STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Get ready for Dogondola—or, gondola rides with dogs.

And put your lips together for Fried Avocados!

Representatives from Sun Valley Resort and Limelight Hotel Ketchum joined hands together last week to showcase what’s new for summer.

Limelight Chef Phil Winchester and Food and Beverage Manager Denis Cote trotted out samples of what’s new on their summer menu, including refreshing Sage Gimlets made with gin from Warfield Distillery and a drink made with tequila, lime juice and jalapeno topped with basil.

And Sun Valley’s Kelli Lusk told about some of Sun Valley’s new events.

WHAT’S NEW FOR SUN VALLEY RESORT:

• Monday Burger Nights will be back from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays at Elkhorn Grille. And new this year will be Thursday Prime Rib Evenings, starting Thursday, June 13.
• Dogs will be able to ride on the gondola with their owners when the lifts crank up on Friday, June 21. Hikers can take their furry friends up to the Roundhouse to enjoy the scenic views. Or, they can hike up to the Roundhouse and ride the gondola down.
• Mike Davis, Sun Valley Resort’s Ski Patrol Director, is now Sun Valley’s Mountain Bike Program Manager, as well. He and Brian Vaughan, the new mountain bike trails coordinator, will have their hands full with Outerbike and Full Tilt Enduro this summer.

  Outerbike, from June 21 through 23, will bring vendors and participants together to try the latest and greatest in bikes.  The national Interscholastic Cycling Association will be in town at the same time, along with a Crank Tank IMPACT media event.

  Come Sept. 7 the Full Tilt Enduro will challenge mountain bikers to test their skills on Bald Mountain’s flow trails.

• Runners will not get left behind.

  The Discrete Cirque Series Mountain Running Race will return for a second year on Aug. 24 with runners tackling a 9-plus mile course on Bald Mountain.

  And the Sun Valley Endurance Runs on Sept 13 and 14 challenge runners to test their fitness during 27k and 50k runs on Bald Mountain. Kids can race in the .75 and 1.5-mile races.

• Yoga on the Mountain will offer free sessions on June 29, July 6, 20 and 27, Aug. 3, 10, 17 and 31, and Sept. 7 at the River Run patio at the bottom of Bald Mountain. Attendees should bring their own mats.

  Abby Seibert Mills will teach Yoga Flow from 9 to 10 a.m. and Katherine Pleasants will lead Gentle Yoga for Every Body from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

  Lookout Yoga on Bald Mountain will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. July 14, 28 and Aug. 11. Sessions are $40 and include a lift ticket to the top, with participants loading the Roundhouse Express gondola at 9:30 a.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 208-622-2160.

• Golfers can find a match made on earth in Sun Valley’s Triple Play Pass. It offers two days of golfing after 2 p.m. at Sun Valley’s Trail Creek, White Clouds and Elkhorn for $399. To learn more visit https://www.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/golf/green-fees/.
• The Sun Valley Club is offering Taco and Margarita nights on Sundays from June 16 through Labor Day weekend.
• Sun Valley Resort is celebrating Idaho Wine Month with wine tastings at the Sun Valley Lodge on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Tastings are $5 and open to the public—no need for reservations.

The June 12 tasting will feature wines from Coulter’s Creek Vineyard and Winery in Juliaetta and Moscow, Idaho; June 19, Cinder Winery in Garden City, and June 26, Telaya Wine Company in Garden City.

WHAT’S NEW AT LIMELIGHT HOTEL KETCHUM?

The Limelight just wrapped up a very successful string of 5B Sundays, which included pool time for locals with beer, bubbles, bloodies, burgers and bluegrass.

Now the hotel is rolling out its summer menu. Those who want to share in the adventure will find that it’s easy to get five-a-day of veggies, thanks to a menu that includes a Veggie Burger, Whole Roasted Cauliflower and Fried Avocado—centered around the hotel’s star Truffle Fries, of course!

Even those who insist on beef with every meal will have a hard time believing that the Limelight’s new Veggie Burger is not a hamburger. Thick and flavorful, the burger’s tomato jam, feta cheese and arugula gives it a spicy kick.

The Whole Roasted Cauliflower features a shishito-herb vinaigrette with whipped goat cheese, pickled red onions, cilantro and mint. It’s topped by a tasty roasted poblano ranch sauce.

Chef Philip Winchester drew inspiration for the Ricotta Gnudi, a forest mushroom ragout with a rich earthy creamy texture, from a friend who’s a James Beard Award-winning chef in Colorado. It features Idaho potatoes and mushrooms that are sourced locally as much as possible.

And, perhaps his crowning achievement this summer is the Fried Avocado, a dish that put the nutritious fruit in a new light.

Winchester worked for Aspen Skiing Company for nearly three years before coming to Ketchum to help out temporarily. He fell in love with both the people of Ketchum and the people who run the Ketchum hotel and soon found himself moving here with his wife and 8-month-old.

“Ketchum is a nice change of pace from Aspen,” he said. “People go to Aspen to be seen. They come here to not be seen. As for restaurants, I love them because working at them feels like a team sport.”

Guests at the Limelight this summer will have access to complimentary test drives behind the wheel of a 2018 Audi Q7. Those who want to take it further can book a daylong adventure driving it to Redfish Lake, picnic basket in tow, and an opportunity to paddle board, paddle boat, kayak, ride horses or bikes.

Back in Ketchum guests have free use of the hotel’s cornhole, Jenga, cruiser bikes and fat bikes. They can avail themselves of complimentary tickets to events at the Sun Valley Pavilion, River Run or Argyros Performing Arts Center.

And they can enjoy free outdoor yoga on the plaza taught by Zenergy instructors.

The hotel offers guided tours at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden and stargazing equipment for those wanting to check out the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve.

Even locals can take advantage of Sundays when all pizzas are $15; Mondays, when a burger and beer costs $15; Wednesdays, when a glass of rose is $7, and Thursdays when margaritas cost $7.