Bald Mountain (Idaho)

Bald Mountain (9150 feet, 2789 m) is a mountain in south central Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum in Blaine County. The mountain has one of the higher summits of the Smoky Mountains of Idaho, located in the Sawtooth National Forest. The forested Smoky Mountains were named for their propensity for summer forest fires.

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.
Bald Mountain
Bald Mountain from Sun Valley Lake
Bald Mountain
Location in Idaho
Bald Mountain
Bald Mountain (the United States)
LocationKetchum & Sun Valley
Blaine County, Idaho
 United States
Nearest major cityTwin Falls - 80 mi. (130 km)
Boise - 150 mi. (240 km)
Salt Lake - 330 mi. (530 km)
Coordinates43°39′18″N 114°24′33″W
Vertical3400 ft - (1036 m)
Top elevation9150 ft - (2789 m)
Base elevation5750 ft - (1753 m)
River Run
Skiable area2054 acres - (8.3 km²)
Runs75
- 36% easiest
- 42% more difficult
- 22% most difficult
Lift system14
- 1 gondola (8 person)
- 7 hi-speed quads
- 3 triples
- 2 doubles
- 1 surface
Snowfall220 in. - (560 cm)
Snowmaking645 acres - (2.6 km²)
Night skiingnone
WebsiteSun Valley.com

Sun Valley Skiing
Bald Mountain in summer.

It is the primary ski mountain of the Sun Valley ski 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 9020 feet (2749 m),.

With a base elevation of 5750 feet (1753 m) along the Big Wood River at River Run, Baldy's vertical drop is 3400 feet (1036 m) along its northeast face. It is served by 14 ski lifts (1 eight-person gondola, 7 high-speed quads, 3 triples, 2 doubles, 1 surface); Baldy has more uphill capacity per skier than any other ski area. It has 75 runs with 2054 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.

Sun Valley's Bald Mountain is independent of the Bald Mountain Ski Area, a modest ski hill near Pierce in Clearwater County in north central Idaho.

Ski Runs

Easiest (Green Runs)

  • Lower River Run
  • Lower College
  • Olympic Ridge
  • Olympic Lane
  • 42nd Street
  • Upper College
  • Broadway
  • Broadway Face
  • Lilly Marlane
  • Maiden Lane
  • Mid Warm Springs
  • Lower Warm Springs
  • Lower Greyhawk
  • Sunset Strip
  • Roundhouse Slope
  • Roundhouse Lane


More Difficult (Blue Runs)

  • Mid River Run
  • Flying Squirrel
  • Upper Canyon
  • Blue Grouse
  • Cutoff
  • Christmas Lane
  • Wolverton
  • Christmas Ridge
  • Upper Janss Pass
  • Upper French Dip
  • Upper Can-Can
  • Graduate
  • Lower Cozy
  • Lower Limelight
  • Warm Springs Face
  • Upper Warm Springs
  • Race Arena
  • Mid Hemingway
  • Mid Greyhawk
  • Mid Cozy
  • Lower Picabo's Street
  • Lower Hemingway
  • I-80
  • Brick's Island
  • Upper Canyon
  • Mid River Run
  • Lower Canyon
  • Lower Blue Grouse

Most Difficult (Black Diamond Runs)

  • Sleeping Bear
  • Exhibition
  • Inhibition
  • 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 as 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]

References
  1. Shales, Tom (2006-05-21). "NBC's 'Apocalypse 10.5': Let's Get Ready to Crumble!". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
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