Industry News
Sun Valley, Idaho, will ring in its 90th ski season this coming winter—and what better way to celebrate a 90th birthday than with 90 aces of new terrain.
Opening on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, Sun Valley Resort will kick off the 2025-26 season with fresh lines, modern tech upgrades, and new features for skiers and riders of all levels. Since 1936, Sun Valley has stood as a cornerstone of American skiing—the birthplace of the world’s first chairlift and a model for destination resorts across North America.
“Sun Valley has never been just a ski resort,” said Pete Sonntag, Chief Operating Officer at Sun Valley Resort. “For 90 seasons, families and friends have been coming here to build traditions and make memories, from generation to generation. This milestone season, we’re carrying that legacy forward—honoring what Sun Valley has always been while introducing enhancements that make each season feel memorable.”
The highlight of this anniversary season is 90 acres of new inbounds gladed terrain between Canyon, Exhibition, and Olympic runs—home to four advanced and intermediate lines:
- Tim’s – skier’s left of Exhibition
- Pioneer Bowl (Black Diamond) – skier’s left of Sleeping Bear
- Bear Den (Black Diamond) – skier’s left of Olympic Lane
- Sheep Camp (Intermediate) – skier’s left of Olympic Lane
Developed through the Bald Mountain Forest Stewardship Project, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the National Forest Foundation, the initiative aims to improve forest health, reduce fire risk, and provide heating firewood to local Indigenous communities including the Shoshone Bannock of Fort Hall and the Shoshone Paiute of Duck Valley.
The project also highlights Sun Valley’s long-term investment in forest management and terrain development—with more than 350 acres of gladed terrain added over the past five years.
Sun Valley is introducing RFID technology across all base areas of Bald and Dollar Mountains to streamline lift access and improve the guest experience. The resort’s ski and ride school will also launch new multiday adult camps and skill-based clinics this season, expanding its award-winning instructional offerings.
On Dollar Mountain, families can look forward to Sunny’s Adventure Park, a colorful new attraction featuring creative terrain-park-style elements designed for kids and beginners.
- Related: FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, ID, Get Greenlight After Positive Snow Control
Recently ranked No. 8 in SKI Magazine’s Top 30 Resorts in the West for 2026, Sun Valley continues to balance innovation with heritage, blending world-class skiing with a deep sense of place that’s defined the Wood River Valley for nearly a century.
If you needed an excuse to visit Sun Valley, 90 new acres of gladed terrain certainly sounds like a pretty good one.
