So That’s Why It’s Called “SUN” Valley!

I just spent 4 of the last seven days (not including today) on the slopes of Bald Mountain.  Although I am incredibly sore and a little bruised (thanks to a runaway ski) I must say that I had the time of my life!  Most days started out cloudy and a little cold, but before noon the sun had burned through give us that perfect spring skiing weather.  The mountain will be opened until April 15 this year, although the word is that a few lifts will close before this date, depending on snow conditions.  So if you haven’t managed to dust off the skis for a run down the mountain this winter, you still have time!

This Weekend In Sun Valley!!!

Calling all winter sports enthusiasts: this weekend is the real deal!  The much anticipated 48Straight lands in the valley bringing world class athletes and musicians to match.  My gut instinct tells me that there will also be a few world-class partiers; what we have here is a recipe for fun!  Qualifiers have already begun for events such as the skier cross (finals on Saturday at Dollar Mountain) with more to come tomorrow, Friday. 

My hope is to try and attend the snowboard cross tomorrow during the day, make it back to The Inn by 3pm to check guests in, then head out for a little evening entertainment.  Friday and Saturday night brings great performers such as Slightly Stooped and Michael Frante.  On another not, the Wood River Journal had an article encouraging people to be safe on the roads at night.  Deer and other wildlife are all over the highways this time of year, so please keep this in mind.  Also, Mountain Rides will be offering a shuttle from Bellevue/Hailey to Ketchum on both Friday and Saturday nights so feel free to take advantage of this great service.
See you on the mountain!

Finally Figured Out My Skis!

This is my second season on my skis, which are Rossignol Zenith Z1’s.  I purchased them new at a ski swap in Hailey in the fall of 2006.  Since the snow this year has been so darn good, last week was only the third time this season that I have used them; normally I’m on a snowboard.  However, once the time in between winter storms changes from every few days to every couple of weeks, skis are a better option for me!  It isn’t that the snowboarding is no good, but that I’ve only been on a board for 2 years and I still fall at least once per run! 

Anyways, I was skiing up at Sun Valley with a few friends of mine.  One of the guys and I decided that rather than attempt any sort of technical precision, we would simply race as fast as we could from point to point.  Four inches of new snow from the previous evening helped quite a bit with the conditions, but it had also piled up to form moguls in the groomed runs that could send you soaring if hit at full speed.  The skis are still a little new to me so it’s tough to know when I’m in control and when I’m not!  As I hit high speed I was amazed at how responsive the skis were; they turned so quickly that you really had to be careful not to over extend.   Verdict:  It’s easier to go fast than slow. 

48 Straight…. Can You Handle It?

48Straight, billed as the”The loudest show on snow” by to tour promoters, is celebrating the end of  it’s first year run here in Sun Valley March 12-14.  It is named so because it is a 48 hour party rotating from the ski slopes to the bars to concerts and back to the slopes.  It was known formerly as The Ski Tour until its merger with Jeep King of the Mountain Tour earlier in 2007.  Previous tour stops for the 2007-2008 winter season include Telluride, CO., Park City, UT., and Squaw Valley, Calif.  Featured events are the snowboard halfpipe, the snowboard cross, the skier halfpipe, and skier cross for both men and women. 

Last year I was fortunate enough to attend a decent amount of the events, including the Hinder/Three Days Grace concert, as well as the Skier Halfpipe (Snowboarding events are new this year).  It was an amazing experience to stand a few feet from world-class twisting and twirling on the pipe, something I will never forget.  The energy level for the whole weekend was at a high and downtown Ketchum was packed, despite sub-zero temperatures.  If you are a fan of the mountain lifestyle, this is an opportunity you will not want to miss!For the 2008 season, the show is destined to be bigger & better with the addition of more on and off mountain events.   For a complete lineup, please visit 48Straight.com  and click on the big guitar.  Oh yeah and bring your party hat!

DiVine Restaurant Review

I’ve been the innkeeper at this incredible bed and breakfast for three and a half years now.  I’ve made it a point to try to get out into Hailey and the surrounding area and experience as much as I possible could, at least within the limits of my wallet!  I’ve been skiing at Sun Valley, attended countless concerts and music festivals, hit the Trailing of the Sheep, Jazz Festival, rafted in Stanley… the list could go on for days! 

In spite of all this, I managed to overlook a tiny little wine bar located just down the street from The Inn called DiVine.    Finally, on Sunday night, the inspiration hit me to leave my nest here at The Inn and 1) Find Friends  2) Go to DiVine and 3) Eat, Drink, and be Merry.  Mission Accomplished!  My friend Rick joined my father Bill and I for the adventure.

 The restaurant is a small old-world-meets-new-world affair located right off Main Street in Hailey (400 South Main St. Hailey ph. 208.788.4422) Tall wine racks loaded with a fantastic selection of wines line most of the walls.  The rest are taken up by floor to ceiling windows that let you peer out into the surrounding neighborhood.  The wines sell for about the same price you would pay in a store.  Our wine was a 2005 Layer Cake Shiraz, a great choice.  A five dollar corking fee is required to drink the wine there, which is a small price to pay to enjoy the atmosphere and food.   

Speaking of food!   We already had plans for dinner, so the three of us split a half-pot of  Gruryere and Swiss cheese fondue.  To dip we had toasted bread, apple sausage, and fruit.  Mama Mia!  Delicioso!  The also have paninis, pizzas, and salads on the menu.  I would recommend this restuarant for couples in search of the romantic and small groups of friends.  The atmosphere is casual and reservations are accepted but not necessary.   Buon Appetito!

Fresh Snow in the Valley

Calling all skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers, and any other snow related sport enthusiast!  Over the past few days the Wood River Valley has received (and continues to receive) an inordinate amount of beautiful white snow, 20 inches on the ski hill Sunday/Monday.  I managed to steal away from The Inn for a few hours yesterday (Monday) to ski; let me tell you the snow was AWESOME!  Seattle Ridge and the bowls are not scheduled to open until today so there should still be a great amount of untouched powder, and the base this storm layed down makes skiing the groomed runs an absolute joy. 

There are reports of avalanches in Ketchum, especially the Warm Springs area that was affected by the fire this past summer.  So I remind you to be careful, especially if you are planning on going into the back country.  However, the roads are clearing up and I hope to see all of you here soon in the valley!

Let it Snow!

I knew it was another great Hailey morning without even looking out the window; crisp, clean, and beautiful.  That’s pretty much the norm around these parts!  As I opened my door to begin the short walk to The Inn, I was not prepared for the sight of a light white dusting of fresh snow that had been prepared for me the night before.  It’s nearly melted off by now, but I remain optimistic that this will be a good snow year…. and by this point I’m happy with whatever we get!  To add a little icing to the cake, Weather.com is predicting snow over 80% of the forecast area for Thursday, November 29th.  It has also cooled off significantly over the past week, so any moisure received from here on out SHOULD be in the form of white gold!

On another  note, the Sun Valley Resort will be open from top to bottom beginning this Saturday, December 1st, for their 72nd ski season.   Happy trails!

Steve

Winter….. Bring It On!!!!!

Like most of you out there, the first TRULY cold weather brought with it the feeling for just one or two more weeks of warmth.  “I’m not ready!” my body screamed via numb fingers and toes every time I stepped into the below freezing temperatures of the Hailey nights.  Now that the frost has cleared from my eyes, some of the cool things about winter here in Sun Valley are starting to set in… like the free outdoor ice skating rink next door at Roberta McKercher park.  With the first onset of cold weather, crews set up the hockey goals, the boards, the warming hut/skate hut, lights for night skating, and pretty much just wait for the weather to sustain good ice.  Once the ice does come, it’s groomed daily to ensure smooth skating.  I’ve tried my hardest to take advantage of this opportunity and can definitely say that without this outdoor rink, ice skating is an activity that would never have entered my reportoire.

It’s great to remember that the onset of cold cold cold brings with it those sports with the ability to warm the blood like no other… yes I’m talking about alpine skiing! On my last drive north to Ketchum I couldn’t help but notice the fresh white dusting of powder on the mountains, but even more telling was the white mist enveloping the ski slopes as the snow-guns did their work to ensure a Thanksgiving Day opening on Bald Mountain.   A decent snowfall in the next 7 days would help guarantee this, and right now the weather channel is predicting about a 30%-40% chance of snow showers in the forecast area for this time period.  Given this and the cooler temperatures, I’d say the chances of opening are good.

If outdoor winter sports don’t stoke that inner fire, there’s always hot chocolate and the fireplace back at The Inn!