Nordic or skate ski at Sun Valley Nordic Center with Baldy in the background.
Want to do something different? Snowshoe our local trails for free.
Bust a move to the top of Penny Hill and sled on down!
In 1935, Sun Valley became North America’s first destination ski resort. Today, snow aficionados continue to flock to Sun Valley to ski on some of the best powder in the country. The mountain of choice is, of course, Bald Mountain or “Baldy” as the locals affectionately call it. Baldy looms directly over Ketchum and with 2,054 acres of skiable terrain, the mountain offers ski runs for all levels. For skiing newbies and tots, Dollar Mountain is the place to go. Dollar is just a few minutes to the west of Baldy and is the perfect bunny hill on which to hone your skills. Whichever mountain you choose, you are sure to have a great time.
Bald Mountain
At its peak, Baldy rises 9,150 feet above Ketchum and Sun Valley. The mountain has two bases with fabulous lodges, River Run on the south end and Warm Springs to the north. If you are staying in Ketchum, River Run is easily accessible by foot, but when loaded up with snow gear, driving might be a better choice. There is ample parking at River Run and the free KART bus serves both bases. Regular season lift passes are $79 for adults and $45 for children, but when you can ski from 9am to 4pm on great snow, it is well worth it.
Although Dollar is considered the beginner hill, Baldy has some great runs for new skiers. But beware: easy runs on Baldy are not as easy as greens on other mountains. College runs from the top of the mountain and is a nice long run, taking you to Lower River Run and ending at the base. The Seattle Ridge area also has a lot of short easy runs, like Broadway and Gretchen’s Gold. If you want to take a lesson and have someone show you around the mountain, Sun Valley Ski School offers group and private instruction.
Forty-two percent of Baldy caters to intermediate level skiers. One of the best areas for intermediate skiers is the Seattle Ridge Bowls, namely Sigi’s Bowl, Farout Bowl, Lefty Bowl and Mayday Bowl. Typically, about half of the bowls are groomed and the other half filled with powder. Warm Springs, which runs from top to bottom, is a fun, long run and Christmas Bowl off of the top of the mountain is a great run to master.
For those who will ski anything and everything, Baldy has many advanced runs. On the Warm Springs side, Upper Cozy, Upper Greyhawk and Upper Hemingway are steep and fast, while Limelight usually has good powder or moguls. Over towards River Run, Rock Garden is short, but a workout, and Exhibition is great for speed. The Seattle Ridge Bowls also have advanced runs; Lookout Bowl, Little Easter Bowl and Easter Bowl. Firetrail at the far end of Seattle Ridge is a favorite for tree skiing.
Want a preview? Check out Sun Valley's Bald and Dollar Mountain trail maps.
Dollar Mountain
Dollar is much smaller than Baldy at only 6,638, and it is treeless which is great for beginners. The mountain is right next to the Sun Valley Resort and just minutes east of Ketchum. You can walk from the resort but from anywhere else, the best way to get there is to drive or take the KART bus, which will drop you off right at the stunning Carol’s Dollar Lodge. Regular season lift tickets for Dollar are $35 for adults and $30 for children. If you are a beginner, no matter how old, Dollar is the place to start. The price is right and the trails are smooth and friendly. Group and private lessons are offered for adults and kids in both skiing and snowboarding. There is also a children’s ski school that includes lunch and hot chocolate.
Galena Lodge
A scenic 24-mile drive north of Ketchum brings you to Galena Lodge, a home base for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. The lodge is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, serving hot chocolate by the fire and delicious lunches. The Nordic trials at Galena are part of a larger system known as the North Valley Trails, offering 53 km of trails in the area. The trails have been described by Snow Country magazine as “arguably the best in the United States.” Not too shabby.
If, however, Nordic skiing isn’t your thing, you can also try snowshoeing. There are easy, dog-friendly trails like Cowboy Cabin Trail, or you can push yourself and tackle Pioneer Cemetery Loop or Psycho Adventure. Enjoy a good workout and incredible views of the surrounding snow covered Sawtooth Mountains and meadows. Although the trail names sound somewhat frightening, they are actually quite the opposite.
Other Options
For the non-alpine skiing type, there is still plenty to do around Ketchum. Spend a day Nordic skiing at Sun Valley Nordic and Snowshoe Center, located at the Resort. There are 25 miles of groomed trails ranging from gentle to challenging on which you can classic or skate ski. There are also a number of hiking trails that are groomed just enough for snowshoeing. Our personal favorites are Chocolate Gulch, the sunny side up Adam’s Gulch, or a simple walk out Trail Creek Road.
For kids and adventurous adults, hit up one of the many sledding hills. By far the most popular, and most extreme sledding hill is Penny Hill. Located on Sun Valley road just before the resort, Penny Hill tends to be jam-packed with sledders of all ages and sledding abilities; think toddlers to extreme sledders. You can also rent tubes at Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge and tube down Dollar. It is $10 for adults and $8 for kids for an all day tubing pass, and don’t forget to grab a hot chocolate or a hot toddy at the end of the day.
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