Colorado is home to incredible skiing, no doubt about it, but when you’re ready to explore another corner of the Rocky Mountains with your finely honed shooshing skills, the southern Sawtooth Range is worth a visit. We drove out via Jackson Hole and Park City in the new 2021 GMC Yukon AT4 but Frontrangers can also jump on a short flight from Denver (DEN) direct to Sun Valley Airport (SUN). Flying into Boise (BOI) will include a three-hour drive.
EAT
The most iconic dining experience at Sun Valley is The Roundhouse. Located at the top of the Roundhouse Express gondola from the River Run Plaza. Sitting at 7,700 feet above sea level and 2,000 feet above the valley floor the views are exceptional. The Roundhouse was built in 1939 and was remodeled in 2010. While it received some modern updates, it retains much of its original charm and ambiance. We had a delicious lunch amidst our ski day here and it also offers fine-dining dinners for skiers and gondola-only riders alike. Reservations required. Other great eateries we hit on our visit are Konditorei, an Austrian style bakery also offering a delicious brunch with a warm fire-side ambiance and Village Station a fun casual American Style food eatery which was loud enough to accommodate the kids.
PLAY
The main attraction is of course the skiing and snowboarding. In 2021 Sun Valley installed a High-Speed Quad called Broadway providing access to 380 previously unserved acres. Bald Mountain, Sun Valley’s main area, is known for long runs and beautiful corduroy and our kids had a blast, our eldest (7) in her lessons on the big mountain and our youngest (4) over at the safe learning environment with Sun Valley’s ski school at Dollar Mountain. Sun Valley also offers 41Km of nordic ski trails plus snowshoeing and fat biking. For off-slope fun there are sleigh rides, ice skating, bowling, shows, and more.
STAY
Our family of five was very comfortable at the Deluxe Condos in the Sun Valley Village. My sister-in-law was along with us to help with the kiddos and she had her own room—a nice break from the kids who shared a room with twin beds. The kitchen in the condo gave us a break from having to manage kids at restaurants for every meal and we were just a few steps from the free shuttle bus system to get to the ski areas. Other accommodations include cottages, the Sun Valley Lodge and the more intimate Sun Valley Inn.
Photos Courtesy Sun Valley.
