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Life on the Mountain
The Original Ski Town and a Few Reasons We Call it Home
Sun Valley is getting some play.
From Eddie Bauer storefronts in NYC, the New York Times to First Ascent commercials and the most idyllic-looking Starbucks in the country to a brand-spanking new (and quite good looking) visitor center and Powder Magazine’s 40th anniversary Powder Prom, to Transworld’s editorial meetings, to a local SVSEF racer joining the US Ski Team and an early-season alpine training camp for intermountain athletes right here on Baldy, Sun Valley is blowing up. The “Original” ski town, known for being in the middle of nowhere, is now everywhere.
But, echoing a tune heard often here at Slopestyle, this is nothing new to locals. We know there is more to ski here than groomers, but we are fine with you thinking that. We know the sun shines almost every day throughout the winter; we have the goggle tans to prove it. We know Christmas here is like a fairy tale; we have done it our entire lives. We know that sleigh rides on Christmas Eve with blankets and cider is the only way to do it, we already made reservations. We have a favorite lit-up tree in downtown Ketchum and a favorite after-work, close-to-town backcountry ski route.
We don’t mind when we wake up before the snowplows in the morning because some of us can walk to the mountain (and those who can't stick their thumbs out and hitch a ride from someone else headed to the base of Warm Springs for first chair.) We know and are proud of the coaches, athletes, ski patrollers, photographers, and even chocolate labs, in the original ski town vignettes currently making their rounds around visitsunvalley.com, sunvalley.com and even The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.
Each of us has made a conscious effort to live here, to be here, to call Sun Valley home. We know that we can’t buy underwear here, but we know where to find our favorite long underwear. Some of us have three jobs to make it work and some of us work nights (or summers) so we can ski. We appreciate and we sacrifice. Some of us have been here our entire lives, some of us have gone away and returned and some of us have been here barely a season. Some of us have family here, some of have friends, and some of us are new, drawn here by some quiet, mountainous pull.
Family and history, a few things on the long list of what we love about the "Original Ski Town".
We understand the history of a town like this, we look forward to the future, and we don’t fear change. For we know that change, whether you believe it good or bad, is inevitable. And in the end, that one thing that will never change is that every November, winter will come. And we want to share that and our town with you.
And because the whirring of the snow guns is making us twitterpated, Thanksgiving/Opening Day is a short week away, our Ski Tek-revamped old ski boots are sitting patiently by the door, and even though most of us have already hiked Baldy to steal a few pre-season runs, we can’t help but share some of the buzz our hometown has been getting. So watch the videos, check out the press, and get ready for another winter in "America's Original Ski Town".
We proud and we are excited because like every year, winter is coming.
Watch all the Sun Valley videos here.
Sun Valley Magazine encourages its readers to post thoughtful and respectful comments on all of our online stories. Your comments may be edited for length and language.
Sun Valley is the best place on earth.
You are so right, Katie...Old and young, were are all somehow alike here. Drawn by the same things in the beginning, and caused to return for the same reasons later in life. The mountains here feed us, teach us, challenge us, and entertain us. It will always be so. For us, and our kids and whoever comes next, this place has a life of its own. We have but to be grateful for our turn to share in paradise.