This article is about the Bald Mountain of the Sun Valley Resort in Blaine County, Idaho. For the modest ski area in Clearwater County, see Bald Mountain Ski Area.
It is the primary ski mountain of the Sun Valleyski resort, and renowned for its lengthy runs at a uniform gradient, at varying levels of difficulty, and with little wind.
In the Sun Valley's fourth year of operation (1939–40), Bald Mountain was opened for lift-served skiing, with a series of three (single-seat) chairlifts, unloading at an elevation of 9,020 feet (2,749 m).
With a base elevation of 5,750 feet (1,750 m) along the Big Wood River at River Run, Baldy's vertical drop is 3,400 feet (1,036 m) along its northeast face. It is served by fourteen ski lifts (an eight-person gondola, a high speed six pack, seven high speed quads, two triple chairlifts, and a surface); Baldy has more uphill capacity per skier than any other ski area. It has 75 runs with 2,054 acres (8.31 km2) of on-piste skiing, 645 acres (2.61 km2) of which have snowmaking.
The slope ratings are 36% easiest, 42% more difficult, and 22% most difficult. These ratings are relative, not absolute; much of the "easiest" terrain on Bald Mountain would be rated as "intermediate" at most ski areas, as the beginner areas are on the gentler and smaller Dollar Mountain.
Olympic (Not to be confused with Olympic Lane or Olympic Ridge)
Fire Trail
Mayday Bowl
Lookout Bowl
Easter Bowl
Little Easter Bowl
Rock Garden
Upper Limelight
Upper Hemingway
Upper Picabo's Street
Upper Greyhawk
Upper Cozy
Mid Picabo's Street
Mid Limelight
International
Arnold's Run
Upper River Run
Upper Holiday
Mid Holiday
Lower Holiday
In media
In the NBC miniseries, 10.5: Apocalypse, this mountain is an extinct volcano that erupts with devastating force. An avalanche of hot gases and ash cascaded down the mountain and buried everything, including the mountain's ski areas, and the towns of Sun Valley, Ketchum, and Hailey. Multiple rescue teams arrived at the scene and dug through the debris caused by Bald Mountain's eruption, looking for any survivors.[1]
