Bald Mountain Ketchum

Storm action from Sun Valley yesterday!  With over 30 inches of fresh if made for one of the best week of the season.  Enjoy this video!

"Snowboarders talk about progression, but evolution is a better way to describe the influential two-decade career of Wyatt Caldwell. From defining film footage, stunning images and street rail mastery to a resume stacked with a Grand Prix Halfpipe Championship, a Transworld Magazine cover and Vans Cup wins in multiple disciplines—Wyatt has made his mark on the international contest circuit and the national professional stage.

But as Wyatt's style has evolved, his focus has shifted from X Games and Dew Tour Slopestyle stops to the untracked terrain park of the backcountry. In this venue he has applied his free-reign style to long powder spines, huge pillow stacks and AK cliff lines with a clean, technical result. Now part of the YES movement, Wyatt has migrated from the Mammoth and Salt Lake scenes back home to Sun Valley and the surrounding ranges where he first learned to ride."

Welcome to Winter 2012!!!! Yes we were blessed with 3-5 feet of snow. Powder-what a beautiful thing!  It is amazing what it can do to a ski town.  Everyone in town is STOKED!  Yeah yeah…I know we have to shovel it, dig out our cars. Yes it does get tiring on day 4-5 but all is forgotten when you click in

Enjoy this edit from skiing with friends at Sun Valley at the  start of the storm.

With most ski areas having a paltry amount of snow, Taos is offering free skiing to pass-holders from Vail and other ski resorts. Their logic is that if these skiers try Taos, they'll spend money on other things and come back in the future. What's the downside to trying that here? Read the full details in an article on MSNBC - Small ski resorts go after big-time competitors. 

Mother Nature isn't doing a very good job helping skiers enjoy their favorite past time, "Skiing Powder". That's not a problem for people with Sun Valley out their back door.

Click Here for video

P.S. We just had a good storm and now bright blue skys.

Hats off to the dedicated Sun Valley Team!

Andy Gilbert coaches the Sun Valley snowboard team, organizes huge competitions like the Rail Jam, rides in the skate park he rallied the community to build, and still finds time to pick up his kids from school.

The Coach from Visit Sun Valley on Vimeo.

Ashley Brown was on the Sun Valley Alpine team growing up. When her racing days came to an end, she found a way to keep skiing Baldy every day, to keep living the way she grew up —outdoors and carefree.

The Ski Patroller from Visit Sun Valley on Vimeo.

The Wall Street Journal features Sun Valley's mountain biking. This video highlights the new "flow trails" that the Forest Service OK'ed.

The following is the introduction:

As mountain biking surges in popularity, federal land managers are building dozens of miles of special backcountry trails to accommodate adrenaline-junkie riders and cut down on crashes with hikers.

Dozens of one-way, so-called flow trails allowing bikers to ride downhill at breakneck speeds have been built across the U.S. in recent years, with more in the works. Many of these trails are built on Western public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. They are specially designed with jumps and berms to allow riders to flow unimpeded down the mountain without stopping, making the downhill-riding experience akin to skiing or sledding.

Click here for the full story.

Sun Valley's 75th winter season will be one of the resort's longest, continuing through Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. Beginning April 4 and running through April 10, 95% of Baldy's ski terrain will be served by Lower River Run #1, Lookout Express #5, Frenchman's #8, Challenger #10, Mayday #14 and Seattle Ridge #12. Greyhawk #7 will be in operation April 8-9. Lower River Run, Lookout Express and Challenger lifts will continue operation through April 17.

Last day for the winter season for the Roundhouse restaurant will be April 3. The Roundhouse will re-open for lunch and dinner this summer. The Lookout Restaurant will begin limited food service April 4 with the Lookout Cook-out available Friday - Sundays. Seattle Ridge Lodge and Seattle Ridge will remain open through April 10.

Please check mountain reports for updates as conditions are subject to change and weather dependent. Call 800-635-4150 or visit www.sunvalley.com.

Here is some footy from skiing under the gondola at Sun Valley.  A really fun new line for me.   This was the first time I used the Drift HD 170 cam. 

Danny Walton

Feb 9th at approximately 11:02 am, Sun Valley Ski Patrol responded to a report of a skier collision with a tree in the Graduate area of Bald Mountain. Upon arrival at the scene, ski patrol found an unconscious, non-responsive male. At 11:19 am, he was pronounced dead by the Blaine County Coroner. Sun Valley Resort management and staff would like to extend their deepest sympathy to the family. The resort would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol.

Due to abundant early snowstorms, all of these runs have opened today!

River Run

(G: Groomed)

Warm Springs

(G: Groomed)

Lookout Express #5 is scheduled to open tomorrow, Saturday, December 4. Dollar also will open tomorrow for skiing and riding through Sunday, December 5 and will reopen daily on December 10 for Sun Valley’s 75th winter season.For updated snow reports  visit www.sunvalley.com  or call 800-635-4150.

Sun Valley Resort opened up Roundhouse Slope, Mid River Run Lane, & Lower Canyon today, Tuesday Nov. 30th

 More snow in the forecast!

Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain will both open Thanksgiving Day November 25 for Sun Valley’s 75^th winter season.

As of today the plan is to open the following lifts:

 Bald Mountain:

·#1 Lower River Run High Speed Quad (9AM – 4PM)

·#2 Roundhouse Gondola (9AM – 4PM)

·#3 Christmas High Speed Quad (9AM – 3:45PM)

Dollar Mountain:

·#19 Quarter Dollar Quad (9AM – 4PM)

·#17 Accelerator Carpet (9AM – 4PM)

As of today the plan is to open the following terrain:

Bald Mountain - Upper College, Roundhouse Lane, Mid River Run, 42^nd Street and Lower River Run

Dollar Mountain – Quarter Dollar Bowl, Poverty Flats, Race Hill, Cabin Practice

Terrain park: features will be available at Dollar Mountain and Lower River Run

Additional terrain expansion will happen as weather permits.

 The Roundhouse Restaurant, River Run Lodge, Lookout Restaurant, Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports and the Brass Ranch also will be open for dining, shopping and ski rental.

Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge will be open for dining along with Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports, which will offer the Season Equipment Lease program beginning today Wednesday, November 24.

Sun Valley, ID, November 24, 2010

Reservations Now Being Taken!

Evening dining at the historic Roundhouse will make its debut  for Sun Valley’s 75th winter season. This new Sun Valley tradition will begin December 10 offering an upscale, casual dining experience, Thursday through Saturdays, 6 pm to 9 pm mid-way up Bald Mountain at 7,700 ft.

Roundhouse dining will continue through March 27. Full table dinner service may be reserved in Averell’s (for parties up to six), and in the main dining area of the Roundhouse Restaurant. Roundhouse Gondola evening transportation will be reserved for dinner guests only.

Patrons are asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled dinner reservation time. Reservations are now being accepted for the winter season. Please call 208-622-2012.

Morgan Arritola set a new course record and Miles Fink-Debray in the 2010 edition of the Baldy Hill Climb. Bill Nurge and Sara Schroeder won the Cheeso Double. See attached PDF for complete results.

[Editor Note: This archived article from 3  years ago originally had an error when you went to the page so if you had a problem before, it is now fixed. Thanks again to Charlie Webster for the great imagery!]

By Charlie Webster.

Forgive some of the drama in this blog, maybe I should re-write the whole thing, but I'll let it stand with some editing. There was a little heat of the moment hysteria going on.

August 28th, 2007

It can’t be happening, but it is happening. Did you ever think you would see these images? For years locals have whispered to each other, “boy, it sure seems like there is a lot of fuel lying around in the woods.” A very mature forest, the pine bark beetle, heavy fall of snow laden branches which occurred several times in the past decade, drought, beetles, heat, wind have combined to give us this: [Scroll way down to see all images]



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Over 1600 firefighting personel under the leadership of Jeanne Pincha-Tulley and Joe Reyes struggle to contain the hydra known as the Castle Rock Fire with big efforts, strained resources and great challanges. Strong, but not invulnerable fire lines hold around much of the perimeter. However a huge run occured in Bassett Gulch, throwing this monster plume over Baldy. The ski runs and the timber beside them remain intact with the exception of small areas. No homes have burnt, and no human has died. In the last few days crews in Greenhorn and on the top of Baldy fought pitched battles, and countless smaller fights took place. An incredible variety of aircraft hover, circle and attack the fire with water and retardant in the afternoons when the daily “event” occurs. But the fire has it’s own plans.



An ember streaks over into the bowls from the inferno called Bassett Gulch, which Joe Reyes described at the public meeting Monday August, 27^th. Red marks slopes which might have caused the huge plume this afternoon.



As Reyes spoke Monday night Bassett looked like this:



On Tuesday it looked like this:



With Bassett, Alturas, Cow Creek, Limekiln, Timber Gulch, Clear Creek, and Cold Springs all with potenital activity, what next?





Heaven, Big North, Larry’s Casino, are all names connected with the vast north facing slopes of Bald Mountain above the Board Ranch. There is more fuel in this area than in all other aspects of Baldy combined. Wind driven spotting could sweep across the backside we love. With more red flags on the horizon late in the week, the North Side is acutely vulnerable and a very dangerous prospect. Proposed back burns near Guyer Ridge on Wednesday, August 29^th will need to be kept in tight control lest they reach heavy fuel loads higher on the mountain, and then spot into the Ski Area.

August 16^th, 2007, the fire was reported at .5 Acres. The resources allocated to the initial attack on the Castle Rock Fire consisted of three smoke jumpers. Considering the conditions, and the location, 9 miles upwind of Bald Mountain, the response was unrealistic and warrants some review in light of the eventual cost of containment.

Next day, Friday, August 17th with Baldy right under the plume. Fire is 600 acres.


A five acre lightning caused surface fire has evolved to  a 600 acre crown fire running in dry heat with gusts to 35mph, 11 miles from Hwy 75. The interior temperature of a crown fire can exceed 1000 degrees celsius. As some hot-shots say: "the devil has begun to dance".



More Fire Service assets began to be deployed at this stage.  The USFS was aware of the fire and it’s growth.

Saturday, Aug 18^th the pristine Rooks Creek was sending a message:



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Fire is now 3200 acres.

Sunday, August 19^th, Castle Rock Fire, now 7000 acres:



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Now here’s a hint we have a real issue. The fire looks like it will eat the town. USFS continues to ramp up and seems to get a handle on the North Branch, holding it at Fox Creek in the north, while back burning up to it from the Bigwood and Warm Springs. The only casualties were Adams Gulch, Griffins Butte, Fox Creek and Eve Gulch.



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The northern line Monday, August 20th. Fire is now 10,000 acres. Jeanne Pincha-Tulley, Joe Reyes and their Type One fire crew was on the scene.

 Meanwhile on the southern front things smoldered and spots grew in Warfield and Red Warrior.



Butch Otter arrives in a Blackhawk Helicopter in time to attend the public briefing on Wednesday, August 22^nd, six days after the 3 smoke jumpers landed near Castle Rock. Butch brought more assets and attention, getting the fire declared number priority in the nation. The fire was not impressed. As the Govenor addressed the community flames roared up to the top of Red Warrior.



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Behind that smoke is real trouble: fire is cresting Red Warrior across the pass into fuel laden Lodgepole Creek, over the main ridge line to Bald Mountain.



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Thursday and Friday seemed almost quiet, but the fire held a hot black grip on Lodgepole and Mahoney Creeks, and it prepared to move east.

Red Flags went up Saturday afternoon and the fire surged to Greenhorn, spotting to Limekiln, which can be skied directly from the top of Broadway.



Fire is now around 30,000 arcres.



The mid-valley was evacuated and a battle to keep the fire out of East fork anticipated. The fire spotted to Timber Gulch, then Clear Creek and Cold Springs. St Luke’s hospital is at the mouth of Cold Springs Canyon. The Bowls are at the top. Meanwhile spots from Red Warrior had established in Alturas and then Bassett Gulch, even as Operations Manager Joe Reyes acknowledged the situation to the public.



By Tuesday, August 28^th, The Castle Rock Fire now has smoldering bridgeheads three quarters of the way around Bald Mountain. A large run in Basset Gulch sent the fear of fire straight into the heart of Ketchum.







Tuesday night, August 28th, all of Warm Springs is under mandatory evacuation. Fire is 45,000 acres give or take a creek. High winds are predicted late in the week. For the ski mountain the situation is critical. Pray for snow, thank the nearest firefighter, hold on to your hat and hope Jeanne and Joe have what they need.

Update 8/29/07.

From the inciweb Castle Rock Fire website:

"5pm update - Fire crews are putting out hot spots and patrolling the Fox Creek area. Some smoke is visible from the Wood River Valley, which remains interior of the fire perimeter. Near Bald Mountain, fire crews are burning out as needed but mostly managing the active fire. As the fire moves along the slope to the west, fire fighters are allowing the fire to remove fuels and will put the fire out as they continue west. Helicopters will aerially ignite within the burn out area, along Warm Springs, to clean up fingers and straighten the fire line this afternoon. Fire fighters in Greenhorn Gulch are making good progress constructing line toward the east to tie in with a hand-line near Timber Gulch. Smoke has been visible in the Timber Gulch and Cold Springs areas throughout the day, which is interior of the fire perimeter. Hand line on the western perimeter of the fire has been completed and fire fighters are putting out hot spots 500 feet interior of the hand line as they work north and south."













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The friday wind event has been cancelled. Best to all.

Complete Slides at

http://picasaweb.google.com/csvp07/CastleRockFire817To829

August 30th, 2007

By night and daylight back burning on the backside of Warm Springs above Board Ranch, an incredible feat, and containing spots within skier boundries, as well as containing large spotfires in Clear Creek, Cold Springs and Limekiln, the USFS Type One Team lead by Jeanne Pincha-Tulley and Joe Reyes have saved the Bald Mountain Ski Area. See Gary Stivers excellent piece:

http://www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/article.asp?ID_Article=3963

Be sure to watch the coverage of the thursday public meeting.

http://www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/article.asp?ID_Article=3962 

Originally Posted 8/20/07

View from the boulder front at 7pm on Monday

This is basically at the top of Oregon gulch

















Update 8/19/07 10pm

These photos taken from mindbender above triumph at about 5:30pm








Castle Rock Fire on 8/18/07 8:45pm


view is looking east to rooks creek. Did not realize lost shirt was closed (no sign at trail head), took these shots and got the heck outta there. warm springs ridge is one of my favoritve places-- I've been fearing a fire there all summer. My heart goes out to those with threatened homes. Thanks to all who are pitching in to deal with the catastrophe.

With the new gondola, The Roundhouse Restaurant is open for great views and food.

Dates: Aug. 28 – Sept. 5, 2010

Where: Sun Valley/Ketchum, Idaho 

• Pilot Registration: Aug 27-29 by 5:30 p.m.
• Pilot Meeting: Directly following close of registration Aug.. 29
• Practice Days: Aug. 29
• Competition Days: Aug. 30 – Sept. 5  
• Meet Organizer: Mike Pfau pfauboy1@yahoo.com
• Meet Director: Jeff Huey, former pilot and from Bend Oregon.

South Central Idaho will be the site of a seven-day festival celebrating cross-country paragliding, with a race to goal format, during the 2010 U.S. Paragliding Nationals and Pre- Paragliding World Cup (P.W.C.). The event will host the best pilots in the nation along with a strong showing of international pilots. There will also be staged events, parties and demonstrations. 

There will be Cash Prizes for Open Class 1, 2, 3. Women’s 1st. Sport Class 1st. 

The Pre-Paragling World Cup is required by the PWC organization. An organization observer will be in attendance. This is a step in possibly hosting a World Cup event in the future.  

For decades, paragliding has grown from a few individuals pioneering free flight, into a national organization with more than 30,000 members. In Idaho, extreme sports each have a known sites: climbers swear by the City of Rocks, base jumping has the Perrine Bridge, and paragliding is active in Sun Valley, King Mountain, numerous other sites in Boise, and around the state.   

The paragliding community also has a large contingent of "Para -tourists" Individuals and groups who travel to recognized consistent flying.  

For more information and to register visit www.usparaglidingnats.com

Update - 2:38PM:

...Flash flood watch now in effect until 10 pm MDT this evening...

The flash flood watch is now in effect for

* a portion of central Idaho...including the following area...Sun Valley...Ketchum and Hailey.

* until 10 pm MDT this evening

* areas have received 1/2 to 1 inch of rain across the area already today. Look for rainfall to continue over the area this afternoon into this evening bringing another 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of rain. Combined with snowmelt...flash flooding is possible.

* the Castle Rock burn area in the Warm Springs area is a primary concern for flash flooding this afternoon into evening. Debris flows are possible.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Update: Several comments have come in from locals, tourists, community leaders and the head of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. See below.

Valley locals are a critical bunch when it comes to the goings-on of the Sun Valley Resort. There's a lot of chairlift quarterbacking that goes on when it comes to assessing how Baldy and Dollar are run. Thus, it's an unusual event when you hear nary a negative word about the running of the mountain which has been the case in this 1st season with Tim Silva as the General Manager of the resort.The buzz is also building beyond the valley. I've heard people when I've been in Seattle commenting on how Sun Valley is going through a renaissance of sorts. The numbers don't lie either. Despite what may be the toughest economy in the resort's history (outside the war years), they posted strong skier days with over 405,000 skier days making it one of the 4 strongest in the last 10 years.

Photo Courtesy of Sun Valley Resort

I've asked a bunch of people what they thought of Silva's debut season and there's been a wide variety of things that they have been happy to share why they are excited about what's going on with the ski hills. The following is a list of the items that people have talked about as a positive:

• People have raved about the terrain park at Dollar. It's obvious it has brought a whole bunch of kids back from Baldy to Dollar to have fun.
• Evening Rail Jams at Dollar were entertaining
• Kids skier cross race. Not only were there a lot of kids participating, I was there when the race was over. It seemed like the entire mountain flocked to the skier cross course like it was fresh powder in the bowls. My kids didn't want to do anything else the rest of the day.
• Bringing in busloads of people from surrounding areas such as Twin Falls, Pocatello and many other communities. Talking to some of them, they didn't feel welcome at Sun Valley before and now they do. In the process, the resort created an army of evangelists raving about their Sun Valley experience.
• End of season pond skim at Dollar Mountain. I've never seen Dollar and the streets surrounding so jammed. Hats off to the city of Sun Valley for letting people parked on the road for that huge afternoon event.
• The Monster/Scott event.
• Reaching out to college kids with attractive passes.
• The final day free for all pass holders was a nice touch to cap off the season.

We invite you to share your thoughts below on what differences you have seen with Silva at the helm.

Update: Comments (see below) are flowing in from many locals including Rob Santa (owner of Sturtevants/Sturtos), Curtis Bacca (owner of The Waxroom and tech for the top skiers/snowboarders in the world - Seth Wescott, Lindsey Jacobellis, etc.), Don Wiseman (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Executive Director), Carol Waller (head of the Sun Valley Ketchum Chamber) and others.

Pond Skim Highlights Rail Jam Highlights

SVSEF Freestyle Team in Dollar's Terrain Park

Monster/Scott highlights shot by Mark Oliver

Monster - Scott USA - Snow Park Technologies - Sun Valley from Mark Oliver on Vimeo.

Every Sun Valley ski pass becomes a Season Pass on the last day of Sun Valley’s winter season, Sunday, April 18. Everyone with any kind of Sun Valley ski pass can ski for free this Sunday.

In appreciation for an excellent 74th winter season, Sun Valley will offer this free “make-up” day recognizing the ski closure on Christmas day due to a power outage. Skiers holding the following passes will ski for free Sunday, April 18:

• Season Pass Holders

• Early/Late Pass Holders
• 20-Day Pass Holders
• Season & Weekend Discount Card Holders
• All Dollar Season Pass Holders
• Blaine County Season Pass Holders & Discount Pass Holders
• College Six-Pack and Triple Play Pass Holders

The weekend celebration will include the music of the Kim Stocking Band at River Run and the 812 Band will play at Warm Springs. Everyone is invited to the party!