Winter from A to Z

by Dana DuGan

Avalanche
Before stepping out into the wintry wilds be sure to bone up on your avalanche awareness by calling the Avalanche Hotline 622-8027. There are classes offered throughout the season. Check with Environmental Resource Center or the Sawtooth National Ranger Station for more information.

Aprés ski
A time honored tradition occurs in the hours after the ski mountain has closed, when friends gather by a fire and trade war stories from the day’s exploits on the hill. There are many places for dining, schmoozing and dancing where one can complete the perfect Sun Valley day.

Boarding
Snowboarding remains one of the more flamboyant and exciting activities, both to take part in and to observe. Rather than allow yourself to be irritated, why not step back and enjoy the skill and grace of the sport. Boarding is allowed on most runs on Bald and Dollar Mountains. You can find tips, equipment and people shooting the board-breeze at sports stores in the valley. 

Bowling
Great for families, great for parties and there’s nothing more American than a visit to a bowling alley. Throw a strike from opposite ends of the valley at either the Sun Valley Bowling Alley (622-2191) in the basement of the Sun Valley Lodge or the Mountain Sun Lanes in Bellevue (788-2360).

Cards
The Wood River Bridge Club meets weekly at Blaine County Senior Center in Hailey and at the Harker Center in Elkhorn at Sun Valley. There’s also a team game at the Harker Center on the first Sunday of each month where visitors are always welcome.

Dance
Art of Dance Academy, The Sun Valley Ballet School, Idaho Country Swingers and Footlight Dance are a few of the companies that teach both children and adults in dance and movement. Check out the entertainment section of the Idaho Mountain Express newspaper for dates and times of performances and classes.

Exercise
It’s a religion here. Get with it. Get on it. And get moving. But make sure to keep hydrated.

Events
Oodles and oodles, week after week, there are events to occupy even the most discerning vacationer. Check our Calendar for listings and the Idaho Mountain Express newspaper for weekly activities.

Foot care
Reflexologists, good pedicures and foot insoles will all help your feet deal with the stress put on them in boots and skates this winter. Custom-molded foot inserts can make every activity—from skiing to dancing—a dream. Check valley sports stores for the high and low-tech versions currently available. 

Galena Lodge
Located 24 miles north of Ketchum, the lodge offers excellent groomed terrain for all levels of Nordic skiing. There are also trails on which one can take licensed dogs for a ski, go snowshoeing and then enjoy superb cuisine at a lovely restaurant. It’s also available for private parties. Be sure to check our Calendar for the monthly Full Moon dinners.

Gallery Walks
On special Friday nights, the galleries in town—fine arts, crafts, jewelry—open up for an evening for the Ketchum/Sun Valley walkabout, during which refreshments are served, entertainment is sometimes on hand and much socializing is accomplished. Check the dates on page 54. 

Hockey
For sizzling hockey action throughout the winter season look to the Sun Valley Suns, the elite men’s amateur team, and the Sun Valley Junior Hockey program, which has girls and boys teams. The women’s teams include the “A” level Sunsets, and the “B” level Fury and the Sawtooth Edge, a team for women of all ages and abilities. Home games are played at the Sun Valley indoor ice rink (622-2195). Sun Valley Suns Hockey (726-6967). There is also hockey played at both Atkinson Park in Ketchum and Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey.

Holidays
Encompassing all the traditional late December winter holidays is a vast selection of fun and celebratory events in which to participate, from the Papoose Club’s Holiday Bazaar, to “The Promise,” the Torchlight Parade down Bald Mountain on Christmas Eve, to lively New Year’s Eve events. Check the listings in the Idaho Mountain Express for dates and times.

Ice Skating
In the valley skaters can find free ice at Atkinson Park in Ketchum and, for a price, a well-groomed rink at the Sun Valley Ice Rink next to the Sun Valley Lodge, (622-2194). In the south valley, Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey is flooded each winter to make a free community rink. 

Java
As befits a community in the Northwest, the coffee here is plentiful. Coffee shops serve up fine brews all over town and these spots make for excellent meeting venues, sometimes offering lectures, poetry readings and places to enjoy a board game or two.

KART
The KART bus is free transportation that makes a loop from Elkhorn to Sun Valley, Ketchum, Warm Springs and River Run. The buses, which have convenient ski and pole racks, make hourly trips from the Park & Ride at Saddle and Warm Springs Roads on their way to the base of Bald Mountain.

Library
The Community Library in Ketchum is one of the only privately owned and operated libraries in the country. It’s a fabulous spot to spend time, with its large children’s library, fireplaces, comfortable chairs and great magazine, newspaper and book selections. It also has classes, lectures, readings and slide shows, as does the Hailey Public Library.

Museums
The Ketchum/Sun Valley Heritage and Ski Museum in the Ketchum Forest Service Park is a treasure trove of ski memorabilia, outfits, photos, equipment and stories (726-8118). Other museums in the area are the Ore Wagon Museum in Ketchum (no phone), the Blaine County Historical Museum in Hailey (788-1801) and the Museum of Bellevue (no phone).

Movies
First run movies are regularly shown at all four of the valley’s cinemas: the Ski Time Cinemas and Magic Lantern in Ketchum, Sun Valley Opera House, and the Liberty Theatre in Hailey. Check times in the Idaho Mountain Express.

Nordic Skiing
Also referred to traditionally as cross-country skiing, Nordic skiing encompasses popular skate skiing. The North Valley Trail system offers some of the best trails for all kinds and levels of Nordic skiers. There are many classes, skiing groups, and events, including the well known and attended Boulder Mountain Tour in February. During the season look for Full Moon Dinners at Galena Lodge and the Gourmet Ski Tour in March.

Organics
Since this valley is particularly health conscious, there is a fairly good supply of Idaho-grown organic foods available in all the markets. Also, make a visit to the Sawtooth Botanical Garden, south of Ketchum on State Highway 75, which even in the winter has a greenhouse and lots of information on native and organic farming.

Peak Bus
Wood River Ride Share sponsors a commuter bus that runs from Bellevue to Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley. For only $1.50 riders can travel in comfort and ease along the State Highway 75 corridor. For times and bus stops call 788-RIDE.

Quake
Visit the site of one of the largest earthquakes in a half-century in the United States at the base of Mount Borah in the Salmon-Challis National Forest west of Mackay. In 1983, this quake registered 7.3 on the Richter scale. A 20-mile long fault scarp from the quake is still visible along the base of Mount Borah and for 10 miles to the north and south of the quake’s epicenter. In some places the scarp was 12 feet high right after the quake. 

Restaurants
Fun, casual, sophisticated, family-style and romantic restaurants abound in the valley. From French to Asian, there is a myriad of styles and cuisine available for even the most discerning of gourmets. Bon Appetit! See the restaurant guide.

Skiing
This is where it all started. Averell Harriman selected Sun Valley as the location of the nation’s first destination ski resort. The Sun Valley Lodge opened in 1936 to a host of celebrities who came to ski and enjoy this winter wonderland.

Snowshoeing
This is a wonderfully low impact, accessible family sport—wherever there’s snow a person can shoe. All the outdoor stores carry different sizes and types of snowshoes. 

Telemark
At its best it’s like dancing down the mountain. Also known as “tele”; it looks intense and it’s simply the best exercise you can get on a pair of sticks. The annual Sun Valley Telemark Series concludes in April with the outrageous Hawaiian Nationals Dual Slalom and Tandem Challenge. 

Theater
The thriving theater community in the valley continues to challenge both the audiences and each other to bring quality performances to the valley’s stages. There are often out of town productions as well. Check the listings in the Idaho Mountain Express for dates and times. 

UV rays
For Seasonal Disorder sufferers the sun is what living here is all about. But remember the sunscreen, whether snowshoeing, Nordic or alpine skiing, or simply walking around town. An hour in the Idaho sun can do some serious damage. So, wear a hat and lather up.

Vintage
This is the vintage ski destination spot in America, and rather than showing her years, Sun Valley gleams like a grand dowager who has retained her chicness. You can find vintage items on display in The Community Library’s Regional History Department and at the Ski and Heritage Museum in Ketchum. 

Wolves
Approximately 200 gray wolves, once nearly wiped out in the Rockies, roam Idaho in 17 confirmed packs, including the Sawtooth Wolf Pack. Weighing between 80 and 100 pounds and about 5 feet long, these wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rocky Mountains in 1995.

Expedition Inspiration
This locally founded and managed organization raises awareness and funds to benefit breast cancer research through research project funding, public education, and patient support. The annual Breast Cancer Symposium is held in late February at the Sun Valley Lodge. For more information, contact 726-6456.

Yurt
These circular tents in the Mongolian style are ideal to camp in overnight while in the backcountry. There are several options to reach them, including sleigh rides and cross-country skiing. Several yurts in the area are available for rentals.

Zenith
It’s Sun Valley, the penultimate family vacation.