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When was Sun Valley Lodge built?

4 min read

Asked by: Tom Alcala

1936Sun Valley Resort Fact Sheet Sun Valley Resort is America’s first destination resort, built in 1936 by the Union Pacific Railroad.

Why was Sun Valley built?

The first destination winter resort in the U.S. was developed by W. Averell Harriman, the chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, primarily to increase ridership on U.P. passenger trains in the Western United States.

Who founded the Sun Valley Lodge?

It all began in 1935, when Count Felix Schaffgotsch, under the hire of Union Pacific Railroad chairman Averell Harriman, set out in search of the perfect spot for a grand American Ski Resort.

What is the difference between the Sun Valley Lodge and the Sun Valley Inn?

The Sun Valley Inn is the sister property of the Sun Valley Lodge and shares all of the amenities of the Lodge. The Sun Valley Inn is decorated in the same elegant style as the Lodge. You can easily walk between the two properties across the resort’s courtyard.

Why is Sun Valley called Sun Valley?

The name “Sun Valley” was thought up by a New York PR agent, Steve Hannigan, who thought the name appropriate for a place that receives 250 days of sunshine a year. Sun Valley Resort’s uphill lift capacity on Bald Mountain is a staggering 21,580 skiers per hour, but averages only 3,500 skiers per day.

How old is Sun Valley Lodge?

Sun Valley Resort is America’s first destination resort, built in 1936 by the Union Pacific Railroad.

When was the first ski resort opened in Colorado?

Opened in 1940, Winter Park is considered to be the state’s first major ski area, though many smaller outfits were established in Colorado long before then. As you can imagine, not every ski area formed in the state has made it over the years.

Why is Sun Valley famous?

With the grand opening of Sun Valley, “America’s First Destination Ski Resort,” celebrities flocked to the area to see America’s new grand dame of ski resorts. Ernest Hemingway fell in love with Sun Valley and eventually made it his home; he finished For Whom the Bell Tolls in Suite 206 of the Sun Valley Lodge.

What was the first ski resort in the United States?

Howelsen Hill was founded in 1914 by Norwegian immigrant Carl Howelsen and is now known as Colorado’s and North America’s oldest operating ski area. Not only was it the first, but the ski area has produced more Olympians (nearly 90) since its opening than any other ski area in America.

Is Sun Valley rich?

The collective wealth of the small group of people inside that Sun Valley resort is estimated to be a trillion dollars – meaning that confiscating it all could end homelessness in America for the next decade, with a few hundred billion left over.

What celebrities have homes in Sun Valley Idaho?

Sun Valley is a celebrity hotspot – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett, Adam West, Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Miller, Demi Moore, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, Ashton Kutcher, Richard Dreyfuss, Jamie Lee Curtis, Steve Wynn, Justin Timberlake, and Bill Gates all have owned property in Sun Valley

Is Sun Valley steep?

No run-outs, no time-wasting traverses; just lots of steep, deeply scenic, delightfully charismatic terrain—3,400 vertical feet of it spilling off the tabletop summit of Bald Mountain.

What is the longest run at Sun Valley?

3 miles

The area receives about 220 inches of snowfall per year. There are 121 trails serviced by 18 lifts along with 2 terrain parks, a Super Pipe and Jib Park. The steepest run is Inhibition, which is 70% or 35 degrees, and the longest run is a total of 3 miles.

How difficult is Sun Valley?

The mountain stretches from a base elevation of 5,750 feet to a summit elevation of 9,150 feet. Our friends at ZRankings list Sun Valley’s True Annual Snowfall at 196 inches. 36% of the mountain is considered easy terrain, 42% intermediate terrain, and 22% difficult terrain.

Is Sun Valley owned by Vail?

Sun Valley and Snowbasin are 100% independently-owned and operated with no plans for acquisition. They have formed an alliance with Vail Resorts to offer benefits to each other’s season pass holders.