STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Just in the Nick of time, Santa has transformed Sun Valley Resort into a Winter Wonderland.

Six inches of snow earlier in the week transformed the top of the mountain, setting in motion the opportunity to open Upper Warm Springs, Upper Limelight, Upper River Run and the powder run next to Blue Grouse.

And another nine inches fell on Sunday making for fabulous powder skiing as Christmas visitors began to flock to Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain.

More runs would seem to be on the cusp of opening, including Ridge, Blue Grouse, Roundhouse Slope, Lower Canyon, Flying Squirrel and Lower Warm Springs. And the snow has piled up on Guntower Lane leading to Seattle Ridge, covering what had been dirt earlier in the week.

North Valley Nordic trails are now reveling in white stuff, with Galena Lodge picking up nine inches Sunday, after what had been a slow start to the cross-country ski season. Trails that are being consistently groomed at Galena Lodge include Northwood River, Horse Creek, Gladiator Creek, Rip and Tear, Senate Meadows Loop and Jenny’s Way.

The Harriman Trail was completely groomed from SNRA to Galena Lodge for the first time on Sunday. Durrance Loop is being groomed, as well.

Unfortunately, Blaine County Recreation District packed the trails at Quigley Nordic on Thursday only to see them get wiped out by rain that night. But Quigley had six inches of snow by mid-afternoon on Sunday, even as the temperature climbed to 38 degrees, so…fingers crossed. And, maybe throw some ice cubes in the air in hopes that it will cool the precipitation coming down in Hailey.

Sun Valley Nordic has not opened yet, but at least eight inches piled up on the trails there on Sunday so expect to see some trail packing soon.