Sun Valley and Ketchum (Idaho)
Sun Valley is well-known for its downhill skiing area. However, the extensive Nordic trails make it a premier cross-country ski destination. Start at the ski area’s Nordic center, where a teaching area and a series of unintimidating practice loops adjoin the center’s lavish clubhouse. 40 kilometers of trails lead from there through two golf courses and into adjacent forest. Another 200 km of groomed track trace the Wood River Valley, which runs northwest and south from Ketchum. The Wood River Trail is a gentle former railroad grade that provides excellent beginner terrain. Galena Lodge is surrounded by 50 km of rolling trails in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. This area is home to craggy peaks, grand vistas, and a variety of other scenic wonders. The rustic venue, located 23 miles from Ketchum and built on the site a former mining town, provides ski lessons and lunch. Skiers can also enjoy soups and sandwiches made on-site. Shuttles are available from Ketchum to the lodge every weekend until February 31st. They also stop at various points along the route that provide access to groomed loops in the North Valley Trails system.
Details: At Sun Valley Nordic, adult day pass, $32, private lessons from $135, daily rentals, $32 to 38; adult day pass for North Valley Trails, $18; at Galena Lodge, private lessons from $70, beginner’s lesson with rental and ski pass, $85; daily rentals, $30 to $40.
Washington
Seattle skiers regularly drive four or five hours to this valley in the North Cascades for some of the best cross-country skiing anywhere, with reliable snow, high-mountain scenery — and sun. Spokane is a three-and-a-half-hour drive away for skiers from other states. Two hundred kilometers of groomed track — North America’s largest continuous trail system — connect the five small towns strung along the valley, anchored by the 32-kilometer Community Trail. Start lessons at the Methow Valley Ski School, Mazama, or at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop. Explore gentler routes such as the Big Valley Inner or Outer Loops, or go on the flatter sections of the Community Trail starting from Mazama or Winthrop (the middle section being hillier). Skiing across the Methow River via a suspension bridge that spans 280 feet is a highlight. Sun Mountain Lodge overlooks Patterson Lake and has trails that lead out to it. A few of them remain closed this winter following last summer’s wildfires, but the lodge itself has been thoroughly restored from smoke damage.
Details: Adult day pass $25; private lessons starting at $65; daily rentals $25
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Source: NY Times
