STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Wood River Valley residents and visitors are invited to come out Sunday, June 26 to help spruce up Bald Mountain.
Participants should plan on meeting at 8:30 a.m. at River Run Plaza for light refreshments and a brief safety overview. A lift ticket good for the entire day will be included, allowing participants to fan out over the mountains looking for any copies of “War and Peace” and dental floss that might have fallen from skiers on the chairlifts this past winter.
The resort has designated several areas for trash pickup, including River Run, Seattle Ridge and the Warm Springs area, said Jenna Vagias, public relations specialist for the resort. Trucks will also be used to ferry people to parts of the mountain that are harder to get to.
The event will conclude at 12:30 p.m. at the River Run Plaza with a chance for raffle prizes, including a 2022/23 Challenger season pass.
Sun Valley Resort will begin running its lift on Saturday, June 25. The Roundhouse Gondola and Christmas Chair will provide access to Bald Mountain for hiking, sightseeing and dining at the historic Roundhouse, which is perched at 7,700 feet.
Access to downhill mountain biking will begin a week later on Friday, July 1. Mountain bike rentals will be available at Pete Lane’s at river Run.
Bald Mountain offers 12 summer trails totaling over 38 miles for use by hikers and bikers. Among them the longest purpose-built downhill mountain biking trail in the United States—a trail that drops more than 3,300 feet.
Access to the trails is free. Those wishing to catch a ride to the top via the gondola and chairlift can purchase a $26 lift ticket online or at the River Run ticket office.
Lifts will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week with alternative hours on select Wednesdays in July and August.
The Roundhouse restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays.
A Bald Mountain Summer Kick Off Party will be held Saturday, July 2, at River Run and will include free outdoor yoga, live music, lawn games, an outdoor BBQ, free bike inspections and raffle prizes, including a custom New Belgium Bike.