ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 Sun Valley Reports 2014-2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted September 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 I've got a deal made for a place to live and will move in on Oct 1st. There hasn't been much information posted on SV in several years, but I'm pretty certain that there are a handful regular carvers. SV has what must be the most expensive season pass in North America for a single resort, perhaps the entire world? $2049. The much-ballyhooed grooming and snowmaking better be worth it! The Epicski forum has a good "Unofficial Guide" to SV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 Excellent!! It will be great to get the "Fat Head" view point of SV. Looking forward to your photos, updates and whit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibrussell Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 Yea, That 8 years of passes over on this side of the state at Bogus Basin. That's why I drive pass SV, for Targee or Salt Lake. ib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted September 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2014 If Sun Valley is as uncrowded as many people claim, then that will be a bonus. But the "unofficial guide" seems to indicate that many view the good cruisers as just a place to go fast, so I'm concerned that it might be a shooting gallery with me as the target. SV was recently ranked #3 for Western ski resorts (#2 in grooming). There may not be any riding shots this time around because the mountain photography outfit mostly does on-hill portraits of rich families. I looked on their web site last season and couldn't find any action photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted September 24, 2014 Report Share Posted September 24, 2014 Ask Jerry to show you around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted September 25, 2014 Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 Ask Jerry to show you around. Make your couch available to Bomber members :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) My place does have a sleeper sofa. Pics of the Salmon River valley and the River Run Gondola. I'm moved in and waiting for snow. Edited October 3, 2014 by ExcelsiorTheFathead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Glad you got moved in Ok. It will be interesting to here if SV is worth the price, that is one EXPENSIVE ticket. Norman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 I "only" had to pay $1699 because I purchased it early, but that's as good as it gets. Here's a view of the Warm Springs side of Bald Mountain: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 Dollar mountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) Hundreds of sheep parade down Main Street Ketchum. I read the Ski Magazine article that ranked SV as #3 overall in North America. SV is ranked #2 for grooming, only behind Deer Valley. That makes it #1 for grooming at any place where snowboards are allowed. Over on the Epicski forums I found a thread discussing SV's high average steepness when compared to other resorts. The super-expensiveness of the season pass and the demographics of the local area means that SV is full of older people. Young people and kids might stay with the cheaper Dollar Mountain pass since that's where the park area is. Recently a cheaper full-access pass has been created for people 29 and younger in order to get more of them on the hill. $1389 instead of $2049. Giving people up to 29 a discount seems arbitrary to me. I think they should give a discount to me, for a variety of reasons. Ketchum is far away from everything. Except for a Starbucks, there are few chain stores here, if any. A McDonalds and Subway are 10 miles away in Hailey. Big box stores are over 70 miles away. Food costs more here. Everything costs more here. On the other hand, the remoteness has plenty of positives as well. Finally, the Idaho Potato Museum is getting a facelift. That's important. Edited October 16, 2014 by ExcelsiorTheFathead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monodude Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 in 'Feb of '95 I rode the "new" chair 3100 vert as I recall. Kinda steep and scary fast. I was on some big bad ass Volkl skis, conditions were hardpack, no snow in two weeks. I was first chair and rode until last chair was called. I racked up 68K vert. that day. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sir Fathead...welcome to the Valley. I have been off the hill for the most part for four years. FWIW I think the pass is worth every penny. YMMV. I am the Jerry that was mentioned up above. I will still be healing but am feeling pretty strong and ready to rip soon. I am sure you will find your way. Certain times of day and at times of year you will feel like a 'shooting gallery'. Learn to go where they don't. Many of the fast local skiers won't give you any concerns. They know how to time the pass. The visiting fast skiers are sometimes more problematic. My store is Saddletree Gallery and I am about 100 yards from Atkinson's in The Courtyard. Moose Girls restaurant in the front of The Courtyard, I am in the back. Come by and say hello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Thanks Jerry, I will stop by next week. I'm headed down to SLC to get my stuff out of storage and bring it up to Idaho. Four years is a long time to be off snow. That's almost as long as I have been ON snow. I hope you will have good days this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Spud-Boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 I went out this morning and visited two ski-swap events looking for any interesting deals on alpine gear. I did see one Burton Ultra Prime, but what really struck me was the small amount of snowboarding gear of any kind. Compared to swaps I've attended in Colorado and Utah, there was very little. I think this must be a reflection of the Sun Valley demographic which skews to older skiers. I sure hope that I don't end up irritating a bunch of "angry skier" types like the NICE guy at Schweitzer. Even when I was at COW last season at Targhee there was a skier who yelled at me from the chair: "Take that board and go home!" Maybe it's a Wydaho thing. No snow sighted here yet, but it is getting colder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 It got down to 25F last night, even down here in the valley. SV turned the guns on at last. https://twitter.com/sunvalley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 I went out this morning and visited two ski-swap events looking for any interesting deals on alpine gear. I did see one Burton Ultra Prime, but what really struck me was the small amount of snowboarding gear of any kind. Compared to swaps I've attended in Colorado and Utah, there was very little. I think this must be a reflection of the Sun Valley demographic which skews to older skiers. I sure hope that I don't end up irritating a bunch of "angry skier" types like the NICE guy at Schweitzer. Even when I was at COW last season at Targhee there was a skier who yelled at me from the chair: "Take that board and go home!" Maybe it's a Wydaho thing. No snow sighted here yet, but it is getting colder. Hi ETF - thanks for stopping by the shop to share the stoke. I was disappointed in no alpine gear showing up at the Gold Mine. I didn't make it to one down south as I had to go cut wood. To be honest I can't remember the last time someone yelled at me. This mountain attracts more technically accomplished skiers than some areas and usually I get lots of stoke and compliments and have been asked to share a chair with three other skiers more times than I can count - so they could grill me about my 'monoboard' looking thingy. Usually with a "we saw you on Greyhawk. What is that thing and how does it work?" or similar. If you can make a carve it brings all kinds of positive comments. With the openness we have here I wait until it is really clear so have had no incidents other than one gaper who hit me from behind about 15 years ago. Blowing more snow today. Guns and Hoses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) Beginnings of the Sun Valley WROD at River Run. No snowmaking seen on the Warm Springs side. Edited October 29, 2014 by ExcelsiorTheFathead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted November 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 It rained like heck in the valley all day Saturday, but it fell as 7" of snow on the top of Baldy. 26 more days of waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I've ridden at SV 3 times over the last 5 years and absolutely love it. Jerry is awesome, rider and photographer, and was a big help my first time there. He pretty much fixed my heelside after one run. I've kept going back because it truly is never crowded as long as you are happy to move around on the mountain when one side gets crowded. I've also never had anything but good comments on the hill about the HB setup. The only snicker was from the NASTAR guys, but once you run a gold they kind of shut up :-) It's also interesting, but things labelled blue there are often as steep as blacks in CO, and I've thought that the average ability and skill level of the people on Baldy is far above anything I've encountered anywhere but Jackson so you pretty much don't have to worry about people mistaking your line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Beautiful country side for sure!! I recall some good riding on the back side of Seattle Ridge. Tricky get back trail but good turns in the freshies after everything else was tracked. I liked their "out of bounds" policy a great deal. The way it should be "at your own risk". This may have changed, my last visit was years ago. Overdue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Maybe two ravens should consider having C.O.W. at Sun Valley this year? Trish and I have 3 days at Sun Valley on our Snowbasin passes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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