Sun Valley is an affluent resort community in central Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum in Blaine County. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and more. The population was 1,427 at the 2000 census. Few of its residents stay year-round, most come from major cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more distantly Chicago and New York. The elevation of Sun Valley (at the Lodge) is 5920 feet (1804 m) above sea level. The area is served by Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey.
Among skiers, the term "Sun Valley" refers to the alpine ski area, which consists of Bald Mountain, the main ski mountain, and Dollar Mountain, which is geared toward novice and lower intermediate skiers. Bald Mountain, or "Baldy," has a summit of 9150 feet (2789 m) and a vertical drop of 3400 feet (1036 m). With its abundance of constant-pitch terrain, at varying degrees of difficulty, coupled with its substantial vertical drop and absence of wind, Baldy has often been referred to as the best single ski mountain in the world. The treeless "Dollar" at 6638 feet (2023 m) has a moderate vertical drop of 628 feet (191 m).
