Industry News
Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, is gearing up for its 91st winter season, and while the resort’s headline infrastructure news — two new Doppelmayr high-speed lifts and its first-in-the-nation DarkSky Resort certification — has already been announced earlier this year, the resort’s official 2026-27 season preview reveals plenty that’s new for skiers heading to Idaho this winter. Keeping with traditions, the resort is scheduled to open on November 26, 2026 — Thanksgiving Weekend.
World Cup Finals Return, With a Storyline to Match
The biggest headline for ski racing fans: the Stifel Sun Valley Finals return to Bald Mountain March 20-25, 2027, marking just the second time Sun Valley has hosted the season-ending Finals. The first, in 2025, is a tough act to follow — that event delivered a Mikaela Shiffrin slalom win and Lindsey Vonn’s first World Cup podium since her comeback, cementing it as one of the most talked-about stops of that entire season. Only the top-ranked athletes in the world qualify for the invite-only event, which crowns the season’s Crystal Globe champions across downhill, super-G, giant slalom, and slalom for both men and women.
“Two new high-speed lifts and the return of the FIS Ski World Cup Finals make this season one of the most notable in Sun Valley’s recent history. We could not be more proud to bring the FIS Ski World Cup Finals back to our slopes in March, and showcase to the world just how special this community is.”
— Pete Sonntag, COO, Sun Valley
More Glading, Building on Years of Stewardship Work
Sun Valley will add another 50 acres of newly gladed terrain this season, between Christin’s Silver, Leigh Lane, and Upper Broadway — building on the 90 acres completed last summer and more than 390 acres introduced over the past six years through the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project. The sustainability angle remains part of the pitch: responsibly harvested timber from the glading work is repurposed for habitat restoration, and donated firewood supports the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and local community partners through the National Forest Foundation’s Wood For Life program.
The resort is also continuing to invest in snowmaking reliability, with upgrades across all four pumphouses serving Bald Mountain.
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Family-Focused Perks Get a Bigger Push
Sunny’s Adventure Park on Dollar Mountain returns for its second season, building on last year’s debut with dedicated kid-friendly terrain and interactive learning features aimed at making beginner progression more approachable.
Two new lodging-linked offers sweeten the deal for visiting families this season. Under “December Ski Free,” guests booking the Sun Valley Lodge or Cottages between November 29 and December 20, 2026, receive two free lift tickets per night of their stay. Separately, “Kids Ski Free at Sun Valley” lets children 12 and under ski free alongside a ticketed, skiing adult when booked into Sun Valley Resort lodging for three or more nights, with up to two kids skiing free per day.
Season pass partnerships with Ikon Pass and The Mountain Collective have also been renewed for 2026-27.
Kicking Off the Season Early
Before the lifts even start spinning at Thanksgiving, Sun Valley’s annual Pray for Snow Party returns to River Run Lodge on Saturday, November 7 — complete with vintage costumes, a dance party, a raffle, and a food drive, giving the community a chance to build anticipation ahead of opening day.
Between the returning World Cup spotlight, continued terrain expansion, and a sharper focus on making the mountain more accessible to first-time and family skiers, Sun Valley’s 91st season is shaping up to build directly on the momentum of its milestone 90th.
