STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

As the ski season winds down at Sun Valley, many skiers are reveling in having earned their 100-day pins for skiing 100 days or more.

But Shannon Nichols, director of development for The Advocates, has a special shoutout for another kind of “ski bum”—those who took part in the 2026 Baldy Challenge.

These are the men, women and even children who tried to ski every run on Baldy during the short month of February with their entry fee going to The Advocates.

“I know skiing every single run on Baldy sounds like a fun thing to do at first—until you’re standing at the top of Inhibition and your legs are tired,” Nichols told skiers at the season-ending party. “It’s challenging. It takes courage. But, as hard as that is, it’s not as hard as walking through our doors and saying, ‘I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. Can you help me?’ Now, that takes real courage.”

Every day, Nichols said, someone takes that brave first step.

“And every day, because of supporters like you, we’re able to answer that call and open our door and say, ‘Yes, we’re here. We can help you.’ ”

Currently, Nichols said, 27 adults, 30 children, three cats and five dogs are finding safety in The Advocates’ shelter and transitional housing. Last year, The Advocates helped more than 1,300 adults and children.

The money raised through the Baldy Challenge helps keep the 24-hour helpline open and provide crisis counseling, she said: “Each and every turn you made helped support victims of abuse. Who said you were just being a ski bum?!”

The Baldy Challenge was started 15 years ago by PKs and others with the idea of supporting local nonprofits “by doing what we love to do.”

It raised money for the Bald Mountain Rescue fund the first year and since has raised money for other nonprofits, including the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Senior Connection, Higher Ground, Hunger Coalition and Blaine County Charitable Fund.

Baldy Challenge Committee members Chelle and Charlotte Gourlay, Maggie Thurston, Kitty Derrig, Janet Appleton, Jolie Dunn and Carrie Vike-Hilleary organize the logistics and solicit door prizes for participants.

This year’s 120 runs on Baldy included the usual suspects, such as Sigi’s Bowl, Can Can and Guntower Lane. But it also included some most skiers probably aren’t familiar with, such as 29 Turns, Grandma’s, Rollercoaster and Drop Out. And it included four new runs: Bear Den, Sheep Camp, Pioneer Bowl and Tim’s.

Given the low snowpack, not all the runs could be done this year. But, still, 204 men, women and children took the challenge.

Among the youngest was 9-year-old Jack George, who vacationed in Sun Valley over President’s Week.

When he heard a couple ski instructors talking about it, he decided he wanted to do it, too. And, over the course of seven mornings, he and his ski instructor Erk Bainter did it together.

Others trying it for the first time were Cookie Blair and Scott Falkner, who came to Sun Valley from the Salt Lake City area, where they had skied in the Wasatch Mountains.

“It had a great vibe, great energy,” said Falkner. “We went on trails we hadn’t done, such as Fire Trail. It was a great challenge, and I think we will probably do it again next year. But, maybe next year, we’ll do the Dollar Mountain Challenge.”

Ketchum Mayor Pete Prekeges said he thinks the Baldy Challenge is pretty unique as far as ski resorts go.

“We’re tough nuts to crack in this town,” he said. “If you’ve done Baldy Challenge, you’re a local even if it’s your first day in town.”

ADD A BIT OF GOLF TO YOUR SKI DAY

As Sun Valley prepares for its last day of skiing on Sunday, April 12, the resort will open the back nine of the Elkhorn Golf Course on Saturday, April 11. The Elkhorn Pro Shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily beginning that day.

Meanwhile, the season ending Baldy Bash will take place on Saturday with Shon Sanders and the Four Penny Peep Show playing from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and Casio Dreams from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the bottom of Warm Springs.

Phunk Shui will provide live music from 2 to 5 p.m. on the closing day.