2 Best Sights in Sun Valley, Idaho

Towering over the small town of Ketchum, the world-famous Bald Mountain ski resort (or “Baldy”) is known for its 3,400 vertical feet of consistent pitch, sunny skies, and celebrity sightings. With one of the more advanced snowmaking systems in North America, five extravagant lodges, and relatively short lines even in peak season (December and January), day passes don’t come cheap. There aren’t many runs that could be considered “green” or “easy,” but novice skiers and snowboarders can head over to the smaller Dollar Mountain, next to the Sun Valley Village, which also has a new terrain park and 22-foot half pipe.

Nestled 23 miles north of Ketchum in the Boulder Mountains, at the base of Galena Summit, this historic day lodge offers a range of summer and winter activities in the Sawtooth Wilderness—backcountry skiing, snowshoe day passes, 50 km of groomed Nordic trails, cross-country rental gear, mountain-bike and hiking trails, and horse-drawn wagon rides. Lunch is served on the patio picnic tables in the summer and four-course “full-moon dinners” are available in the winter. You can stay in one of the overnight “semi”-backcountry yurts where staff will deliver dinner by snowshoe. Drive to the top of Galena Summit on a nice day for spectacular northern valley views.