Had a beautiful and awesome time. The resort was pleasant and workers were friendly. Ski resort provided all the skiing equipment and lunch! Thank you! read more

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I recently skied in Sun Valley for the first time. It was a cool place and I enjoyed myself but it wasn't the best skiing I've ever had. In fairness the mountain hadn't had much fresh snow recently and it would probably have been better with some more snowfall. The terrain wasn't the most interesting though. The bowls off the top of Bald Mountain were cool and I appreciated that a lot of the easier groomers had mogul runs off to the side of them. As with many big name ski resorts in the US the lift ticket prices here are extremely expensive. You do get nice facilities though. The lodges are all very pleasant and I think that Sun Valley has the nicest ski resort bathrooms I've seen. The lifts are also well laid out for lapping the good terrain. As others have noted there's no real ski-in/ski-out lodging here. The town does have a free bus service but they don't run very frequently. read more

Sun Valley has been on my bucket list for years. I've heard a lot of good things about their long steep groomers, so it was just a matter of time before I partook of said groomers. Let's just say the mountain is great. If you like skiing, then you will love the runs off of warm springs. Over 3000 vertical feet in one sitting. Speaking of sitting, the lodges at Sun Valley certainly do the trick. Gorgeous, and great food. Our personal favorite was the lookout day lodge. Great Mexican. You can see my review there. Workers seemed nice, and knew what they were doing. Views are truly 360 from the top of baldy. No lines and we skied Friday-Sunday. Easy, free parking too. I've got to scrap the bottom of the barrel to find negatives, but if I were to nitpick, it would be that it's called sun valley for a reason. Would love more natural snow. Their manmade snow makes up for it however. Also, not a fan that they partnered with vail for the epic pass. I'll be back for sure!! If you're a snowbasin pass holder like myself, go use your days. You won't regret it. read more

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Spent 6 days skiing at Sun Valley at the beginning of February and even though the weather did not always cooperate, it was an awesome ski week. First the Sun Valley staff are great, friendly and helpful. The lodges are nice and the ski storage at the base did a great job. The ski area sets up with 5 basic areas: River Run, Seattle Ridge, Christmas Bowl, Warm Springs and Frenchman. The variety of areas allow you to find the best conditions in which to ski; on a day when the wind was very high I ended up spending the day doing laps on the Greyhawk lift that still was an awesome day. The trail ratings at Sun Valley can be a bit confusing, the trails that are listed as Green would be Blue at most resorts, but the groomed Blacks would probably be Blue/Black at most resorts. Moving about the mountain can be a bit confusing, but if you go to the top of Bald Mountain you can pretty much get to any part of the mountain. I had an awesome week at Sun Valley, in 6 days of skiing I managed to get over 214,000 feet of vertical. Even though the snow was a bit thin and the weather did not always cooperate Sun Valley did a great job of keeping the slopes groomed and in good shape. read more

I've skied many resorts across the western states and Sun Valley is now one of my top favorites. Wanted to ski there for 10 years and I finally made it . Beautiful and top notch lodges and facilities. High speed lifts and very friendly employees. Bald Mountain in particular is an amazing ski hill . Very long , challenging runs. The trail markings are not your typical levels. Greens are more like Blues . Lots of vertical at this resort . Laps on the famous Challenger chair are very long and are straight up leg burning skiing bliss . The 360 views at the summit are spectacular and the grooming is as good as it gets. It's definitely worth the extra effort and costs to get to . I will definitely be back some day. read more

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Great resort. Terrain for everyone. Many blue runs would be considered black diamond at most resorts especially Upper Canyon, Christmas Ridge, Upper Graduate, Graduate and others. All great, just be ready that a green run is not just a cat track. They have nice lodges and NO signs saying "no outside food". Too bad they are dropping out of Mountain Collective. read more

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The Ski Area consists of two very different areas: Dollar Mountain and Bald Mountain. The Bald Mountain in turn has two base lodges: the River Run and the Warm Springs. Movement between these three is relatively easy, as the shuttles are run on a regular basis. The shuttles are equipped with the ski racks, plan about half an hour for a trip. The area is totally uncrowded outside of the Christmas-New Year season, there is no waiting for any of the lifts, period. Dollar Mountain has (very few) easy slopes and a terrain park. The slopes are intended for the beginners, they are mostly green or have a light shade of blue. The skiing area is tiny, runs are pretty short; I would only use Dollar for warming up on a first day, testing new skis, etc. The Bald Mountain is a beast that a beginner shall avoid, and a low-intermediate skier handle carefully. It is essentially a black mountain disguised for commercial reasons as an easier one. The only true green run here is the bottom part at the River Run lodge. All other labels on the runs down the Bald Mountain are deceiving and shall be increased by one level (green to blue, blue to light black). In particular, there is no easy home run from the top of the mountain to the Warm Spring base. What is labeled as a greenish path on the map is actually a solid blue slope that under some snow conditions can be quite black. The run from the top towards the River Run is easier, but its green label is misplaced, too: it is a truly blue slope in some parts. You've been warned: save some strength in your legs for this last run. The advantages of the arrangement are clear: pretty much everyone on the slopes knows what she is doing, the lifts practically never slow down to accommodate beginners that are learning to load/unload. Regulations in the Sun Valley area prohibit residential construction on the slopes, so there are effectively no true "ski in-ski-out" accommodations. The closest place resembling it is the area around the Warm Springs Lodge that requires just few tens of yards of walking to the lifts. In the River Run and Dollar areas you will have to use a bus (car alone is not sufficient, you will still need a shuttle from/to the parking lot). The skiing season is guaranteed all the way from Thanksgiving to Easter due to the vast array of snow-making machinery. The air is very dry, so the slopes feel powdery most of the time, but in the times with low levels of natural snow, there is a very hard base of artificial snow underneath. The snowboarders might pull the snow into bunches resembling small moguls with exposed patches of hard surface in between. I am not the best of skiers, and I was forced to change my skis for a much more aggressive pair to avoid unintentional sliding down on these patches. Not all slopes are groomed; the "groomed" description of the run on the web site does not mean that the entire slope is groomed. That said, a powder day here is pure delight. Food is available in the lodges during the day time, there are restaurants in the Sun Valley proper and Ketchum (the town at the base of Bald). There is a major grocery store in Ketchum. Closest comparison I know is Sun Peaks in British Columbia. It is equally hard to reach (minor airport with a half an hour to an hour ride to the resort), equally uncrowded and geared for skiers and families with kids. Sun Peaks skiing area is way larger and ski-in/ski-out accommodations are possible, but Sun Valley appears to have more of the difficult terrain. read more

Sun Valley Ski Area - A "green" slope on the Bald Mountain. This is the "easiest way down" from the top. - Active Life Near Me

I have such a love-hate relationship with Sun Valley. Being from Boise, I grew up skiing at Sun Valley a few times per year, mostly in the early season before Bogus Basin opens. I grew up resenting this glitzy mountain, with its overpriced lift tickets at 80 some-odd bucks a pop, rich California tourists and overall resort-town feel. That said, if you're looking for a place to cruise and get a lot of miles in, Sun Valley has you covered. With snow guns on almost every piste-run, it is as predictable as it gets with smooth corduroy groomers in the morning, usually turning into a crowded mess of people and choppy snow by 1:30 pm. Beautiful lodges, high speed lifts, and variable terrain ensures that there's something for everyone at Sun Valley. As for the tourists, although I grew up resenting them, I have since come to realize you could do a lot worse at many other resorts. Sun Valley definitely markets towards out-of-towners and their prices reflect that, but it still has some of the Idaho charm that I know and love. Although I often prefer the more laid-back vibe and local crowds of more humble ski areas like Bogus, there's no arguing with 3,000 vertical feet of manmade snow and groomers, Sun Valley is good at what they do. read more

Sun Valley Ski Area - At the top of Baldy - Active Life Near Me

Sun Valley's Bald Mountain is pretty darn amazing. Challenging though. Definitely not for beginners (although they've also got Dollar Mountain nearby, which looked to be much easier). Blue square runs on this mountain could easily pass for black diamonds elsewhere, so be ready for a challenge. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, assuming you know what you're doing. Having Dollar Mountain separate from the main mountain keeps the amateurs out of the way, along with snowboarders, who hit up their terrain park. Not that I have anything against snowboarding... I myself am a snowboarder... but you know, a lot of them kinda fall into the "riff-raff" category, and I don't need some stoner punk crashing into me. But the crowd demographic was perhaps the most interesting part of Sun Valley... they all seemed to be older and skiers. I've grown up snowboarding at Lake Tahoe, which is primarily populated with young snowboarders. There was a much more mature, laid-back vibe around this place, which was a nice change. And the entire town seemed to be fairly quiet when we were there (early March), which made for no waiting at the lifts. Fantastic, since the last time I went boarding (Northstar at Tahoe), lines were about 30 minutes at each lift. And these runs are long! 4 or 5 runs into the day, you'll be satisfied. The lodges are amazing too. They feel like the real deal... like all the other resorts are modeling themselves after this place. They were celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, and you could really tell that Sun Valley has some fascinating history. We were there for a conference, and every night the catering was excellent. Throughout the entire trip we did nothing but eat delicious food and drink quality wine. Great cooking, great staff... very impressive. And then there's the views from the top of the mountain... just spectacular. Combined with a lovely little ski town at the bottom, this place is a great vacation destination. Overall, I was very much impressed! One of my new favorite places to snowboard. PS: Congratulations to Sun Valley Ski Area for being my 300th review! You should be proud of youself! read more

Sun Valley Ski Area - Active Life Near Me

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My opinion of Baldy (the big mountain): 1. Greens are 'dark greens', in other words, Baldy's greens are equal to Colorado or Utah's blues. Blues are blacks and blacks are ungroomed blues. 2. Busiest times of the year are the day after Christmas and President's day weekend. 3. Lines are the best - longest you'll wait is 3-4 minutes. Love it! Happy and safe skiing!! read more

Probably the best snow I've experienced..and I love Alta with all my heart, but today was amazing! And even better than the snow was the people in the lodge, and especially one guy wearing one of the yellow jackets who not only answered our questions on the best runs, but ended up skiing with us for 3-4 runs, showing us some of their in-the-know great spots. It was like having a private guide! Look for Deno Mense, and your day will be phenomenal! Thanks, and Merry Christmas, Deno!! read more

Don't bring your child to Dollar Mountain for ski lessons. ****SEE MY PICTURE**** 1. I noticed my son without his gloves on and was told by the instructor, "he was hot". Why not have him take off a layer of his coat? 2. I witnessed the instructor YELLING at another child for no good reason. 3. Saw my 6 year old daughter fall down time and time again and the instructor not once offering to help her up. Why didn't he tell her to put her goggles on when going down the slopes? Her face was freezing cold when I met up with her. 4. Received a phone call that my son fell down and bit his lip. What really happened, as told to me by three children, the instructor was not around and so my son went out of control, down the mountain towards the street and hit a pole. After a short recovery, he was made to continue the lessons. 5. My children, never want to ski again because they had such a terrible time. Strange how last year, at a different resort, they had so much fun. read more

Sun Valley Ski Area - Don't sign your child up for ski lessons, they will be left unattended. - Active Life Near Me

Beautiful mountain and they did a GREAT job making snow even though it really hasn't snowed yet. We called it vanilla frosting on chocolate cake. More cake than frosting, but no rocks to the skis. Small warning. The run ratings are not accurate if you've skied in California, Colorado, or Utah. Their ski school is excellent. Five stars to that. ONE STAR for the BUS system that gets you from town to the mountain. Not only are the bus drivers ALL rude, I don't think they even know the town. When I mention a cross street, they draw a blank. They don't stop, they're not on time, and they are the most inconsistent bus system I've experienced. I LOVE public transit while on a ski mountain, no parking, no driving in snow, etc, but they need to do a serious overhaul because walking 8 blocks in ski boots is no fun. read more

Second vote for .......Snow not required...........Downhill Mountain Biking was a Thrill! Before this I had ridden on lots of logging roads and trails here and there, but this was my first time taking my bike up a ski lift and then downhill riding down - what a thrill! I had some good crashes learning to navigate banked turns and then trying to speed off the mountain when lightening started was a little scary, but overall I have fallen in love with a new activity! The facilities here are top notch. The lodge where you purchase the lift tickets is beautiful. The customer service was good, although the sales person actually tried to talk me out of doing it - saying you have to be a really good rider. I didn't find that to be true, most of the trails were pretty easy. Yes I crashed, but I push myself pretty hard to learn things and I could have babied it on the turns, but I wanted to get them down the right way. The dining lodge at the top has a nice view and the bartender Matt, was very friendly and informative. We ended up altering our road trip based on an area he told us about and it ended up being our favorite camping of the trip! Overall this is a really fun summer activity for people with riding experience - definitely on my repeat list! read more

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Ernest Hemingway helped make Sun Valley Idaho famous with the Hollywood crowd. During its 1940's to 1960's heyday, all the classic Hollywood movie stars skied here from Clark Gable to Rita Hayworth. It was the place to be and I can see why Hemingway loved it here. Sun Valley is secluded, peaceful and quiet with abundant snowfall. It is not easy to get here. You must fly into Boise airport then drive 3 hours. If snowfall is heavy such as the two feet snow that fell yesterday, then double your driving time. Baldy Mountain is a great place to ski with challenging varied terrain, but is not for beginner skiers. This is an intermediate/advanced mountain with 9,000 ft elevation which is lower than Colorado and Utah peaks, but Baldy is steep! Its green runs are challenging reminiscent of Snowbird, Utah. However Dollar Mountain next door is perfect for beginners to learn. The adjacent tiny town of Ketchum is postcard beautiful with only stop signs nestled between stunning mountains and moose wandering through the streets. read more

Sun Valley Ski Area - Spectacular view! - Active Life Near Me

Snow not required! I don't know that this is the right section but I did not see a Yelp entry for Bald Mountain anywhere else. I visited here with my wife and son for labor day weekend Sept 2016 and we spent some time hiking up and down the mountain. I'm not a particularly seasoned nor toned hiker...my wife hikes all the time but not me. We also have a 16 month old. Based on these two variables we decided to take the gondola ride to the top of Mt Baldy. That works way better for me and made it pleasant for our son too, after some initial anxiety about the heights he got to really enjoy meandering around the cab and pounding on the windows and empty bench across from us. Once at the top we had commanding views of the surrounding mountains and a variety of options for our hike back down. There is a trail that crosses over several ski runs and meanders down over a set of switch backs; near the 2/3rds of the way down point you come to a scenic outlook that features a view of the entire town of Ketchum. The little information board at this space displays what the town looked like circa 1890. Overall a nice way to go, a recommended hike. You can make this a very challenging hike if you want by climbing to the top yourself without the gondola read more

A class act. Sun Valley truly understands 'customer service' -- from its gracious lift ticket manager and ski rental staffers to the coat rack, free overnight ski storage, water glasses and clean & elegant marble restrooms up at 9,000 feet (!!). No lift lines, stellar views, beautifully groomed trails and awesome sun-filled steep & open bowls for practicing moguls. This Californian -- accustomed to the 'attitude,' expense, crowds and poor customer service at places like Squaw and Heavenly -- has been completely spoiled. Thank you, Sun Valley, for a terrific vacation. read more

Fantastic! 3 of my kids 5, 8, 10 signed up for a whole day lesson/camp at Dollar Mountain. I can't say enough about how wonderful it was. First the outside greeters wished us a Merry Christmas, then escorted us inside. Inside the beautifully appointed lobby felt like I was registering at an mountain loge. The ski school counters staff welcomed us warmly and quickly checked us in. At the check in for the kids ski school was a sign, Parent Free Zone!! At this I fell in love. Handed off my kids and away they went. The instructors were so terrific with my kids and my kids had one of the best days ever. I cannot recommend this place more. read more

day 4 of 5. conditions have been great! big mountain with lots of vertical (over 3000' !!!) it has been pretty empty all week too, which is nice. and the views are fantastic. I think that some of their runs are pretty advanced for the color. some greens would be blues elsewhere, some blues would be blacks. not a problem if you know what you're doing, but I'd be careful bringing a beginner if you haven't been on the trails yet. but that's the only knock, and it's just a little tiny one. the town of ketchum is awesome. great restaurants all over town. and the locals are really nice. I'd definitely come back here again! read more

I have mixed feelings about this resort. Some observations... - this is a skiers' resort. I would say more than 95% of the people there are skiers. Hence most shopping in the shops and in Ketchum are tailored to skiers. - demographics here are generally older when compared to other resorts. There are also many families here on vacation. Pros: - When I visited, the mountain was pretty empty, and there were no lift lines. - Sun Valley resort is considered a "green" resort. You don't really need a car to get around if you stay near Ketchum/Eklhorn/Sun Valley. They have shuttles that take you everywhere. - The place is pretty quiet. Unlike other resorts, there isn't really a village at the base. If you are looking for a village, you will need to go near Sun Valley Lodge/Inn, which is not at the base of the mountain - With just one ticket you can go to both Bald and Dollar Mountains. Dollar Mountain is a kiddie mountain with a large terrain park. If you have kids or if you are just learning it's a good place to go although the snow conditions are not that great there. - The lodges are amazing. Check out the bathrooms! Inside the lodge you get this Four Seasons feel, with fireplaces, coat hangers/glove cubbies, and fancy lockers. Cons: - The place is too quiet/sleepy. Even at the supposed Sun Valley "village," you don't see that many people around. For those who like privacy this may be a pro, but to me it was too quiet. - It's really expensive. From lift tickets to what's available at the cafeteria you will be paying a pretty penny to be here. It definitely gives you that ritzy glitzy vibe... - There is no real village. In the Sun Valley Lodge area, there is a "village" but it's nowhere near the base of the mountain. - for those who like terrain park there is none on Bald Mountain. To access terrain park you will need to go to Dollar, which is a shuttle ride away. It's a beginner's mountain on a lower elevation, so conditions are not so great there. However if conditions are good the park looks to be pretty fun. - Sun Valley seems to have a short season. I was here in early March, and the snow already melted away by Cold Springs. This is in comparison to other resorts which were still getting snow storms. Tip: If you drive to the resort, go directly to River Run Lodge or Warm Springs Lodge vs. Sun Valley Lodge. Sun Valley Lodge isn't really at the base of the mountain, and you will end up having to take the shuttle. read more

The grooming is great. If you like long groomed runs that are mainly intermediate, this is your place. The staff is the best. Everybody is helpful and smiling. They truly know customer service. read more

Shhhh...don't tell a soul...the best mountain in the states...bar none...well, there are some issues about the lack of powder...but when it is on it is way on...with hardly a soul on the hill... read more

Resort is mediocre and the sheriff's department relies on out of state tickets to fund their department. Busy restaurants, mellow terrain, just no real reason to ever go again read more

Since I was seven years old, my family and I have becoming out here at least twice a year for the skiing. It is by far the best skiing I've ever been to the in the US considering that the trails are varied and great, snowmaking ensures every trip is well spent, and you don't get the same crowds you get at Alta or Snowbird. Sure, it's a little bit harder to get to, but it's absolutely worth it. Everything from the lodges to the chairlifts to the transportation is top-notch. Baldy has such a great variety of terrain and difficulty, ranging from very beginners to expert-level backcountry folks. Dollar is just down the road, and the free shuttle service there from the River Run lodge makes it worth it to go check out the awesome terrain park, plus easy for little kids to do ski school. Dollar has primarily beginner trails, but it's still fun, and kids can eventually graduate to riding Baldy. It's easy to get to from anywhere in Ketchum or Hailey considering there are endless free buses coming about every fifteen minutes. Everyone I've met is friendly and considerate, but some locals get really pissy about tourists for no reason (just stay clear of them and you're good to go). If it's not a busy season for snow, they'll make snow on most of the main trails around River Run or Warm Springs, and the best is right around Frenchman's Lift. Definitely worth coming back to over and over again! read more

It has a classic charm to it. Great winter skiing and wonderful in the summer for all the summer activities. I like flying fishing in the summer there. read more

great skiing not crowed well keep and a great design they have done it right close to a airport friendly people don't miss this one