Uncategorized • April 13, 2017

How To Do Sun Valley, In Two Parts

by Rex Robinson

Whether you’re celebrity chasing or couch crashing, here’s the run down on where to stay, eat, and ski.

April 13, 2017 By Julie Brown

There are two ways to experience Sun Valley. The Hollywood way, with diamond-crusted facials and celebrity hobnobbing. Or the couch-surfing way, with a DIY flair that capitalizes on the local secrets of your hosts. Both are excellent approaches to the original American ski destination.

Where to stay

For a bit of Old Hollywood Nostalgia: Pull up to the Sun Valley Lodge, where furs and dark sunglasses are the norm. In the same realm of historic grand hotels as Yosemite’s Ahwahnee and Mount Hood’s Timberline Lodge, the Sun Valley Lodge has had a regular rotation of celebrities stroll through its hallways since it opened in 1936. Today those faces are preserved in the archival black-and-white photos adorning the walls. A renovation in 2015 kept that heritage and grandeur while updating the Lodge with amenities like larger guest rooms and windows, a limestone deck and heated pool. A visit here is not complete until you’ve bowled in one of the six regulation-length lanes on the ground floor.

The Sun Valley Inn, just across the courtyard, is a bit more of a throwback (as in, it hasn’t been renovated like it’s sister hotel). But with royal red printed carpet and a black grand piano in the lobby, it has a certain charm. Or go modern in downtown Ketchum at the Limelight Hotel.

If you’re on a tighter budget: Do what I did and crash at a friend’s. Hopefully they have a guest bedroom, or at least a couch. Or check out the new locally-owned hostel, the Hot Water Inn. A “boutique mountain lodge” in the price range of a single dollar sign, the Hot Water Inn offers 10 bedrooms—shared and private—at the base of the Warm Springs lift. Jam sessions encouraged.

Where to Ski

For courduroy cruising with the blue-hairs: Sun-starved Northwesterners flock to the sun-soaked and aptly named Seattle Ridge where blue-square groomers are a plenty. Of course, a few rounds of Warm Springs laps is a must. For more beta on where to ski, read it from a local.

If you don’t own a Mountain Collective pass and/or don’t want to throw down on a lift ticket: Sun Valley’s secret is its backcountry access. There are five mountain ranges within an easy drive of Ketchum. Mountains as far as the eye can see. Drive to Galena Pass and skin from the road. Or hike into a yurt in the Sawtooths for a weekend of couloir hunting.

Full Article Here

Uncategorized • March 22, 2017

Find upscale comfort food at this distillery and brewery in Idaho

by Rex Robinson

USATODAY-Larry Olmsted

The scene: Ketchum, Idaho was the last place Ernest Hemingway called home, and while Warfield Distillery & Brewery is new, there’s a good chance “Papa” would have liked it — the place not only serves great food, but makes its own beer and liquor as a rare combination brewery and distillery.

Ketchum is also home to the nation’s very first destination ski resort, Sun Valley, the place that invented the chairlift, but it’s one of the few ski towns that is busier in summer than winter, thanks to world class mountain biking, several golf courses, white water rafting, and a huge slate of festivals and symphony performances, so Warfield has a hungry (and thirsty) audience all year round.

It occupies a prime corner location in the heart of the town’s condensed Main Street, with one long, deep, big room. Despite the distilling and brewing operations, it’s more restaurant than bar, with three rows of tables and booths running front to back, an open kitchen across most of the back wall, a small sit down bar in the right back corner, and a glass encased pot still in the back left. The interior has a very Western feel, with worn wooden floors, dark wood tables, leather booths decorated with equestrian harness belting, and exposed brick walls. Overall, it’s got a cozy but refined “upscale tavern” aesthetic, and the antique safe built into the wall behind the bar is a nice touch.

Reason to visit: Duck drumettes, octopus, pork coppa steak, mussels, beer

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Uncategorized • March 10, 2017

The Tour de Sun Valley

by Rex Robinson

The insider’s tour of one of the most historic ski areas in North America

February 24, 2017 By Gabe Schroder

PHOTO: Courtesy of Sun Valley

Fun fact: Sun Valley is a town, a region, and a ski area. The town of Sun Valley is home to the Sun Valley Resort, which includes the lodge, golf course, Nordic skiing tracks, and Dollar Mountain (a small ski hill for beginners, with a big terrain park for the hardpack huckers). A mile or so away is the town of Ketchum that is full of charm, history, nightlife, and local flavor. Towering above the town of Ketchum is Bald Mountain (aka Baldy), the crown jewel of Idaho ski resorts. Together, the resort, the town, and the ski area can all be referred to as Sun Valley.

Taking its rightful place amongst North America’s most legendary ski areas, Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain serves up a unique and world-class ski experience. Some skiers, however, are quick to dismiss Baldy due to its fancy day lodges, low annual snowfall (220 inches, on average) and absence of cliffs, chutes, and other natural features.

All of which is true, to some extent. Sun Valley’s tree-cut runs and wide, open bowls don’t have the same alpine gnarl factor that other more jagged ski areas feature. But don’t be so quick to dismiss Sun Valley. The ski resort, which opened in 1936, has a cemented place in skiing lore, and skiers who have spent time here know this place is legit.

Easy access from town with 3,100 feet of sustained fall-line skiing and a cool ski patrol overseeing an open boundary policy combine to create a no-nonsense ski experience not easily found these days. This is a mountain where skiers come to ski—not to be seen or be a part of something cool. Skiing here is all about feeling the raw and continuous tug of gravity. For once a skier commits to Baldy’s uninterrupted fall line and surrenders to her relentless pull, her true beauty is revealed. Here’s all you need to know to make the most of skiing at Sun Valley.

Uncategorized • January 26, 2017

Road Trippin’ – Sun Valley Resort

by Rex Robinson

BY KUTV MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH 2017

This week on Road Trippin’, Casey Scott visits the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley Idaho, to discover the fun things to do, places to eat, places to stay and more!

STAY – Sun Valley Lodge – Relax in style and comfort in the iconic Sun Valley Lodge. Completely renovated and reopened in June 2015, the Lodge offers the finest hospitality with 108 rooms – 65 with fireplaces – and five celebrity guest suites. Adjacent to the Lodge is the 20,000 sq. ft. Spa, with a year-round outdoor heated pool, hot tub and state-of-the-art fitness center. The Lodge is located in the Sun Valley Village, with dining, shopping, a movie house, outdoor ice skating rink, bowling alley and free shuttle service to town and all the base areas – all within walking distance from your room. Spend: Starting at $350/night – Website | Directions

RELAX – The Spa at Sun Valley – Relax and enjoy the 20,000 sq. ft. Spa with 15 treatment rooms, a year-round outdoor heated pool and hot tub and fitness center, after a day on the mountain. Massage, acupuncture, experience packages and a full-service salon are among many of the choices to help you unwind. An added bonus – guests receive a day pass to all Spa amenities on the day they receive their service. Spend: Varies on service. – Website | Directions

EATS – Gretchen’s – Gretchen’s restaurant, named after Olympian and Sun Valley native, Gretchen Fraser, is the perfect place to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Conveniently located in the Sun Valley Lodge, Gretchen’s offers a wide range of fresh and innovative selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chef Derek Gallegos brings his culinary skills to each menu item, with such popular choices as the Huevos Rancheros de Inez at breakfast, Baby Golden Beet and Tuscan Kale Salad during lunch and 44 Farms Angus Flatiron Steak with a side of whipped Idaho potatoes for dinner. Healthy choices highlight the menu, such as the Lodge “Power Bowl” – an egg white scramble with quinoa, baby kale, edamame, roasted butternut squash and tomatillo salsa. A perfect protein boost after working out in the Spa fitness center or skiing at the Sun Valley Nordic Center. Whatever you’re craving, Gretchen’s is sure to have something from traditional dishes with a new twist to fresh classics with a little bit of extra flair. Spend: $12-$35 per entree – Website | Directions

DEALS – Ski & Stay Packages – Discover your unbeaten path in Sun Valley. Save over 25% on lodging, lift tickets and kids 12 & under ski for free**based on 3 night minimum stay. One free kid’s lift ticket per one paid adult lift ticket.Package available / now through Feb. 15 and Feb. 20-April 3, 2017.To reserve your spot on the Sun Valley trail, please call / 800.786.8259 – Spend: Varies based on availability, dates & room type – Website | Directions

MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE – Mountain Collective – Sun Valley Resort is a part of the Mountain Collective! Hit Sun Valley for two days of skiing/boarding with your Mountain Collective pass, then 50% off each additional day of skiing/boarding! No blackout dates. That’s a deal! Spend: Varies based on when pass purchased. Current price / $499 per adult Site – Website | Directions

Uncategorized • January 25, 2017

Road Trippin’ – Sun Valley Resort

by Rex Robinson

BY KUTV MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH 2017

This week on Road Trippin’, Casey Scott visits the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley Idaho, to discover the fun things to do, places to eat, places to stay and more!

Uncategorized • January 17, 2017

The 10 Hottest Travel Destinations of 2017

by Rex Robinson

Last year, savvy travelers flocked to Rio for the Olympics; Cuba, because they could; and America’s national parks, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the natural wonders in their own backyards. In 2017, we’ll see hot spots like Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Oman remain popular, but travelers will venture off the beaten path, beyond each country’s tried-and-true holiday escapes.

Idaho
Idaho is having a moment. The capital, Boise, may not have an Ace Hotel yet, but it’s quietly setting itself up to be one of America’s most desirable second-tier cities with hip lodging like theModern Hotel + Bar, indie coffee shops,creative hubs, distilleries, and a serious craft beer scene. And then of course, there’s the incredible access to the outdoors, including more than 190 miles of trails to hike, run, and bike in the Boise Foothills. Hemingway’s beloved Sun Valley, while often overlooked for glitzier mountain towns like Telluride, Park City, and Jackson Hole, is having a renaissance. America’s first destination ski resort area offers some of the best slopes in the U.S. and still maintains a laid-back mountain-town feel (think Aspen in the ’60s). The December 30 opening of the Limelight Ketchum, the first new hotel in more than two decades, will bring some youthful energy to the mountains. Farther afield, Selkirk Powder Company recently announced it will be offering heli-skiing trips to the Idaho panhandle beyond the Schweitzer Mountain backcountry, giving adventurers access to the rugged and untapped American Selkirk Range of northern Idaho.

See Full Article Here

Uncategorized • December 19, 2016

10 over-the-top ski homes for sale right now

by Rex Robinson

We can dream, can’t we?

BY MEGAN BARBER @MEGCBARBER DEC 19, 2016, 11:20AM EST

From Aspen to Park City, ski country real estate is full of over-the-top, extravagant homes.

Sure, the reasonably priced, cozy A-frame cabin on 20 acres still exists, but you’ll likely find more homes worth $2 million than $200,000 if you want to own anywhere near a resort.

Even though most of us will never buy a luxurious ski home, that doesn’t mean we can’t look. Today’s modern ski homes range from oversized log cabins to brand-new, contemporary builds.

Some sit on massive compounds with hundreds of acres—although the land will cost you—while others are located on prime, ski-in/ski-out lots. But no matter the style of home, all deliver on amazing views and some gorgeous real estate eye candy.

Behold, 10 extravagant ski homes available for purchase, right now.

In Sun Valley, Idaho:

If a ski compound is more your thing, check out this 120-acre property with three residences on site. Plenty of oversized garages, a heated pool and spa—including a pool house, naturally—and extra perks like a tennis court come with the 7 bedrooms, 8 baths, and 10,067 square feet. How much will this beauty cost you? The price is available for serious buyers only.

SEE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Uncategorized • December 8, 2016

26 Ways That Skiing Gets Better This Season

by Rex Robinson

The New York Times is as excited about the opening of the Limelight as we are! See what they have to say in their recent piece: By Elaine Glusac

NOVEMBER 30, 2016

New Lodging

Overnight options in ski country will expand across the range beginning with the new Limelight Hotel Ketchum in Idaho, gateway to Sun Valley Resort. Owned by Aspen Skiing Company and opening Dec. 16, the 99-room lodge in Ketchum’s very walkable downtown will include outdoor hot tubs and a swimming pool, firepits and a lounge with regularly scheduled live music as well as free shuttles to the ski area and free use of fat-tire bikes and snowshoes (rooms from $240).

Click Here to See Full Article

Uncategorized • November 17, 2016

BIG NEWS! RNP Approach to Friedman Airport

by Rex Robinson

November 15, 2016

Alaska Airlines to use Advanced Technology to improve Sun Valley airport access New procedures will increase reliability and reduce weather-related diversions by 95 percent SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines’ sister carrier, Horizon Air, has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin using its proprietary Required Navigation Performance (RNP) instrument approach procedure at Friedman Memorial Airport near Sun Valley. The procedure is expected to reduce weather-related diversions by 95 percent allowing Horizon to have the best access to Sun Valley of any airline. It is projected to reduce diversions for Horizon from an average of 40 to 50 per year down to one to two estimated diversions per year.

RNP technology allows aircraft to follow precise three-dimensional curved flight paths through difficult terrain using a combination of onboard navigation technology and the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network. It allows aircraft to fly safer flight paths, provides more reliable landings, and eliminates reliance on ground-based navigation aids. This enables pilots to navigate aircraft more precisely and efficiently, while also being able to fly to lower altitudes in to airports where limited visibility upon approach is common due to weather and characteristics of the terrain.

This effort, which has been in development for more than 10 years, will allow Horizon to deliver more reliable service for its valued customers. Additionally, the company expects to save up to $600,000 a year by completing flights that would have would have otherwise been diverted or cancelled due to weather. Alaska and Horizon Air are the only major U.S. carriers with a fully RNP-equipped fleet and fully-trained flight crews. “Just in time for the ski season and holiday travel, the expected improvement in reliability this brings to our airport during inclement weather will greatly benefit our customers traveling to the area as well as local residents,” said Chris Pomeroy, airport manager at Friedman Memorial Airport. “This is a fantastic complement to the other recent facility improvements, including our newly renovated passenger terminal and new concessions.”

Uncategorized • November 10, 2016

The Trump Effect

by Rex Robinson

The Trump effect. How will it impact the US economy and housing?

By Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate

The American people have spoken and they have elected Donald J. Trump as the 45^th president of the United States. Change was clearly demanded, and change is what we will have.

The election was a shock for many, especially on the West Coast where we have not been overly affected by the long-term loss in US manufacturing or stagnant wage growth of the past decade. But the votes are in and a new era is ahead of us. So, what does this mean for the housing market?

First and foremost I would say that we should all take a deep breath. In a similar fashion to the UK’s “Brexit”, there will be a “whiplash” effect, as was seen in overnight trading across the globe. However, at least in the US, equity markets have calmed as they start to take a closer look at what a Trump presidency will mean.

On a macro level, I would start by stating that political rhetoric and hyperbole do not necessarily translate into policy. That is the most important message that I want to get across. I consider it highly unlikely that many of the statements regarding trade protectionism will actually go into effect. It will be very important for President Trump to tone down his platform on renegotiating trade agreements and imposing tariffs on China. I also deem it highly unlikely that a 1,000-mile wall will actually get built.

It is crucial that some of the more inflammatory statements that President-Elect Trump has made be toned down or markets will react negatively. However, what is of greater concern to me is that neither candidate really approached questions regarding housing with any granularity. There was little-to-no-discussion regarding housing finance reform, so I will be watching this topic very closely over the coming months.

As far as the housing market is concerned, it is really too early to make any definitive comment. That said, Trump ran on a platform of deregulation and this could actually bode well for real estate. It might allow banks the freedom to lend more, which in turn, could further energize the market as more buyers may qualify for home loans.

Concerns over rising interest rates may also be overstated. As history tells us, during times of uncertainty we tend to put more money into bonds. If this holds true, then we may see a longer-than-expected period of below-average rates. Today’s uptick in bond yields is likely just temporary.

Proposed infrastructure spending could boost employment and wages, which again, would be a positive for housing markets. Furthermore, easing land use regulations has the potential to begin addressing the problem of housing affordability across many of our nation’s housing markets – specifically on the West Coast.

Economies do not like uncertainty. In the near-term we may see a temporary lull in the US economy, as well as the housing market, as we analyze what a Trump presidency really means. But at the present time, I do not see any substantive cause for panic in the housing sector.

We are a resilient nation, and as long as we continue to have checks-and balances, I have confidence that we will endure any period of uncertainty and come out stronger.