Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Snow helps lock in Baldy's first day

Bald Mountain summit gets 27 inches; resort to open season on Thanksgiving

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Seasons collided last weekend when a series of wet autumn storms draped the northern Wood River Valley in a blanket of snow. A break in the weather Sunday morning brought a kaleidoscope of colors to the western edge of Sun Valley, foreground. The high reaches of Bald Mountain, background, received up to 27 inches of snow over the five days spanning from Friday, Nov. 4, to Tuesday, Nov. 8. Jack Sibbach, spokesman for Sun Valley Resort, said the substantial snowfall is a blessing that will provide a quality base for skiing and snowboarding this winter. "This is great," he said Photo by Willy Cook

Sun Valley Resort officials have had a lot to smile about in recent days.

Over a five-day period starting last Friday, a series of autumn storms brought more than two feet of snow to the high flanks of Bald Mountain, Sun Valley's primary ski area. The cold, snowy weather, which came after a relatively warm and dry October, significantly increased the chances of Sun Valley offering top-to-bottom skiing on Baldy on Thanksgiving Day, its scheduled opening day, Thursday, Nov. 24.

"What it means is the phones start ringing, that's the bottom line," said Jack Sibbach, Sun Valley's director of marketing and public relations.

Sibbach said reservation lines over the last weekend were significantly busier than the previous week. Word of snow falling on Baldy certainly helped, he said, but so did snow falling in Washington state, where many Sun Valley visitors come from.

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A news release issued by Sun Valley Monday said the snow "will assure" the mountain opens on Thanksgiving Day.

The snow started falling on Baldy early Friday morning and continued on and off through Tuesday. Early Tuesday morning, Sun Valley reported that 27 inches of snow had fallen on the top of Baldy, bringing the pre-season total snowfall to 33 inches. Accumulations were less at the middle of the mountain and even less at the base, where some snow turned to rain.

Sun Valley reported Tuesday that Baldy had a 27-inch snow base at the top, 17 inches at the middle and eight inches at the base. The weather forecast Tuesday predicted clearer skies today.

In addition, Sun Valley mountain managers have been making snow on Baldy since Oct. 29. Sibbach said the resort's primary goal is to offer top-to-bottom skiing on both sides of the mountain on opening day. So far, snowmaking guns have been firing on several popular ski runs, including Upper College, River Run and Flying Squirrel.

Sibbach said the resort has not yet determined which ski runs will be open Thanksgiving weekend.

"As much as possible," he said. "That's the goal."

Sibbach noted that Sun Valley Resort expects some 300 to 400 people to take advantage of a special lodging and skiing package to attract visitors over Thanksgiving.

For updates on snow conditions, call (800) 635-4150 or visit www.sunvalley.com.