Sun Valley

Sun Valley, located in the heart of Idaho, is one of the best winter destinations in the country. Spanning some 30 miles, the valley is surrounded by mountain ranges that offer myriad recreation opportunities. From resort and backcountry skiing, to snowmobiling, snowshoeing and everything in between, you'll never be bored.

At the heart of it all is Sun Valley Resort and the town of Ketchum. The resort offers something for everybody and the vibrant mountain town boasts a rich arts scene, with great bars and restaurants as well as modest and upscale lodging.

Sun Valley is a historic resort that continues to deliver incredible skiing in the modern era and what really sets it apart from the competition is the lack of lift lines. The resort has two mountains that flank the town of Ketchum.  Bald Mountain, or Baldy as the locals refer to it, rises an impressive 3,400 feet from base to summit, serving up 2,500 acres of some of the most perfectly pitched terrain you'll find in the country. The grooming is legendary here, with perfectly manicured corduroy that holds up all day long, thanks to the lack of crowds. When snow hits, the north-facing slopes of Seattle Ridge become a powder haven.

For beginners and park skiers, Dollar Mountain is the go-to. With mellow green runs and a dedicated learning area, it's the perfect place to make your first turns or work on progression. The terrain here lets newcomers build confidence before tackling Baldy's bigger features. Speaking of features, 8 terrain parks allow you to progress from entry-level park features up to larger jumps. You may recognize this backdrop from some previous Level 1 Productions shoots.

Sun Valley is nestled among numerous mountain ranges that provide some of the best winter recreation in the world. In the middle of it all are the towns of Ketchum and Hailey which are reachable by land or air. Once there, travelers can choose from a variety of lodging options and will find now shortage of food, beverage and activity options.

Flying to Sun Valley is easy via Sun Valley Airport (SUN), located int he town of Hailey. Just 15 minutes south of Ketchum, the airport hosts major airlines such as Delta, United and Alaska, offering direct flights from cities like Salt Lake City, Seattle and Denver.

From Sun Valley Airport, guests can take a short shuttle ride to the resort or opt for rental cars for more flexibility in exploring the area. Private shuttles and rides hare services like Uber and Lyft are also available for door-to-door transfers from the airport to the resort. If driving, Sun Valley is about 2.5 hours from Boise and 4.5 hours from Salt Lake City.

Parking at Sun Valley Ski Resort is relatively straightforward, with a variety of options to accommodate visitors, especially during busy winter seasons. Sun Valley also offers a free shuttle service that connects different areas of the resort and town, including remote parking lots, making it easy to get to the base without having to walk long distances.