For the week of January 9 - 15, 2002

...and Sun Valley’s fortunes

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Wily old-timers could’ve told us that when early snows come — and come heavy — it’ll be a hearty year for a town that understandably considers itself the world’s best ski venue and hopes for the best.

And so the first returns, indeed, show Ketchum and Sun Valley are enjoying a better year than anyone would’ve predicted immediately after Sept. 11.

December skier days toted up by the Sun Valley Co. for Bald Mountain totaled 87,784 — or about 4 percent up over December 2000’s 83,320 skier days.

If this trend holds, then remaining months of the 2002 winter season should keep spirits high for the Wood River Valley economy that relies so heavily on a healthy ski season.

But there’s reason for even more optimism: world class Baldy is bound to attract side-trip visitors attending the February Winter Olympics games in the Salt Lake City.

And the heavy national media coverage leading up to the Olympics — especially TV’s footage of skiing — plus the presence of Norwegian and Ukrainian cross-country teams in the valley undoubtedly will prompt some skiing families, who’ve been reluctant to travel, to decide to make hurried trips to the Sun Valley/Ketchum area for quickie winter vacations.

So much for the winter good news.

Heavy snows this year also mean that the Wood River Valley will avoid a summer of drought that bedeviled farmers and sheep ranchers in 2001.

All in all, 2002 indeed is turning out to be a happier new year.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.