Sun Valley Resort will kick off its 91st winter season on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026, with gates opening at 9 a.m. sharp at the River Run Base area of Bald Mountain. The resort is marking the occasion with complimentary hot cocoa, live music and food and beverage offerings on opening day.
According to Sun Valley, the opening-day celebration is designed to welcome skiers and riders back to the mountain as the resort enters its tenth decade of operation. As BoiseDev reported, Sun Valley officials have framed this season as a notable one in the resort's recent history, pointing to two new high-speed lifts and the return of a major international ski race.
Two New High-Speed Lifts Replace Decades-Old Chairs
The Lookout Express and Christmas lifts are scheduled to open in December 2026, according to Outdoor Sportswire. Per the resort, the Lookout Express is a Doppelmayr high-speed six-passenger chairlift with a vertical rise of 2,673 feet and a ride time of 8.5 minutes, replacing an original lift built in 1993. The Christmas lift, also described by the resort as a high-speed four-person detachable chair, climbs 1,354 feet in 4.5 minutes and takes over for a lift that dated back to 1988.
Sun Valley has also upgraded its snowmaking system across all four pumphouses on Bald Mountain for the 2026/27 winter season, the outlet's report notes. Resort officials have described the terrain and lift investments as preparation ahead of a marquee race event returning to the mountain next spring.
Gladed Terrain Expansion, With Some Uncertainty on Timing
Sun Valley officials have described a newly gladed advanced terrain addition between Christin's Silver, Leigh Lane and Upper Broadway as some of the mountain's most exciting terrain, per resort officials. Outdoor Sportswire reported that an additional 50 acres of terrain would be newly gladed for the 2026–27 season, while a separate account from Unofficial Networks described the same 50 acres as having already been added between those same landmarks. The two reports differ on whether the work was completed or still planned heading into the season.
That gladed terrain is part of a broader, multiyear push known as the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project. Per the same Unofficial Networks report, Sun Valley says more than 390 acres of new gladed terrain have been introduced through the project over the past six years, including 90 acres opened between Canyon, Exhibition and Olympic for the 2025–26 season. The resort has said the stewardship effort is intended to improve forest health, remove dead and dying trees, reduce wildfire fuels and make the forest more resilient.
World Cup Finals Return to Bald Mountain in March
Sun Valley is scheduled to host the Stifel Sun Valley Finals on Bald Mountain from March 20 to 25, 2027. The invite-only event features the world's top-ranked skiers and snowboarders and will crown Crystal Globe champions in downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom for both men and women, marking the second time the race has returned to Sun Valley as the world's largest ski race.
“Two new high-speed lifts and the return of the FIS Ski World Cup Finals make this season one of the most notable in Sun Valley's recent history,” said Pete Sonntag, chief operating officer at Sun Valley Resort, according to BoiseDev. Sonntag also said continued mountain investment and distinctive hospitality encourage guests to return, adding that the resort is grateful for their loyalty. “We could not be more proud to bring the FIS Ski World Cup Finals back to our slopes in March, and showcase to the world just how special this community is,” Sonntag said.
Beginner Terrain, Passes and a Dark-Sky Milestone
Sunny's Adventure Park, a beginner learning area on Dollar Mountain, is also scheduled to open for the season in December, per Outdoor Sportswire's reporting. Sun Valley Resort is offering annual season passes for the upcoming winter and has renewed pass partnerships with Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective.
The resort also received DarkSky International certification in 2026, becoming the first U.S. resort to receive the designation, Outdoor Sportswire reported. Ahead of opening day, Sun Valley's annual Pray for Snow Party is set for Saturday at River Run Lodge, giving locals one more reason to gather before the lifts start spinning on the 26th.
