for November of that year to be “National American Indian Heritage Month”. Since 1994, the United States has made similar proclamations every year for November. But that’s not where it began. At the beginning of the 20th century, the annual Congress of the American Indian Association meeting approved a plan for a national American Indian Day. Then president Rev. Sherman Coolidge, an Arapahoe, issued a proclamation calling for the second Saturday in May to be American Indian Day. Within that proclamation was the first formal appeal for the United States to recognize natives as citizens. Today, many states recognize Columbus Day as Native American Day, but it is still not recognized as a national legal holiday. Idaho In the state of Idaho, there is a rich history of Native Americans dating back 10,000 years. It is projected that there were over 8,000 people living in the region. 2 distinct groups represented the people, The Great Basin Shoshone and the Bannock tribes of the Shoshone- Bannock, the Shoshone Paiute, and the three tribes from the Plateau region; Coeur d’Alene, Nez Perce, and Kootenai. The …
24hrs with a Local: Travis McDaniel, November
Local singer/songwriter Travis McDaniel can be found playing weekly gigs at the Duchin Lounge and bi-weekly gigs at the Limelight, playing a mix of jazz, bossa nova, funk, and neo-soul on his guitar, accompanied by his vocal jazz crooning.The Boise native moved to Philadelphia for about five years before moving to Ketchum in 2016 to live somewhere he could play his music while also doing the skiing, fishing, and mountain biking he grew up doing and loves.
Beer Buffs and Hopheads Guide to Sun Valley’s Beer Scene
With the boom of breweries around the country, more and more people seem to have a growing interest in, not only beer, but the company it brings. That doesn’t stop in a small mountain town!
What We’re Made Of: First Lite
In the lineup of businesses and companies started on the hallowed grounds of the Wood River Valley, First Lite used to be considered the new guy. Now in its 15th year of business since its founding in 2007, that’s hardly the case, and since its acquisition by media company MeatEater in 2018, First Lite has only continued to reach a bigger audience and market. First Lite, at its core, is a clothing company, creating merino wool garments in camouflage print for hunting. But with its focus on conservation efforts, a new flagship store, and the continuous growth provided by parent company MeatEater’s audience, First Lite has become a game-changer in the outdoor industry. How It Started First Lite started in the early 2000s as so many great ideas start—because of a need for something that doesn’t exist. Founders Kenton Carruth and Scott Robinson had both moved to Ketchum in the mid ‘90s and worked in the winter sports industry. The two enjoyed the outdoors, particularly hunting, but found that there were limited options to wear while hunting that would keep them warm in the chilly fall Idaho mornings. After wearing merino wool while hunting, which they discovered was an ideal …
24hrs with a Local: The Spot’s Natalie Battistone, October
Natalie Battistone LIVES for the fall. The Marketing/Creative Director for local theater company The Spot considers October her favorite month and can be found celebrating it by visiting a good pumpkin patch (like Tubb’s Berry Farm in Twin Falls) or reading Dracula. An original member of The Spot since they opened in 2015, Natalie recently directed The Spot’s production of The Sound Inside and is involved behind the scenes or in-stage with most of the company’s production. She is also a freelance actor, acting coach, and director, working with theater scenes in various spots from directing commercials to helping her partner, Spot founder and Community School drama teacher, Kevin Wade, with school productions. Her and Kevin met at the Harvard Repertory Theater graduate MFA acting program in 2014; they live in west Ketchum with their rescue dog Ophelia (named for the character in Hamlet). When not involved in the theater, the introverted Natalie enjoys foraging, birdwatching, and writing poetry. How does your ideal morning start in the fall? Natalie: I wake up and go to the Konditorei for the coffee and its never-ending refills and the Konditorei Breakfast [two eggs, meat, toast]. They used to have donuts on Saturdays but …
Hispanic Heritage Month
We are in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15- October 15) and here in the Wood River Valley we’re continuously grateful for the Hispanic community and all that they bring to our valley.
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 …
What Not to Miss at the 27th Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival
Aside from the brilliant transitioning leaves, The Trailing of the Sheep Festival is the highlight of Sun Valley’s fall season. Celebrating sheep and sheep herding traditions, Trailing of the Sheep offers a unique glimpse in to a part of Idaho’s past. Five days of dancing, music, wool classes, lamb dinners, sheep dog trials, and the famous Big Sheep Parade will tantalize the spectrum of senses.
Guide to Leaf Peeping
Your guide to Leaf Peeping in Sun Valley has arrived! Discover stands of aspens crawling up the mountains to hulking cottonwoods along the Big Wood River.
