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Sun Valley Skiing
Where The Stars Hang Out
by Valerie Summers
Not having my own plane and having to rely on a commercial
airline, my flight from Los Angeles was pleasant and quick enough. Upon
landing at the Boise airport, I boarded the Sun Valley Express, a shuttle
service which drove me through 160 miles of some pretty
uninteresting scenery. When I finally caught a glimpse of the stunning
mountains of the Sawtooth National Forest I knew that everything was going to be
AOK. The shops in the very upscale neighboring villages of
Sun Valley and Ketchum cater to the rich and famous. Although, the
shopping area is unpretentious, the goods for sale are high quality.
It’s another story with the lavish ski lodge and the homes, many of them
mansions. The town’s founder, Averell Harriman described the area’s
premiere hotel, the spectacular Sun Valley Lodge, as “roughing it in
luxury.” This hotel is one of the most opulent mountain resorts I
have ever seen, with sparkling chandeliers, a luxuriously decorated formal
dining room and photographs of movie stars lining the walls. Just outside,
the very same skating rink where Sonja Heni whirled around on the ice, was
filled with colorfully garbed skaters.
A delightful evening activity was an old fashioned sleigh
ride through the snow along Warm Springs Creek pulled by two enormous Clydesdale
horses. Along with 30 other passengers, I snuggled under blankets on a moonlit
night and headed to the Trail Creek Cabin for a winter feast. The
restaurant, formerly a hunting lodge frequented by Ernest Hemmingway,
presented a multi-course meal in an upbeat atmosphere complete with an
accordionist. Several large parties were gathered to celebrate various
occasions. There was a lot of drinking a singing going on and revelers
were thankful not to have to drive back to their hotels as we all boarded the
sleigh for the ride home, a grand finale to a fun filled day. Sun Valley, offering some of the best outdoor recreation in
the country, began in the 1930’s when Averell Harriman, Board Chairman of the
Union Pacific Railroad, wanted to turn the snow of the western United States
into an asset for his company. America’s first destination ski resort,
Sun Valley, opened in 1936. Now over 60 years later, Sun Valley remains a
world class resort, an American classic. For information:
Sun Valley Resort Southwest Airlines Vacations allows travelers to customize
their ski vacation to Sun Valley. Southwest offers passengers multiple
activity options when they purchase a Sun Valley ski lift ticket with their
complete ski vacation package. Customers may redeem their lift ticket for
a day of skiing or use for other options including guided mountain snowshoe
tours, Nordic packages, ice skating, a massage and more. Southwest
Airlines Vacations packages to Sun Valley include roundtrip air into Boise,
hotel or condo accommodations, rental car, lift tickets and Rapid
Rewards flight credit. Smiley Creek Lodge Sun Valley Express www.visitsunvalley.com 1-800-634-3347 |
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The Hollywood/Sun Valley connection began back in 1941 with
the movie, Sun Valley Serenade, starring Milton Berle and the reigning ice
skating queen of the ‘40’s, Sonja Heni. Glen Miller and his orchestra
added some fine tunes in this light-hearted musical comedy featuring several of
Miller’s most popular pieces including “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “It
Happened in Sun Valley” and the all-time swing favorite, “In The Mood.”
The link to Sun Valley has remained among Hollywood celebs, many of whom have
homes in this little piece of heaven where their privacy is insured.
Although Sun Valley is one of the country’s most well known ski areas, its
relative inaccessibility makes it a choice area for those who long for
anonymity. Among its residents, Clint Eastwood, Mariel Hemmingway,
Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Demi Moore and many corporate
presidents of national companies, call Sun Valley their home, at least some of
the time. In Sun Valley, if you hear names like Wrigley or Heinz, they are
probably members of the family whose products carry their names. 
I checked into the Elkhorn Resort, changed into my new ski
suit and caught a shuttle just outside the hotel for River Run Lodge where most
skiers hang out. Bald Mountain, topping off at 9, 150 feet looked inviting
with a plethora of intermediate runs, but enough black diamond and green runs to
keep expert skiers and beginners happy. A separate ski area, gently
sloping Dollar Mountain, so named because of its purchase price, is a best bet
for novice skiers. Because of its relatively low elevation, skiers have an
easy time acclimatizing in Sun Valley and partly because of this, the
number of senior visitors grows each year. Many have been vacationing in
Sun Valley with their family and friends since the resort was built in 1936.
Some veterans have skied and apres-skied with legends like Clark Gable, Errol
Flynn, Claudette Colbert and Marilyn Monroe. 
After several days of skiing and an attempt at ice
skating, I drove out to Smiley Creek Snowmobiling Center for a day of zooming
through the snow covered hills and meadows. In my group, experts cut out
challenging paths, while beginners felt safe following the meadow’s marked
trails. I tried a little of each. My group played follow the
leader for a while and then dispersed to do our own thing. I sighted a
band of “hotdogging” snowmobilers in brightly colored garb performing
tricks on the hills for a fascinated audience of novices. Hours later, we
returned to Smiley’s, a cozy old fashioned, wood paneled eatery with booths
and a soda fountain counter for some hot cocoa. Smiley’s features
accommodations for 22 guests in the lodge, rustic cabins and for a bit of
the unusual, real teepees.
Sun Valley offers winter sports for all ages and abilities.
Originally a sport for the young and wild, the population of graying
snowboarders is growing in Sun Valley. Snowshoeing , a delightful family
activity, enables hikers to experience nature from a new perspective.
Nordic skiers can glide over 200 kilometers of groomed trails and enjoy back
country exploration. And there is always ice skating, snowmobiling, fly
fishing and the ever popular downhill skiing.