Travel to Sun Valley, Idaho
For me, Sun Valley Idaho is the place to ski! I live in California’s Bay Area, so it takes me about five hours to drive to Tahoe. But I never stop, I keep driving another eight hours or more just to get to Ketchum/Sun Valley and it’s worth every minute! It is a beautiful drive; the scenery is incredible!
If driving is not your thing you can always fly into the Hailey Airport (SUN). Alaska, Delta and United Airlines all offer flights. It’s only about thirteen miles or a twenty-two-minute drive to Ketchum/Sun Valley from Hailey.
Another option is to fly to Boise and then rent a car or take a shuttle. It’s about a two hour and forty-five minute drive if the weather is good. Caldwell Transportation also offers daily shuttle service between Ketchum/Sun Valley and the Boise Airport, reservations strongly recommended!
Once you’re in the Sun Valley/Ketchum area you can use the Mountain Rides Bus Service to get around between the Hailey Airport, Sun Valley Lodge, the Dollar Mountain Day Lodge, Bald Mountain’s River Run and Warm Springs Day Lodges, Ketchum, Bellevue, Hailey and pretty much anywhere you may need to go.
Bald Mountain Info
Bald Summit Elevation: 9,150′ – Get there via the Mayday & Lookout Lifts
Lookout Elevation: 9,025′ – Get there via the Challenger, Christmas & Lookout Express Lifts
River Run Base Elevation: 5,750′
Warm Springs Base Elevation: 5,885′
Vertical drop: 3,400′
High Speed Detachable 8 Person Gondola: 1
High Speed Detachable 6-Pack Ski Lifts: 2
High Speed Detachable Quad Ski Lifts: 7
Fixed Triple Ski Lifts: 2
People Mover or Kinderspielplatz: 1
Runs: 100
Lift capacity: 23,680 skiers per hour
Plenty of Free Parking at both base areas!
One of the best things about Sun Valley is there are two mountains available for skiing, Dollar Mountain and Bald Mountain. Although Dollar Mountain is more like a big hill, it is one of the best places to learn how to ski in the world! Dollar Mountain is where I learned to ski back in 1981 when I was 21 years old.
SunValley.com says: “The perfect companion to Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain features mellower slopes and is the ideal place for novice skiers and riders to build their confidence and perfect their technique”.
My brother Dave explained the basics of how to ski, then made fun of me all that day. I went back to Dollar Mountain the next day by myself and was able to do what Dave taught me the day before (I learned how to stay in control, avoid other skiers and follow all the rules). The next day, my third day of skiing, Dave and his buddy Barney took me to the top of Baldy Mountain…
My favorite ski lift: Challenger – Bottom to the Top (up 3,140′ vertical) in 8 minutes! And there is never a line (except during Christmas, New Year’s and President’s Holidays). There are no ski lifts in Tahoe that even come close to the speed and elevation that the Challenger lift provides. 
The Challenger Quad was built in 1988 and served well for 35 years! It was replaced with the Challenger Six-Pack in 2023. Check out my tribute video Goodbye Challenger Quad and my welcome video for the new 6-Pack lift Hello Challenger Six-Pack!
AND! They just tore down the Seattle Ridge Quad lift and are replacing it with a Six-Pack that will be ready by December 2024 – Yeehaw! Check out the plans and progress here!
Both of Sun Valley’s base areas have beautiful day lodges with excellent restaurants and bars that will keep you comfortable even on the coldest days. There’s one at the River Run side and another at the Warm Springs side of Bald Mountain. Both day lodges have plenty of free parking!
The River Run base area is where most visitors go as it is the closest upon arrival and has the biggest parking lot. Plus there’s a free parking lot shuttle service so you don’t have to walk from your car to the lodge. I suggest dropping your gear off then parking your car, who wants to carry all that stuff? There is a small reserved lot with short term parking near the lodge so you can drop off your gear, then move your car to the parking lot.
Once back in March 2007 about 8:15am my brother Dave convinced me to drive my then almost new 2006 Subaru Legacy GT over the bridge that leads to the River Run day lodge so he could cash in a voucher without having to walk in the cold. A Sun Valley employee told me: “Tim wouldn’t like to see your car here!” I always wished I would have taken a picture of the car there that morning!
Although the River Run lodge is the biggest, both day lodges provide plenty of room to get ready, get something to eat or drink, or just plain relax. Before 2020 you could leave your boot bag(s), etc. laying around pretty much anywhere at either lodge, but you’re not supposed to do that anymore. Now there’s a bag check station at the River Run side which cost like $5 a day.
Thing’s are a little bit more relaxed at the Warm Springs side. The Warm Springs day lodge has some cubbyholes on the second floor where you can store your boot bag and shoes, etc. for free. The parking lot is a little closer to the lodge than at the River Run side, so there is no parking lot shuttle.
Food and drink options on the mountain are plenty! Both Baldy’s base lodges have excellent cafeteria style restaurants and full bars. The Seattle Ridge day lodge at the top of Seattle Ridge is an excellent place to take an early break or have lunch.
The views of Idaho’s Sawtooth mountain range from the Seattle Ridge Day Lodge are hard to beat!
The Lookout Lodge Restaurant located at the top where the Challenger, Lookout Express and Christmas ski lifts all meet is a great refuge & gathering spot always kept nice and warm with lots of heaters! Sometimes in January when it’s like minus six degrees outside even a ten minute lift ride will take a toll. There’s nothing like a warm lodge and hot chocolate/coffee to get you going again!
SunValley.com says: Perched atop the Roundhouse Express gondola at 7,700 feet of elevation on Bald Mountain, The Roundhouse has been serving up memorable meals, soul-warming drinks, and stunning views since 1939. The Roundhouse is America’s original on-mountain dining experience and offers the authentic charm and unmatched elegance for which Sun Valley is known.
I love to start out early at the Warm Springs side when I go skiing at Sun Valley. I usually get on the Challenger lift as close to 9am as I can and then head over to Seattle Ridge. The deal is, Seattle Ridge gets the early Sunshine and the Warm Springs side is in shadow until later in the morning, so Seattle Ridge has the best early morning skiing at Sun Valley!
If the Lookout lift is open, I’ll ride it to Bald’s Summit and then ski down the Bowl Lane trail to Broadway Face, turn left and ski down Broadway then get on the Seattle Ridge lift. If the Lookout lift is closed there’s a bunch of other ways to get over to Seattle Ridge, you’ll have to look at the map and pick one for yourself!
If you started early enough you will be faced with nearly trackless corduroy, one of my life goals!
There’s nothing like sipping on a local cold draft beer while sitting at the Warm Springs lodge bar (or outside on the patio) after a fun day of skiing, the view of the Lower Warm Springs ski run is awesome!
Dollar Mountain Info
Dollar Mountain Summit Elevation: 6,638′ – Get there via the Dollar & Elkhorn Lifts
Dollar Mountain Base Elevation: 6,010′
Vertical drop: 628′
High Speed Detachable Quad Ski Lifts: 2
Fixed Triple Ski Lifts: 1
Fixed Double Ski Lifts: 1
Conveyor Lifts: 2
Free Parking available!
Dollar Mountain is the ideal place to learn how to ski or snow board! It is a super laid back, fun & easy place to learn!
Please stay on Dollar Mountain until you can ski or ride in total control as skiing on Bald Mountain is very dangerous for novice skiers and riders, and for the other folks on the mountain too!
I should know, I got hit by a six-year-old kid March 25th, 2022 on Baldy’s Cut Off run. The six-year-old boy broadsided me because he wasn’t paying attention, didn’t see me and was basically out of control and did not belong on Baldy Mountain at all. He should have been skiing on Dollar Mountain until he was able to understand the rules and ski under control.
The accident left me with a completely torn ACL, a torn MCL and a smashed meniscus. It was a total drag, but after pre-surgery physical therapy and daily home work therapist directed exercise, I had surgery in June.
Luckly the highly experienced Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Peter G. Gerbino II MD performed my ACL surgery. Then after more physical therapy and even more daily home work therapist directed exercise, and after massive effort I’m finally okay now, and can ski again!
I do have to wear an Ossur CTi Knee Brace for the next couples years when I go skiing or Mt. Biking. Dr. Gerbino told me it’s the same knee brace that Tom Brady used to wear while playing football!
I’m very interested in Stoko’s new ‘Supportive Apparel’ line of leggings with 90 feet of adjustable high-Strength cables that reinforce your body’s muscles and ligaments, providing medical-grade bracing – they say! Sounds great to me. The Ossur brace is a little bulky…
Sun Valley Lodging
The good news is, you will find lodging options in the Sun Valley/Ketchum area to fit almost any budget. We stayed at the Sun Valley Lodge in 2014 right before they remodeled the entire building. It was a blast, all the history, all the old photos of celebrities on the walls, super fine food and accommodations. Now I understand it’s even better! Be sure and check out Sun Valley’s available ‘Specials & Packages’!
One year not long ago I got an AIRBNB condo for my wife & I, and our daughter & her friend at 119 Picabo St. and we could see the Challenger lift from one of our bedrooms! It only took a minute or two to walk from the condo to the lifts. That was a fun and expensive year. You can’t get much closer than that, and it was worth every cent!
I love to ski at Sun Valley in January when it’s cold, but my wife hates it when it’s that cold so I go by myself. I like to stay in Hailey or Bellevue, it’s about a half an hour drive to Warm Springs but I usually get up early anyway. I like the Hailey Airport Inn as the rooms are nice and it’s always quiet there.
I also like the Silver Creek Hotel in Bellevue, they have an excellent free breakfast bar, and a year round hot tub and swimming pool!
This is an excellent place to stay as it is very close to Bald Mountain’s River Run Day Lodge. The Best Western Tyrolean Lodge has nice sized rooms, some with decks and many with views of Bald Mountain.
That’s all the places I’ve actually stayed at except way back when I used to stay with my brother Dave, and then later I stayed at several AIRBNBs close to Warm Springs and also in Hailey & Bellevue. And I can’t forget the Ski View Lodge which is gone now, replaced with condos.
Below is a list of other nice places to stay close to Sun Valley!
Sun Valley Food & Drink
In addition to all the food and drink options on the mountain and at the base lodges, right across the street from the Warm Springs Day lodge is Irving’s Red Hots. Great hot dogs and more with a smile! Easy on the wallet too.
Just a couple minute walk from the Warm Springs Day lodge you’ll find Apples Bar & Grill, a local favorite for over 35 years. A delicious menu and an excellent beer selection await you!
Another local favorite since 1993 is Lefty’s Bar and Grill. Lefty’s is where I used to hang with my brother Dave and his buddy Barney before Dave passed in July 2012.
Lefty’s has some of the best food and beer in town, a very relaxed atmosphere, and the staff and locals are friendly and fun to hang out with. The Monkey Fries are a must! I love Lefty’s! Lefty’s was the second place I went (first was the hospital) when my ACL was completely torn after I got hit by a six-year-old kid skiing on Bald Mountain’s Cut Off run on March 25, 2022.
The Warm Springs Ranch Restaurant that closed back in March 2006 was a place I would go at least once every visit to Sun Valley. My brother Dave built the bar there. The scones with honey butter and the Prime Rib were the best! Esteemed locals Bob and Jolie Dunn continue the tradition at The Grill at Knob Hill.
An excellent local beer selection along with a deliciously tasty menu equals total satisfaction at The Village Station. One of my favorites!
Another must place to visit is Grumpy’s, home of the best damn burgers and beer in town! My brother Dave and his buddy Barney actually lived in the building that became Grumpy’s and later worked on the construction of the future iconic apres-ski restaurant and bar.
One of my favorite local brewers is Hailey’s Sawtooth Brewery. The Public House in Ketchum is open at 11:30am for lunch and dinner and the Brewery & Tap Room in Hailey opens at 4pm for dinner. The food is excellent and the beer is the best! I always pick up a few cases at the brewery on my way home.
There are so many excellent places to eat and drink in the Ketchum/Sun Valley area, it would take me way too long to describe them all in detail. So below is a list and some links to help you find what is available. Enjoy!
Other Great Restaurants in the Ketchum / Sun Valley Area
Google search for Restaurants in Ketchum and Sun Valley
Google Search for Bars in Ketchum and Sun Valley
Google Search for Restaurants in Hailey and Bellevue
Google Search for Bars in Hailey and Bellevue
Sun Valley Tickets & Passes
The honest truth is I’ve been a totally spoiled brat most of my skiing life at Sun Valley and have almost never had to pay for a ski lift ticket. Thanks again to my brother Dave and his best buddy Barney! And to Candy and Dan of the Sun Valley Ski Race Department, where Dave and Barney worked as gatekeepers. I was also a gatekeeper back in the mid 1980s, and then took over Dave’s slot after he passed in 2012. You see, we get paid in ski vouchers to be gatekeepers! Dave and Barney would give me their extra vouchers all the time! Sun Valley even gave Barney an unlimited pass in 2016. Why? We never knew…
If I could afford it, I’d buy a Sun Valley ‘Challenger Platinum’ pass. This pass comes with unlimited access to Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, Snowbasin in Utah, and also includes an Ikon Base Pass.
Sun Valley has several Season Pass options for the 2024-2025, check em out here!
Great news – Sun Valley is an Ikon Pass member for the 2024-2025 season! No Reservations needed!
IkonPass.com says:
Across over 50 of the best ski destinations in the world, every set of first turns leads to joyous last laps. From west coast to east, Canada to the European Alps, Japan to Australia to Chile, and beyond, fun lives everywhere you want to be. Build out your bucket list and turn 24/25 into one non-stop bash.
We’re talking about legendary landscapes like Aspen-Snowmass, Steamboat, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Chamonix, Niseko, and many more. As you carve and cut, crush powder and snap iconic photos, you’re building a season of lifelong memories that showcase the endless amount of fun that lives in the mountains.
Sun Valley is once again a Mountain Collective pass member for the 2024-2025 ski season. No Reservations needed.
Sun Valley Other Info & Stuff to Do!
After skiing several days in a row a rest day is needed. Once again, thanks to my brother Dave we usually take the thirty mile or about an hour drive to Galena Summit to enjoy the view. Dave took me there on my first winter visit to Ketchum back in 1981.
Above is a photo of my daughter Hailey that I took back in 2012. If you are wondering, yes, we did name our daughter Hailey after the last town you drive through on your way to Ketchum, Idaho – one of my favorite places in the world! And by the way, Hailey is an excellent skier – see below!
SunValley.com says: Discover some of the best cross-country skiing in America, with unmatched trail quality, training programs, clinics, rentals, and a state-of-the-art clubhouse for skiers of all levels.
With over 40 km of trails groomed daily for skate and classic skiing, the Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center provides a head-clearing experience. Our trail system maintains consistent conditions without leaving you gasping for air. Ski and snowshoe gear for all ages is available for rent.
About a 24 mile drive north of Ketchum, Galena Lodge offers a magical retreat from the hectic, day-to-day life, to a calm place founded in quality living and the outdoors. Discover some of the best nordic cross-country skiing and snowshoeing Idaho has to offer!
A fun thing to do on a rest day is to go ice skating as the ice rink at the Sun Valley Lodge is usually open and not crowded.
After skating it’s fun to walk around the Sun Valley Village and check out all the shops and food & drink options.
One place I like to visit is the Sun Valley Signatures & Gifts store as they have all the cool Sun Valley logo souvenirs, t-shirts, hats, mugs, stickers, and much more!
Here I am at the Hemingway Memorial which is about 1.5 miles east of the Sun Valley Lodge. When the snow is deep it may be hard to get to, but worth it.
If the snow is not too deep you can go for a short walk from the Hemingway Memorial on the Hemingway Trail overlooking the gently flowing Trail Creek.
I’m kind of reluctant to give away all my Sun Valley secrets, but here it goes anyway! This is a good one so take advantage. I never had a new pair of skis in my life until 2021 as I always got all my skis at the Gold Mine Thrift Store in Ketchum. You will find great deals on ski boots, helmets, jackets, and usually a wide variety of slightly used skis to pick from!
Two years ago (2021-22) I finally got a new pair of Volkl Blaze 94 172cm skis with Marker Griffon 13 ID Bindings along with new Tecnica Mach Sport EHV 120 Ski Boots! Check out My Gear List and My Dream Gear List here!
A little more history…
The Ketchum News Stand was a bar that was located where the China Panda Restaurant is now (I’m pretty sure). My brother Dave and his best buddy Barney were bartenders there in the mid to late 1970s.
Here’s a recent Facebook post on the ‘You know you’re old school Ketchum when…’ page:
Back in 1973 my brother Dave was hitch-hiking through Idaho heading to Coeur d’Alene where our dad was living, when Jack Corrock picked him up. Evidently, they hit it off as Jack offered Dave a job.
Dave came back to Ketchum six months later, went to work for Jack and never left. I had to go to Ketchum to visit Dave. Dave ended up helping Jack build the Limelight condos that recently burned down, in addition to many, many other every day construction projects.
Just to name a few, Dave also worked on some high-end homes as a sheet-rocker, framer, custom finish carpenter, etc. on jobs like the giant W shaped Wrigley home, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s home, Clint Eastwood’s home and many, many others.
After Dave passed, I rented an AIRBNB at the old Limelight condos and instantly after walking in I knew Dave had remodeled the unit. All the custom woodwork had his name written all over it. I made it a habit to stay there, when I could. Now it’s gone, just like Dave…
But not really, Dave is always with me in spirit! Furthermore, in January 2013 my daughter Hailey and I along with Barney Ogden, Anne and Jack Corrock, Tom Barker and a few other friends went skiing and spread Dave’s ashes on Bald Mountain.
Then in August 2017 my other brother Bill passed, so once again we went skiing in January 2018 and spread Bill’s ashes on Bald Mountain.
Now I go back to Bald Mountain as often as I can to visit my brothers Bill and Dave, and to enjoy the best skiing in the world – as I’m sure my brothers would want me to do!
Having fun skiing and gatekeeping for four days of FIS Ski Races at Sun Valley, Idaho January 10-13, 2022. After checking in at 7:45am on Tuesday January 11th I learned the start of the first race was delayed to 10:45am and our meeting time at the top of Cozy was not until 10:15am. So, I got on Challenger at 8:15am and skied on completely empty pure corduroy runs by myself! What a blast!!
