The onset of the first cold snap of autumn is often greeted by a mélange of regrets, wistful laments and colorful curse words. Inevitably it will feel as if summer had just begun—never a more accurate sentiment than this year—and that it's nowhere near time to put away bicycles, take the boat off Redfish Lake or actually drink a schooner inside Grumpy's.
However, unlike the city, where the change in temperature merely heralds in several months of blackened slush and overheated subway cars, winter in the mountains brings with it a Gore-Tex-spangled, moisture-wicking, down-filled silver lining.
Baldy continues to beckon, only this time for freshly waxed skis instead of sweat-splattered knobby tires. Tendrils of smoke waft lazily from chimneys across the town and the Sun Valley Suns return as the only setting where Latvians wonder how duck heads' being thrown onto the ice relates to the game of hockey. And of course, one of the best winter pastimes of all—soaking in the hot springs.
With a number of hot springs a short drive out Board Ranch, the Sun Valley area has some fantastic offerings for those looking to take advantage of nature's version of a $2 massage on a Thai beach. And while it's hard to complain while sitting in a warm pool surrounded by feet of snow with ice-cold water rushing by, it's just as difficult not to wish we had embraced the Japanese approach, where the natural hot tub is an integral part of the culture.
For first-time visitors to Japan, the inaugural experience at an onsen, a natural hot spring pool, or a sento, more like a public bathhouse into which hot spring water is piped, can be simultaneously daunting and humorous.
As their country is made up of a string of islands formed by volcanic mountains, hot springs can be found everywhere, from dense cities to mountain passes. Accordingly, the Japanese have made a trip to either an onsen or sento part of the daily routine, many even forgoing the shower at their own house in favor of the opportunity to have a beer in public while naked.
Unlike the informal attitude taken toward outdoor bathing in the West, the Japanese, as with most other aspects of life, have instituted a regimented structure that must be followed for fear of being publicly berated without the linguistic skills to apologize for the unintended affront.
These days, nearly all of these baths are split by gender, which is a good thing considering bathing suits are strictly off limits and the only allowed covering is a thin towel that would barely wrap around the thigh of an undernourished sumo wrestler.
But even once one is in the buff, it's still not acceptable to simply belly flop into the pool, as the other patrons need to know that they will not be sharing your dirty bath water. Thus, it's imperative to make a show of taking a shower, made slightly more difficult by the fact that to do so you need to sit on a stool so short that it would look more in place in kindergarten art class.
This step complete, you are now free to bring a superfluously large can of beer, amazingly available from vending machines by the front desk. It's easy to let your guard down, especially whi The onset of the first cold snap of autumn is often greeted by a mélange of regrets, wistful laments and colorful curse words. Inevitably it will feel as if summer had just begun—never a more accurate sentiment than this year—and that it's nowhere near time to put away bicycles, take the boat off Redfish Lake or actually drink a schooner inside Grumpy's.
However, unlike the city, where the change in temperature merely heralds in several months of blackened slush and overheated subway cars, winter in the mountains brings with it a Gore-Tex-spangled, moisture-wicking, down-filled silver lining.
Baldy continues to beckon, only this time for freshly waxed skis instead of sweat-splattered knobby tires. Tendrils of smoke waft lazily from chimneys across the town and the Sun Valley Suns return as the only setting where Latvians wonder how duck heads' being thrown onto the ice relates to the game of hockey. And of course, one of the best winter pastimes of all—soaking in the hot springs.
With a number of hot springs a short drive out Board Ranch, the Sun Valley area has some fantastic offerings for those looking to take advantage of nature's version of a $2 massage on a Thai beach. And while it's hard to complain while sitting in a warm pool surrounded by feet of snow with ice-cold water rushing by, it's just as difficult not to wish we had embraced the Japanese approach, where the natural hot tub is an integral part of the culture.
For first-time visitors to Japan, the inaugural experience at an onsen, a natural hot spring pool, or a sento, more like a public bathhouse into which hot spring water is piped, can be simultaneously daunting and humorous.
As their country is made up of a string of islands formed by volcanic mountains, hot springs can be found everywhere, from dense cities to mountain passes. Accordingly, the Japanese have made a trip to either an onsen or sento part of the daily routine, many even forgoing the shower at their own house in favor of the opportunity to have a beer in public while naked.
Unlike the informal attitude taken toward outdoor bathing in the West, the Japanese, as with most other aspects of life, have instituted a regimented structure that must be followed for fear of being publicly berated without the linguistic skills to apologize for the unintended affront.
These days, nearly all of these baths are split by gender, which is a good thing considering bathing suits are strictly off limits and the only allowed covering is a thin towel that would barely wrap around the thigh of an undernourished sumo wrestler.
But even once one is in the buff, it's still not acceptable to simply belly flop into the pool, as the other patrons need to know that they will not be sharing your dirty bath water. Thus, it's imperative to make a show of taking a shower, made slightly more difficult by the fact that to do so you need to sit on a stool so short that it would look more in place in kindergarten art class.
This step complete, you are now free to bring a superfluously large can of beer, amazingly available from vending machines by the front desk. It's easy to let your guard down, especially while relaxing after a full day of skiing, but there is still the potential for surprise or even humiliation, especially in a sento, where it's common to find a plethora of pools, each with different, possibly dubious, medicinal properties.
Given that there is a noticeable lack of English in these situations, it can be quite a shock (wait for it) to accidentally step into a bath with an electric current running through it, strong enough to make all of your muscles contract.
And while Frenchmen's hot springs might be safe from nudity—well, at least most of the time—you sure won't get the chance to see a squat Japanese man enduring severe muscle spasms with a broad smile on his face.
Jon Duval is a staff writer for the Idaho Mountain Express.le relaxing after a full day of skiing, but there is still the potential for surprise or even humiliation, especially in a sento, where it's common to find a plethora of pools, each with different, possibly dubious, medicinal properties.
Given that there is a noticeable lack of English in these situations, it can be quite a shock (wait for it) to accidentally step into a bath with an electric current running through it, strong enough to make all of your muscles contract.
And while Frenchmen's hot springs might be safe from nudity—well, at least most of the time—you sure won't get the chance to see a squat Japanese man enduring severe muscle spasms with a broad smile on his face.
Jon Duval is a staff writer for the Idaho Mountain Express.
