SUN VALLEY IDAHO, AMERICA'S FIRST DESTINATION RESORT
AMERICA'S FIRST SKI RESORT
Cheryl Concannon, Realtor  info@sunvalleyrealestate.info

The history of "America's Shangri-La", as Sun Valley has been referred, is similar to that of the magical legend. In 1935, under the hire of Averell Harriman, Union Pacific's railroad chairman, Count Felix Schaffgtosch set out to find the perfect place for a grand American ski resort.      In the early days of the resort, the founder, Avrill Herriman, wanted Sun Valley to reflect the famous European ski resorts he had visited and provide many outdoor winter sports  for entertainment and exercise of the guests. Today the Sun Valley Lodge hosts weekly summer performances by Olympic athletes and World Champions every Saturday night on the original Sun Valley Ice Rink.              The opening ceremonies were on December 21, 1936 ad were hosted by Union Pacific president William Jeffers and Lodge manager Raymond Stevens. Around 300 guests attended the opening dinner and speaches by Jeffers, Stevens, Govenor C. Ben Ross and lieutenant governor-elect C.C. Gossett, New York attorney Harrision Tweed and Count Felix Schaffgotsch were broadcast from 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Salt Lake City's radio station KSL.      Tuxedoed waiters served champagne and caviar to an elite set that included Samuel Goldwyn, Wesley Ruggles, Lydia du Pont, and Lowell Thomas, whose weekly syndicated news show played to twonty million listeners.      Thomas loved to travel and broadcast his famous travelogues from exotic places, especially ski resorts. He skied in Sun Valley ever year until his death. Rocky mountain Telephone and Telegraph installed special boradcast lines from Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Los Angeles to relay Thomas' show.      Life photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt came to Sun Valley soon after the new Year's Eve celebration to report of the new resotr and its wealthy clientale. Life was a new magazine at the time and coverage proved that readers were interested in those who spent their time in idle pursuits. Both the Sun Valley Resort and Life Magazine's popularity soared.       W. Averell Harriman wanted to create a European style ski village similar to those in the European Alps such as St. Moritz that he had enjoyed in his travels, hoping that Americans would embrace this new destination mountain resort and passenger service would  thereby increase on his railroad.      Before the railroad, the main currents of American history had bypassed Idaho, keeping it remote until late in the 19th century. Only fur traders and the Shoshoni Indians knew of the arid Snake River Plain before 1840, yet in only a few years thousands of settlers would pass through looking for a better life at the end of the Oregon Trail. The trail was one of the greatest overland migration routes in history.       (From the Blaine County Historical society) "In 1880, the Town of Ketchum, named after David Ketchum, a trapper and guide, was one of the richest mining districts in the Northwest. By the early 1890's, the price of silver declined and the mining boom ended. By 1890, a new industry appeared in Ketchum. Sheepmen from the South drove their herds through Ketchum to summer grazing in the Sawtooth, Boulder and Pioneer Mountains. By 1920, Ketchum was the largest sheep/lamb shipping station in the U.S.      In 1935, the Union Pacific Railroad came to town attracting passengers to a destination ski resort called Sun Valley. Gambling flourished during 1937 to 1947, then in 1954 gambling was totally banned.      In 1973, the Sawtooth Recreation Area opened its doors north of Ketchum, making Ketchum the gateway to the Sawtooths. Ketchum is now a year-round resort/recreation area. The annual Wagon Days parade held on labor day weekend featuring over 100 non-motorized entries, including the original Lewis Ore Wagons, is the town's annual celebration of its rich pioneer and mining heritage."      For more information www.visitketchum.com  Blaine County Historical Museum bchistoricalmuseum.org      The Count spent months searching and surveying the mountains of the west, areas that would latter become famous resorts, but none of them met his strict criteria. As he was about to abandon his search, he heard talk about Ketchum, an old mining town in central Idaho and set out to see for himself. Upon reaching the Ketchum valley, Count Schaffgtosch was impressed by the area and wired Averell Harriman saying: "This combines more delightful features than any place I have ever seen in Switzerland, Austria or the U.S. for a winter resort."      Fortunately, the area was serviced by a small branch of  Union Pacific Railroad. Within days Harriman had rushed to join the Count and purchased 4,300 acres of what     became Sun Valley, America's first ski resort in 1936. The Wood River Valley had remained wild and wooly until the railroad arrived in the early 1880's. It's discovery and settlement came late in the nineteenth century of Western expansion. Harriman was to have said: "It is not enough to build a hotel and then mark with flags and signs the things you propose to do in time to come. When you get to Sun Valley, your eyes should pop open.      There isn't a single thing what I could wish for that hasn't been provided." Part of what Harriman wished for included impeccable service and nightly orchestra performances. After just seven months of round the clock construction, Sun Valley opened to the public in the winter of 1936 and was an instant success. Steve Hannagan's promotional efforts those many years ago resulted in Sun Valley gracing the cover of Life Magazine  while feature articles appeared in Vogue and Esquire.      The Sun Valley Lodge became overnight a rendezvous of Hollywood and the social East.  Sun Valley allowed women a socially accepted invitation to sport and helped break down the traditional gender barrier in the 1940's.      "Sun Valley" among skiers refers to the downhill ski area, which consists of Bald Mountain, called affectionately "Baldy" by locals, and Dollar Mountain, which is geared toward novice and lower intermediate skiers. Bald Mountain, the main ski mountain, has a vertical drop of 3400 feet and a Summit elevation of 9150. With an abundance of constant pitch terrain at varying degrees of difficulty and its substantial vertical drop and absence of wind, Baldy had often been referred to as the best single ski mountain in the world  making for comfortable but rigorous skiing.      Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis and more.  As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,427. The elevation of Sun Valley at the Lodge is 5920 feet above sea level.      From Sun Valley's early days in 1936, it has modeled a European ideal of sport and society in the American wilderness. To this day Sun Valley has the reputation of being both an isolated haven the distinguishment of having created the first chair lift and in 2005, hosting an internationally televised visit from His Holiness The Dalai Lama, which 10,000 people attended. Non stop direct flights are available from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Oakland, California and airlines are bidding on adding new flights into the famous ski resort that is more like a European ski resort than any other American destination resort.      In the late 1960's, a Bell 47 helicopter would ferry one or two skiers at a time to the high peaks encircling the Sun Valley Lodge. In 1976, Sun Valley Helicopter Ski Guides, Inc. became one of the first operations in the United States to offer guided heli*skiing. Carl Rixon, one of the original guides, is still leading groups today. Pete Patterson, Olympian and World Championship Medal Winner, was a passenger in the old Bell 47 as a youngster. Now he, along with Rick Barker, Mark Baumgardener, and "Bozo" Cardozo make up the bulk of a guide staff with over 100 years of combined experience.      Sun Valley today is spear heading a new renaissance. International five star hotels are vying for the opportunity to add Sun Valley to their exclusive group, JEEP has selected Sun Valley as the location for the 2008 JEEP KING OF THE MOUNTAIN TOUR which was a grand success and covered by CBS NEWS, new golf courses and club houses are under construction. The Sun Valley Corporation has built a new gun club and Amphi-theater for the Sun Valley Symphony and the YWCA has completed a twenty million dollar complex with a variety of indoor sports.      Many say that Sun Valley, Idaho is a magical place where they can feel renewed, restored while they experience the dry powder on "Baldy", the miles of bike paths or multiple golf courses.     info@sunvalleyrealestate.info   CHERYL CONCANNON,  Sun Valley Realtor