How dependent on snowmaking is Sun Valley these days? Tony's pix from nine years ago certainly look inviting despite no snow in almost six weeks per his report.
Sun Valley, ID 2/16/2013
- Thread starter Tony Crocker
- Start date
jimk
Active member
Never been, but was talking with friends on Sunday who visited Sun Valley in 2021. I think it's almost as dependent on snowmaking as a large New England resort, such as Stowe. Here's their report.
Nice report. Fascinating how SV was the first purpose-built ski resort in the U.S. and it's understandable, I guess, given the terrain and setting. I'm curious what the snow average was in the early-1930s when Union Pacific decided to build it there and if that was a consideration.
I know why it happened -- both resorts owned by Earl Holding -- but it's always so odd to see that the lodges (or at least the exteriors) are exactly the same as at Snowbasin. Is it possible they did that to save designing costs? That seems unlikely given how high-end everything is at both mountains.
I know why it happened -- both resorts owned by Earl Holding -- but it's always so odd to see that the lodges (or at least the exteriors) are exactly the same as at Snowbasin. Is it possible they did that to save designing costs? That seems unlikely given how high-end everything is at both mountains.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
They are highly dependent on snow-making. I am sure Tony has stats, but I would estimate Sun Valley could not open 30-40% of the mountain by Christmas without it.
I would agree with that statement, but of course, the snow preservation is better at Sun Valley vs. New England. It might compare more accurately with the Colorado Summit Country resorts. These resorts really require snow-making on their main runs to open and you can feel its subsurface during drier periods.
The real issue is its snowfall - 200 inches or so. You will be skiing white ribbons of death until they get at least 60-80 inches. And maybe that does not happen every year until late in the season.
I have skied it twice - January 2003 and January 2020. I ski a bit with friends who own the Cellar Pub in Ketchum (good food/drink and every entree is $16 or less). They were some of the few young people who chose Sun Valley for their move from the East Coast 20+ yo ago.
Here are some photos from my last trip in January 2020 after skiing Jackson Hole/Teton Pass with local Jackson friends. Sun Valley is a relatively easy 4 hours from Jackson. Sun Valley had a snowy January so YTD snowfall was likely in the 100+ by end of the month.
Snow-making resides primarily on River Run, Warm Springs, Frenchman's and Seattle Ridge. Lots of snow-making towers to watch out for on the sides.
River Run
Warm Springs
View off to Seattle Ridge
And here are the Bowls - that can be unskiable unless decent natural snow. They could go mostly unskiable 10-20% of seasons.
Bowl Runouts - Inhibition
It's really easy to accumulate vertical on the groomers and high-speed lifts. I stopped for lunch for 30 min in the beautiful Seattle Ridge Lodge and still managed 50k+ vert feet.
Overall, I like Sun Valley. It's such a historical, traditional area. Its strengths are: the best steep, long groomers in the US, fun Bowls, and nice bump runs. But do not expect powder or anything too steep. And about a third of the time, you might want to avoid it due to low tide snow.
However, Sun Valley has been an add-on to other road trips. I have never sought it out as my only stop.
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I got a tour of Sun Valley snowmaking HQ on the NASJA trip in 2010. I summarize there how the advanced snowmaking works very well with good natural snow preservation.
On that trip in late March almost no one was skiing ungroomed because it most of it had melt frozen.
In 2013 Sun Valley acquired a good base with 76.5 inches December snowfall. Even though January and February were lean, I was there Feb. 13 and the bowls were still skiing well with chalky snow on E to NE exposures. In March all of the bowls will get some direct sun and without new snow the SE facing parts will melt out.
On that trip in late March almost no one was skiing ungroomed because it most of it had melt frozen.
In 2013 Sun Valley acquired a good base with 76.5 inches December snowfall. Even though January and February were lean, I was there Feb. 13 and the bowls were still skiing well with chalky snow on E to NE exposures. In March all of the bowls will get some direct sun and without new snow the SE facing parts will melt out.
In April 2002, I got a similar tour of Snowbasin's snowmaking HQ with all the Siemens infrastructure. The huge system had been installed for the Olympics, which took place a couple months before my visit. Similar to the lodges, one assumes that it was exactly the same as Sun Valley's. At the time, it was pretty mindblowing how they could pinpoint everything from that computerized war room and adjust the output, from heavy basebuilding snow to light gunpowder.
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