SUN VALLEY RESORT GUIDE
Sun Valley Intermediate Itinerary
RIVER RUN, CHRISTMAS, SEATTLE RIDGE, THE BOWLS, WARM SPRINGS, FRENCHMAN'S
Overview
From River Run Plaza – River Run-- Christmas -- Seattle Ridge -- The Bowls -- Lunch at Seattle Ridge -- Warm Springs -- Frenchman's -- Return to River Run Plaza
1. 9 - 9:45AM – Rev up on River Run
Starting from River Run Plaza, hop on the River Run four-pack and exit left onto Lower River Run, a flattish groomer back to River Run lift. If the line at the base is short, we like to take a couple more laps on Lower River Run. If the bottom is busy, head to Lookout Express from the top of River Run.
Time for College. Exit Lookout to the right and curl around onto Ridge. Take a left onto Upper College, which leads to the top of Frenchman's. Stay right at the top of Frenchman's for Lower College. Upper and Lower College make a pleasant, easy groomer. When Lower College ends, follow Sunset Strip, a cat track, back to Lower River Run to return to the base of Lookout Express.
Take as many laps on Upper College-Lower College as you need to warm up.
2. 9:45 - 10:45AM – Sun Salutation on Christmas Tree
When you’re done warming up, ride Lookout and exit right. Curl around onto Ridge, a steep groomer; stay right and follow this down to Blue Grouse or Cut Off. Both lead to Roundhouse Lane, which takes you to the bottom of Christmas Lift.
Christmas accesses a smattering of wide groomers that get a lot of morning sun. Exit left for Christmas Bowl and Christmas Ridge. Exit right onto Ridge, then turn right again for Ridge S. Slopes or Wolverton. All these trails cross Christmas Lane, which returns to Christmas.
For a mogul run, exit Christmas right onto Ridge and stay straight toward a grove of trees. After the grove, the mountain drops off and beneath you is Rock Garden. The moguls here are steep, but it's relatively short, and pitches you out at the bottom of Christmas.
When you’re ready to leave Christmas, follow the cat track, called Gun Tower Lane, past the Christmas Lift to the base of Seattle Ridge.
3. 10:45AM - 12PM – Back Bowls for the Souls
Seattle Ridge is on the far south side of Bald Mountain. The terrain is mostly easy groomers, but they have a decent pitch. Take a couple of laps under the lift on Gretchen’s Gold and Muffy’s Medals. Then, exit right and follow the Leigh Lane cat track to Broadway. Broadway runs down a gully past Mayday, which will be on the left. Mayday goes to the summit of Bald Mountain and access the bowls — long, wide, open, and perfect on powder days. The bowls narrow into mogulled gullies that let out at Broadway.
Ride Mayday and exit left onto Bowl Lane. Skate along Bowl Lane and drop into the fourth Bowl on the left called Sigi’s Bowl. It’s less steep and shorter than the others, making it a good starter. Sigi’s Bowl ends at Broadway. Follow this back to Mayday lift. For something mellow, ski down to Seattle Ridge and take some laps there.
Otherwise, ride Mayday, but this time, exit right and drop into the first bowl on your right: Lookout Bowl. This Sun Valley classic is one of the longer steeper bowls here. Have a peek on the way up Mayday to see if the conditions look right for you.
When you finish with the bowls or the groomers off of Seattle Ridge, it’s time for lunch at Seattle Ridge Day Lodge.
4. 12PM – Lunch at Seattle Ridge Day Lodge
Located at the top of Seattle Ridge lift, Seattle Ridge Day Lodge has an upscale cafeteria, a four-sided stone fireplace and a deck with spectacular views of the Smoky Mountains.
5. 1 - 2:30PM – Warm Springs Speeding
After lunch, it's time to make your way over to WARM SPRINGS. To do this, make your way to Lower Broadway, a long run out to the bottom of Broadway lift. Long enough to get the blood back into your legs.
Broadway lift, which opened for Winter 2020-21, takes you to the bottom of Christmas. From the top of Christmas, exit straight ahead, skate past the top of Warm Springs and take a right onto Upper Warm Springs. Upper Warm Springs is the top of a 3,000 vertical foot gully that ends at the Warm Springs Day Lodge.
At the bottom, take the lift on the skier's left called Greyhawk, a 4-pack and a shorter lap than the 3,000+ foot Challenger lift. Greyhawk accesses Upper Warm Springs, and a trio of steep groomers: Greyhawk, Hemingway, and Cozy, all rated blue-black. Exit to the left for Lower Warm Springs, exit right for the others. We like the runs on the right because they tend to be emptier.
After you’ve exhausted Greyhawk, ride Challenger. Exit left and take the first run on your left called Limelight. This steep groomer merges with Lower Warm Springs and returns to the base of WARM SPRINGS. Ride Challenger and exit left and onto Upper College.
6. 3PM – Finale on Frenchman's
Frenchman's is a nice place to end the day because it’s a quick lap (short lift, shorter runs), and it’s easy to return to RIVER RUN PLAZA from here.
Make your way to Frenchman's from the top of Challenger via Upper College. When you reach the top of Frenchman's, bear left onto Flying Squirrel, a groomer flanked by moguls on the skier’s left and glades on skier’s right. Bear right at the bottom of Flying Squirrel onto a cat track called Lilly Marlane. Take the first run off the left of the cat track called Lower Janss Pass, which returns to Frenchman's.
For a challenge, head to the moguls of Lower French Dip and Au Jus. Lower French Dip is the second run off of the left Lilly Marlane. Au Jus is off of Lower French Dip on the right. Both return to Frenchman's.
To get back to RIVER RUN PLAZA, exit Frenchman's left onto Lower College. At the end of Lower College, turn right onto Sunset Strip to Lower River Run to RIVER RUN PLAZA.
Start your après with a pitcher of PBR and some live music in the grand River Run Lodge. Then check out our après guide for the rest of the night!