STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Got creaky knees?

You’ll be delighted to learn that Sun Valley Resort is set to crank up the Roundhouse Gondola today.

Seats are reserved for hikers and sightseers only, offering a panacea for those who like to hike up and go easy on the knees by hitching a ride downhill.

The Roundhouse restaurant opens today with outdoor seating only. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays throughout the summer.

For reservations, call 208-622-2012 or email roundhousereservations@sunvalley.com.

There will be no lift-accessed biking this year because of the construction of the new Cold Springs chairlift and ongoing forest health projects in the area of Lupine and other trails.

Mountain bikers are, however, invited to use trails on the Warm Springs side of the mountain, provided they’re prepared to pedal up.

A few trails, such as Cold Springs Perimeter Trail and Mid Cozy to the top of the Warm Springs Perimeter Trail, will not open until after July 1 due to elk calving.

Trails that are closed are the Saddle Up Flow Trail, Lupine Flow Trail and Mindbender Flow Trail. The Pale Rider Flow Trail will be open to downhill traffic only.

All other trails will be open but are subject to occasional temporary closures due to ongoing forest health projects.