 Poster: A snowHead
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I was born in Idaho, let's just say quite a few years ago. I've never skied in Sun Valley, and after having seen the forecast, and doing a bit of quick research, and being able to secure some last minute flights and lodging for reasonable rates, we were off to Sun Valley from Seattle. We flew on Friday Dec 19th. The week prior the resort had received over a foot of snow, and the forecast was calling for storminess most of the week. On arrival Friday evening from Boise, it was lightly snowing, so it was a good sign of things to come. How little I knew just how good... 
The town of Ketchum is very nice at Christmas time. They decorate and light the store fronts and trees, and with all the fresh fallen snow, it felt and looked like Christmas.
Main Square
Our first day it was snowing, and since it was my first time at SV, it was a bit tough to navigate. I stuck to the trees, and dealt with some of the terrain issues. Christmas Bowl is a nice place to hang out while it is storming.
Christmas bowl with boot top to shin deep wind blown powder.
We did ski some groomers toward the end of the day. The Warm Springs runs were sheltered from the wind coming from the SW, and they are long and wide for easy fast cruising.
On Sunday things cleared up, and we headed over to the Baldy Bowls. There are a series of bowls separated by ridges. You can funnel down to the three person Mayday chair, and select your choice of bowls. Depending on wind direction, the bowls can hold lots of wind loaded powder.
Looking down Christmas Bowl after about 20CM of fresh.
Looking into Lookout Bowl
On Monday it was storming again. My legs were a bit tired from my first two full days of skiing powder. I decided to get up a bit later, have a nice breakfast, and then soak in the hot tub. It was snowing lightly the whole morning. Then around 10AM it really started to come down in Ketchum. I could only imagine what was going on up on the mtn. Well, magically my legs started feeling better, so at 12:30PM, I loaded up for a half day of Sun Valley storm skiing in the Baldy Bowls. All I can say is, "Awesome!" No one on the Mayday chair.
The snow just kept piling up, and the viz in the trees was just fine. It just kept getting better and deep as the day wore on.
By the end of the day there was at least 25CM of snow, and it was still snowing when the lifts closed. The next day, all of Ketchum, and all the Christmas week guests were out in force. Only time I saw lift lines the whole week was for the bluebird POW day that was to ensue.
Looking into Easter Bowl/Lookout Bowl where patrol was doing there thing.
Avy bombs were dropped into the dry Idaho POW.
Then once the ropes dropped, mayhem and shredding was on!
Looking up into Kaitlyn's Bowl
You can do a bit of hiking above the bowls too when the POW has been tracked out.
That Wednesday evening it snowed lightly and put a small 10-12cm dusting on top of the groomers.
Kaitlyn's bowl
It also was snowing lightly on Christmas eve, and it picked up as the day progressed. On Christmas day it was very cold, and the wind had magically dropped knee deep POW into the Baldy bowls. My camera battery died on me after the first run. But there was very light dry powder in the bowls. It felt like skiing through a white puff of smoke.
All and all a wonderful winter wonderland was explored in Sun Valley. All the locals are incredibly nice and chatty. And when I say nice, I mean some of the most welcoming and genuine ski folks you will ever meet. By the time you get off the chair, you feel like old friends.
We will definitely back to this magic valley of the sun.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Toadman, great trip report, it looks like an amazing place.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Toadman, Thanks for the trip report and great pics.
May have to take a detour there one year. Are the lodges and food as good as Snowbasin ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Bones wrote: |
Toadman, Thanks for the trip report and great pics.
May have to take a detour there one year. Are the lodges and food as good as Snowbasin ? |
@Bones The lodges are not quite to the level of Snowbasin, but close. I think the terrain and runs beat Snowbasin. You may have guessed from my TR that the skiing is #1 when booking a ski trip. And then there is the town of Ketchum, which obviously leaves Snowbasin in the dust, since there's no town in SB.
The restaurant seen is quite good in Ketchum. Pioneer Saloon is amazing for steaks. Then you have the Warfield for upscale pub food, and brews made in house. Sawtooth Club is good for local fare and apre' drinks. Apre' at Whiskey Jacques. Sun Valley lodge has been remodeled and Aspen Corp. is building a hotel on Main Street, called The Limelight.
Lift lines were never more than a few minutes except for the Tuesday powder day, but the things worked themselves out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Looks great!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Toadman, you made the right choice to bail on the Alps this year.
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| dbeatski wrote: |
| @Toadman, you made the right choice to bail on the Alps this year. |
Yep, zero regrets. It was a spectacular way to be introduced to Ketchum and Sun Valley. It does look like things might be changing for the better for the Alps in the coming days too.
I'm off to Bend in a few days to spend New Years with family, and looking forward to skiing all the snow that has fallen at Mt. Bachelor too. Tomorrow I'm going to hit Crystal Mtn. which has about 19 feet of snow already. Might find some dusting of freshies, and go for a hike into the side country. Loving this month of December!
http://crystalmountainresort.com/the-mountain/current-conditions/
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Toadman, thanks for posting. A lovely reminder of why we all do this 
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Wait, did you say 19 feet!?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Zero_G wrote: |
| Wait, did you say 19 feet!? |
That's the season total reported to date. And more falling. It even snowed briefly this morning in downtown Seattle.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Zero_G wrote: |
| Wait, did you say 19 feet!? |
| Toadman wrote: |
| That's the season total reported to date. And more falling. It even snowed briefly this morning in downtown Seattle. |
Well jealous! — the other side of the pond
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@Toadman, Ok, TRs for Bend, Mt B and Crystal please!
If I had the time available I'd be out west as soon as I could this year.
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You know it makes sense.
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| dbeatski wrote: |
@Toadman, Ok, TRs for Bend, Mt B and Crystal please!
If I had the time available I'd be out west as soon as I could this year. |
I posted a few pics over in the PNW Snow Report thread for Crystal Mtn. today. It was snowing down to about 300 meters this morning. Visibility was challenging and frustrating with soft snow and a light dusting on top of packed powder. Sun poked out a few times though.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=121753
The jet stream has made a sharp right hand turn, and dove down the West Coast, and then accelerated across the South of the USA creating all sorts of destruction, and sadly killing at least 16 people in Dallas, TX from several tornadoes. So, hopefully the jet stream comes back this way. But a classic El Nino' involves a more southerly track, which is what we are now seeing. Sounds like with the Jet Stream changing direction it will be good for the Alps, so I hope the Euro crowd finally gets some of what us folks here in the West Coast, PNW, and British Columbia have been experiencing the past month.
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FAQ
Just wondered how it compared since they were owned by the same co.
