Sun Valley

Welcome to where it all started: Sun Valley, Idaho is steeped in history being not only the first destination ski resort in America but also the location of the world’s first chairlift, fashioned from a cargo ship’s banana loading conveyor.

Sun Valley came into being in 1936 when Union Pacific tycoon Averell Harriman started looking for a location for a winter resort in  order to increase passenger numbers on his UP train network heading west. Determined to create a destination on a par with Switzerland’s revered St Moritz and Davos, Harriman enlisted an Austrian to travel America’s west and find a suitable site. The task proved so difficult that the Austrian almost gave up, when at the final hour a U.P. employee in Boise casually mentioned that the rail spur to Ketchum cost the company more money for snow removal than any other branch line. Sun Valley’s location was set.

A glamourous hotel was required straight away, and The Sun Valley Lodge was built near Ketchum. Harriman cleverly invited Hollywood’s elite from Marilyn Monroe to Clark Gable, Errol Flynnn and Kennedy family members as guests to put his new winter hot spot on the  map and the resort has carried a star-studded repuation since. Harriman also invited the author Ernest Hemingway who completed For Whom The Bell Tolls in suite 228 of the Sun Valley Lodge.

The resort village is built around the Sun Valley Lodge, Inn, and comprises a complex of shops, condominiums, and an original 18-hole golf course. About 1 mile (1.5km) away is the older city of Ketchum.

Sun Valley is still a high end destination and a well known place to spot anyone from Tom Hanks to Oprah Winfrey. Every part of its offering is carefully curated, from hand-picked children’s instructors to a unique terrain-that-teaches feature on its novice slopes to delightfully opulent on-mountain day lodges. Sun Valley lays claim to 280 days of sunshine per year and light, dry winter snow is typical.

Sun Valley Lodging & Accommodation Options

Built in 1936, the four-storey 148-room historic Sun Valley Lodge retains an old world vibe with beautifully appointed French country-style rooms and classic marble bathrooms. Sun Valley’s second hotel, The Sun Valley Inn, is similarly ornate with European decor and also has an outdoor glass-enclosed swimming pool.

Sun Valley Mountain & Ski Terrain

Sun Valley’s trails are neatly divided between two peaks opposite each other on either side of the towns below. Dollar Mountain adjacent to Sun Valley for novice and lower intermediate skiers and Bald Mountain, the main ski mountain adjacent to Ketchum. Bald Mountain, or “Baldy,” is just over 9000 feet (about 2800m) with a vertical drop of 3400 feet (1035 m). Renowned for a consistent pitch all over, Baldy’s other hallmarks are uncrowded slopes, long wide open trails, and challenging off-piste terrain for intermediate to expert riders who have over 100 runs to choose from. No less than 4 deluxe day lodges are dotted across Baldy.

Dollar Mountain is covered in gentle, treeless terrain perfect for learning and improving.  The slopes are also home to a feature unique to Sun Valley – the Smart-Piste™, Terrain-that-Teaches™ learning system – designed to speed your progress, along with adventure areas for kids and a variety of  terrain parks ranging from standard to progressive. There’s a Family Cross Course and even skate-style parks.

Sun Valley Statistics

Skiable Terrain	2054 acres (831 hectares)
Vertical	1036 m (3400 ft)
Top Elevation	2789 m (9150 ft)
Base Elevation	1753 m (5750 ft)
Average Snowfall	560 cm (220 in/18 ft)
Beginner Terrain	36%
Intermediate Terrain	42%
Advanced Terrain	22%
Trails	75
Parks	2
Snow Cross	1
Winter lifts Total	18
Gondolas Trams	1
Chair Lifts	14
Surface Lifts	3
Lift Capacity	29,717
Longest Run	5 km (3 mi)
Mountain Restaurants	13
Snowmaking	645 ac (261 hectares)
Season Opens	November
Season Closes	April

How To Get To Sun Valley

Nonstop flights are available from major cities including Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco to the Friedman Memorial Airport in the town of Hailey located 14 miles (22 km) from the resort. Flights are also available to Boise,  Idaho’s capital city, from where it is a 2.5 hour shuttle ride on the Sun Valley Express. There is a complimentary shuttle service from Friedman Airport to Sun Valley Village.

Sun Valley Snow Sports & Ski School

Sun Valley enlists more than 250 PSIA-USSA certified instructors for alpine, snowboard, telemark and nordic, such is the resort’s dedication to ensuring clients receive the best tuition possible. Clinics, private lessons, and private group lessons are available. Sun Valley’s SnowSports School uses its own Smart-Piste™, Terrain-that-Teaches™ learning system.

There is a long list of children’s classes, and all day camps are offered for skiers’ ages 4-12 and for snowboarders ages 7-12. Sun Valley chooses  instructors trained specifically in techniques for teaching children with the goal of instilling fun and excitement into the learning process. The all-day camps include four hours of on-snow instruction along with supervised breaks and lunch, and are run on both Dollar Mountain and at Bald Mountain depending on the child’s age and ability. KinderCubs is a 9am-4pm daycare program for 3-year-olds  which includes introduction to skiing in a group setting along with lunch, lift tickets, rental equipment and helmets.

For adults, there are class options for never-evers, novices and, for the more advanced, the Elevate clinics. These are held on Bald Mountain and aimed at improving whichever skill you wish to work on whether its mastering bumps or improving your carving turns.

Sun Valley Things To Do, Activities & Tours

Sun Valley Village is built for strolling. Here you will find an indoor and outdoor ice rink, retro bowling alley, historic movie theatre, world-class restaurants and quaint shops stocked with jewellery, art and fashion. The upscale Spa at Sun Valley with a stunning grand two-storey reception area is the place to completely chill out, spoil yourself with a signature treatment, take in a gym session at the state-of-the-art fitness facility, or join a yoga class.

Sun Valley’s cross-country skiing is ranked among the best in the US with 25 miles (40km) of groomed trails on which you can also snowshoe and fat bike.

Nordic Skiing, Snowshoeing, Fat Biking, Ice Skating & Hockey, Snowmobiling, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Art Galleries, Museums, Movies and more…

 

Sun Valley Heli Ski, the first helicopter skiing company in the US and whisks clients from the summit of Bald Mountain into perfect powdery fields beyond.

Sun Valley Restaurants, Bars & Nightlife

Sun Valley prides itself on providing some of the highest quality on-mountain food of any ski resort in the country. What’s more, Bald Mountain’s plush day lodges are so comfortable you may find yourself spending more time in them than expected, sipping apres drinks in front of the fireplace listening to live music at apres. Three of the lodges have glorious 360 degree views – the Lookout Restaurant, Seattle Ridge Day Lodge and  The Roundhouse Restaurant which sits at 7700ft (2300m) atop the Roundhouse Gondola and is open for dinner as well as lunch.

In town, the restaurant scene is influenced by big city and international sensibilities. Expect to find the latest chic cuisine to European meals and stock standard American fare, all easily fuond between Sun Valley and Ketchum. A popular breakfast and lunch place is Konditorei  in Sun Valley Village, serving crepes to spatzle and fresh, homemade European pastries.

After skiing, The Sun Valley Inn Lobby Lounge is a the place to sip on an old-fashioned cocktail. For lively apres and a ski town vibe look no further than a mile away in downtown Ketchum. Brimming with bars, all kinds of dining options and entertainment, this is the place to kick back and maybe spot a celebrity. Margaritas are the speciality at The Pioneer Saloon, while  Grumpy’s has inexpensive food and schooners of beer. Whiskey Jacques on Main Street = late night entertainment, live music and air hockey. Ketchum is also home to an authentic Irish Pub and a Wine Company.

The Covey
American (New)
520 Washington Ave
+1 (208) 726-3663

Pioneer Saloon
Steakhouses, Bars, American (Traditional)
320 Main St
+1 (208) 726-3139

Rickshaw
Asian Fusion
460 North Washington Ave
+1 (208) 726-8481

Sawtooth Brewery Public House
Breweries, American (Traditional), Burgers
631 Warm Springs Rd
+1 (208) 726-6803

Enoteca
Italian, Wine Bars
300 N Main St
+1 (208) 928-6280

The Sawtooth Club
American (Traditional), Desserts, Bars
231 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-5233

Vintage
Restaurants
231 Leadville Ave
+1 (208) 726-9595

The Cellar Pub
Pubs, American (Traditional)
400 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 622-3832

Town Square Tavern
Mediterranean, Salad
360 East Ave N
+1 (208) 726-6969

Rominna’s
Italian
580 Washington Ave
+1 (208) 726-6961

Rico’s Authentic Italian
Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
200 Main St N
+1 (208) 726-7426

Warfield Distillery & Brewery
American (New), Pubs, Breweries
280 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-2739

La Cabanita Mex – Ketchum
Mexican
160 W 5th St
+1 (208) 725-5001

Village Station
American (Traditional), Pizza, Sports Bars
1 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 622-2138

Ketchum Grill
American (New), Desserts, Salad
520 E Ave
+1 (208) 726-4660

The Grill at Knob Hill
Restaurants
960 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-8004

Il Naso
Italian, Salad, Wine Bars
480 Washington St
+1 (208) 726-7776

Michel’s Christiania Restaurant & Bar
American (New), Wine Bars
303 Walnut Ave
+1 (208) 726-3388

Despo’s Mexican Restaurant
Mexican
211 4th St E
+1 (208) 726-3068

Limelight Hotel
American (New), Lounges, Hotels
151 S Main St
+1 (855) 441-2250

The Ram
Bars, Steakhouses, Fondue
Located in Sun Valley Resort
+1 (208) 622-2266

Lefty’s Bar & Grill
Bars, American (Traditional)
231 6th St
+1 (208) 726-2744

Grumpy’s
Burgers, Beer Bar, Sandwiches
860 Warm Springs Rd
+1 (208) 720-3171

Sushi on Second
Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
260 2nd St
+1 (208) 726-5181

Trail Creek Cabin
American (Traditional), Steakhouses
300 Trail Creek Rd
+1 (208) 622-2019

Konditorei Bakery and Cafe
Cafes, Bakeries
1 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 622-2235

A Taste of Thai
Thai
380 1st Ave N
+1 (208) 726-7155

The Kneadery
Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, American (Traditional)
260 Leadville Ave N
+1 (208) 726-9462

Rasberrys Bistro & Catering
American (New), Tex-Mex, Wine Bars
411 5th St E
+1 (208) 726-0606

Dollar Ski Patrol Wafflehouse
Waffles
82 Elkhorn Rd
+1 (805) 218-2853

Smoky Mountain Pizzeria Grill
Pizza, Italian
200 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 622-5625

Gretchen’s
Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional)
Located in Sun Valley Resort
+1 (208) 622-2144

The Roundhouse
American (Traditional)
Located in Sun Valley Resort
+1 (208) 622-2012

Elkhorn Clubhouse Grill
American (Traditional)
1050 Elkhorn Dr
+1 (208) 622-2820

Warm Springs Day Lodge
American (Traditional), Ski Resorts
Base Of Bald Mountain
+1 (208) 622-6361

KB’s – Ketchum
Mexican
460 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 928-6955

Wiseguy Pizza Pie
Pizza
460 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 726-0737

Whiskey Jacques
Bars, American (Traditional), Music Venues
251 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-5297

Bigwood Grill
Seafood, American (New)
115 Thunder Trl
+1 (208) 726-7067

Cristina’s Restaurant
Breakfast & Brunch, Pizza, Sandwiches
520 2nd St E
+1 (208) 726-4499

Sun Valley Shopping

The historic town of Ketchum and its  glamorous neighbour Sun Valley are packed with excellent fashion boutiques, more than the usual number of art galleries, plus furniture, gift shops and much more. Both towns are easy to walk around. One particularly prominent store with outlets in both places is Brass Ranch, a large gear and fashion boutique full of all the top ski and sportswear brands, as well as other clothing, shoes, and handbags.

Huck and Paddle
Home Decor
400 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 928-6550

Gold Mine Thrift Store
Thrift Stores
331 N Walnut Ave
+1 (208) 726-3465

Worth Repeating
Used, Vintage & Consignment
471 N Leadville Ave
+1 (208) 726-9440

The Farmer’s Daughter
Home Decor, Women’s Clothing, Accessories
331 Leadville Ave N
+1 (208) 726-6433

Board Bin
Women’s Clothing, Ski & Snowboard Shops, Outdoor Gear
180 4th St
+1 (208) 726-1222

Lost River Outfitters
Outdoor Gear, Hunting & Fishing Supplies, Fishing
371 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-1706

Elle Rose
Women’s Clothing, Jewelry, Accessories
641 & 647 Sun Valley Road
+1 (208) 726-8871

Independent Goods
Accessories, Home Decor, Jewelry
330 Walnut Ave
+1 (208) 720-9004

Silver Creek Outfitters
Fishing, Men’s Clothing, Women’s Clothing
500 N Main
+1 (208) 726-5282

The Picket Fence
Home Decor, Furniture Stores
560 East Ave N
+1 (208) 726-5511

Backwoods Mountain Sports
Bikes, Bike Rentals, Outdoor Gear
711 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-8818

Maude’s Coffee & Clothes
Coffee & Tea, Used, Vintage & Consignment
391 Walnut Ave
+1 (208) 726-6413

The Elephant’s Perch
Shoe Stores, Bikes
280 E Ave
+1 (208) 726-3497

Bavarian Soul
Sports Wear, Outdoor Gear
380 Washington Ave
+1 (208) 928-6488

Girl Friday
Women’s Clothing, Swimwear, Accessories
440 E Ave
+1 (208) 622-7364

Formula Sports
Sports Wear, Bike Repair/Maintenance, Bike Rentals
460 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-3194

Chapter One Bookstore
Bookstores
340 Second St E
+1 (208) 726-5425

Antique Alley
Antiques
151 W Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 720-1146

Valley Apothecary
Drugstores
201 N Washington Ave
+1 (208) 726-2679

The Open Room
Furniture Stores, Home Decor
360 1st Ave N
+1 (208) 622-0222

Bellissimo
Home Decor
601 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 726-0702

Backwoods Mountain Sports
Bike Rentals, Outdoor Gear, Bikes
711 N Main St
+1 (208) 726-8818

Madeline + Oliver
Lingerie, Home Decor, Women’s Clothing
460 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 726-7779

Sun Valley Outfitters
Fishing, Outdoor Gear, Tours
415 Sun Valley Rd E
+1 (208) 928-7843

Sway Boutique
Women’s Clothing
511 Sun Valley Rd
+1 (208) 928-7884

Theodore
Women’s Clothing, Accessories
511 N Leadville Ave
+1 (208) 726-3544

Maison Et Cadeaux
Children’s Clothing, Gift Shops, Home Decor
351 North Leadville Ave
+1 (208) 622-3101

The Toy Store
Toy Stores
380 N Washington Ave
+1 (208) 726-5966

Undercover
Lingerie, Accessories, Women’s Clothing
320 Walnut Ave

Out West Trading
Souvenir Shops
451 4th St E
+1 (208) 726-9543

Sister
Women’s Clothing, Accessories
100 N Leadville
+1 (208) 725-2176

Sun Valley Trail Maps

Explore Sun Valley trail maps to find your ideal place to ride, catch up with friends and more…

Sun Valley Bald Mountain Trail Map

Sun Valley Dollar Mountain Trail Map

Sun Valley Resort Map

Sun Valley Nordic Map