How to Ski Sun Valley
Hire an instructor with a minimum PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Level III Certification.
For those of you who consider yourselves descent skiers, why stop at descent?
Ski with a Certified Instructor
Ski with the Sun Valley Ski School
Ski with the Sun Valley Adaptive Ski School
If not, follow the subsequent approximate guidelines.
Those with “Oppositional Defiance Disorders” may disregard the subsequent materials.
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First understand what ZONE level of skier you truly are.
NOVICE ZONE, BEGINNER ZONES, INTERMEDIATE ZONES AND ADVANCED ZONES
NOVICE ZONE (LEVELS 1-2) YELLOW
BEGINNER ZONE (LEVELS 3-4) GREEN
INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE ZONES (LEVELS 5-6) BLUE
ADVANCED / EXPERT ZONES (LEVELS 7-9) BLACK
The ZONE Levels of Skiing Details:
LINK TO ZONE DETAILS
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A good rule when skiing Sun Valley is as follows: No Yellow Runs are depicted on Sun Valley’s Maps. Sun Valley Yellow Runs are: Magic Carpet Slops, Poverty Flats (Dollar Mountain) and Kinderspielplatz (Bald Mountain)
Most Green Runs listed on Sun Valley’s Maps are Blue Runs at any other Ski Resort.
Blue Runs are Black Diamonds and Black Diamonds are Double Black Diamonds at other ski resorts.
Exceptions to this rule are listed below.
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Levels 1 through 3 YELLOW and BEGINNER GREEN should only ski Dollar Mountain. If you decide to venture over to Baldy while still skiing at a level 3, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
If you are renting your equipment always rent from the ski shop at the base of the mountain. (Pete Lane’s at the base of Dollar, River Run or Warm Springs). If an issue with your equipment should arise, a short distance for a quick resolution will be the reward. If you rent from a ski shop downtown, a long car or bus ride may be your only solution.
Level 4 GREEN Skier can venture over to Baldy only after having the capabilities of skiing SEPP’S BOWL on Dollar Mountain comfortably, proficiently and under-control. If you are having problems with speed control while skiing SEPP’S BOWL and you decide to venture over to Baldy, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
UNDERSTAND SUN VALLEY’S TRAIL RATINGS: While most ski resorts in the United States rate their runs as GREEN, for beginners, BLUE for intermediates, and BLACK for advanced, this does not apply to Sun Valley. In Sun Valley, the ski runs are much more difficult than their map ratings. Thus, in Sun Valley only ski the runs applicable to your level of skiing or, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
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NOVICE ZONE (LEVELS 1-2) YELLOW applicable runs in Sun Valley:
On Dollar Mountain: Magic Carpet Slopes and Poverty Flats: See Map Link
NOTE: Poverty Flats is a Difficult Yellow Run to Easy Green Run.
On Bald Mountain: Kinderspielplatz at the base of River Run: See Map Link
NOTE: There are no transitional runs from Kinderspielplatz to Baldy’s more difficult Green Terrain. A much better choice is to ski Dollar Mountain.
Beginners always start at the base of Dollar Mountain on the Magic Carpet Slops. Once a student shows proficiencies at riding the Magic Carpet and skiing Magic Carpets slops with speed control and the rudimentary beginnings of a ski turn in both directions, said student can graduate to Quarter Dollar Quad Chair and Poverty Flats. Know how to ride a chair lift prior to this step, however.
See Map Link:
Applicable Ski Lesson Links
SKI LESSON LINK 1
SKI LESSON LINK 2
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BEGINNER ZONE (LEVELS 3-4) GREEN applicable runs in Sun Valley:
On Dollar Mountain: Poverty Flats, Quarter Dollar Face, Cabin Practice, Half Dollar Ridge and Hidden Valley. From the top of Dollar Quad Chair lift, easiest BLUE terrain is: Sepp’s Bowl, Forbidden Fruit, Joint Venture and Elkhorn Bowl. To have the best experience, transition from one run to the next in the order listed as your skiing improves. See Ski Map Link.
NOTE: No true GREEN terrain exists off the top of Dollar Mountain. If you venter to the top of Dollar while still skiing in the Level 3 Zone, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
On Bald Mountain: Lower River Run is the only ski run considered Green, and a difficult Green at that. Beginner Level 4 Skiers can ski Lower River Run only and should not venter higher till the beginnings of Level 5 are reached or proficiencies with advanced Level 4 techniques mastered. If you move higher without mastering these skills, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
See Map Link
Applicable Ski Lesson Links
SKI LESSON LINK 1
SKI LESSON LINK 2
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INTERMEDIATE (LEVEL 5) BLUE applicable runs in Sun Valley:
On Dollar Mountain: Sepp’s Bowl, Forbidden Fruit, Joint Venture, Elkhorn Bowl and Arrowhead Way. See Map
On Bald Mountain: Gun Tower Lane, Lower Broad Way, Leigh Lane, Broad Way (Difficult Level 5) and Lower Warm Springs (Difficult Level 5). See Map
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How to ski higher on Bald Mountain when skiing in an advanced Level 4 Zone or a beginner Level 5 Zone.
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First: Drive only over the River Run Side of Bald Mountain. Do not go to Warm Springs. If you go to the Warms Springs side to ski, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
Second: Do not ski higher on the mountain until you master and become extremely bored with skiing Lower River Run.
Third: Once mastering Lower River Run, move over to the Roundhouse Express Gondola and ride it to mid-mountain.
Fourth: Ski the short distance to the cat track called Gun Tower Lane. This is a lengthy yet easy slow cat track being the main access to the Seattle Ridge Side of Bald Mountain. If you decide to take the Christmas Quade Chair to the Top of Baldy, “your going to have a REALLY bad time.”
Ski to the very end of the cat track, past the Seattle Ridge Quad Lift and over to Lower Broadway. Do not take the Seattle Ridge Quad Lift to the top. If you do, “You’re going to have a bad time.” Ski the easy blue slops of Lower Broadway down to the Broadway Quad Lift and ride it back to mid-mountain and the top of the Roundhouse Express Gondola where you started. Ski the loop of Gun Tower Lane and Lower Broadway till you master and become extremely bored with said runs. See Map
Fifth: Hydrate and keep a close eye on your energy levels. Skiing the high elevations, dry climate and extremely long runs of Sun Valley can be exhausting. For most, skiing several loops of Gun Tower Lane and Lower Broadway is enough. Take the Roundhouse Express Gondola back down the mountain. Do not ski down because if you do, “You’re going to have a bad time.”
Sixth: Once you have mastered Lower Broadway you can move onto the Seattle Ridge Quad Lift and the ski runs of Leigh Lane and Broadway.
Seventh: After mastering Broadway move over to the more difficult (Level 6) Seattle Ridge Blue runs of 1. Muffy’s Medals, 2.Gretchen’s Gold and 3.Christian’s Silver. Once proficient with these runs you can then move to the top of Sun Valley’s Lookout Express Quad Lift and the Ski Runs of Upper and Lower College as well as the rest of Baldy.
Applicable Ski Lesson Links
SKI LESSON LINK 1
SKI LESSON LINK 2
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ADVANCED / EXPERT (LEVELS 7-9) BLACK
Applicable Ski Lesson Links
SKI LESSON LINK 1
SKI LESSON LINK 2
SKI LESSON LINK 3
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ONLINE SKI LESSONS
ONLINE ADAPTIVE SKI LESSONS
SUN VALLEY SKI HISTORY
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Top 10 Reasons to Ski with a Level III Professional (The Professional Ski Instructors of America PSIA)
- To stay friends with your friends (friends don’t let friends teach friends).
- To ski and ride with your friends and family.
- To get better faster.
- To graduate from green runs.
- To save your relationship.
- To make winter more fun.
- To be your best, by learning from the best.
- To learn the easy way.
- To progress from green to black.
- To ski and ride to your fullest potential.