STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Skiers should be licking their chops!
The first big snowstorm out of California has arrived just as discounted lift tickets for Ski For Air Service Day go on sale.
Sun Valley measured Tuesday’s snowstorm in inches, rather than according to the number of flakes that fell as it has been doing.
And Fly Sun Valley Alliance and Sun Valley Resort have again teamed up to offer full-day $50 lift tickets so power hounds can ski the rejuvenated mountain playground.
The lift tickets are good for skiing Bald Mountain on Sunday, Jan. 21.
The proceeds from the sale of tickets will raise money to enable Sun Valley to maintain and even improve the number of flights coming into Friedman Memorial Airport. The first Ski for Air Service Day held in 2012 raised about $40,000 to help provide the minimum revenue guarantees airlines require to run flights in and out of SUN.
A limited number of the lift tickets will be available for sale for cash or credit card only beginning today, Jan. 10, and running through Saturday, Jan. 20.
Tickets may be purchased at Sturtevants in Ketchum and Hailey, The Board Bin, PKs Ski & Sports, PK Ski Rentals, Formula Sports, Four Mountain Sports at the Limelight Hotel, Ski Tek and Sun Valley Ski Butlers. They also will be available at Elevation Sports in Twin Falls.
Tickets must be purchased in advance. No $50 lift tickets will be sold on Jan. 21.
Some of the participating ski shops will also offer half-priced demos and rentals for the day. And several Sun Valley-area lodging properties will have half-priced deals for out-of-towners wishing to take advantage of the deal.
“Ski for Air Service Day has been a big success over the years, and we appreciate Sun Valley Resort partnering with us on this popular event,” said Carol Waller, director of Fly Sun Valley Alliance. “As usual, we expect the tickets will sell very fast.”
Proceeds from Ski for Air Service Day have combined with local option taxes and some hard work on the part of Fly Sun Valley Alliance, Friedman Memorial Airport and Sun Valley Resort officials to snag direct service flights from major cities in the past few years.
Flights currently fly to Sun Valley from Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Portland, Salt Lake City and Seattle.