Hailey ski scene ups its offerings
BY Dana DuGan
Having slope choices is usually the purview of large resort areas. And with some key improvements to be implemented at Hailey’s ski area, Rotarun, there will be more to ski this coming season here in the Wood River Valley. Family-friendly Rotarun, located three miles west of Hailey on Rodeo Drive, will introduce new changes for the upcoming 2016-17 ski season, including a change in on-mountain lighting, night skiing, ski programs, tubing and other events.
New light fixtures will provide better lighting of the ski mountain surface and will support expansion of the evening race training programs and events.
Since Rotarun is the only place one can ski at night in the Valley, skiing under the lights will be moved to Friday and Saturday nights until 9 p.m. This provides skiers an additional evening activity. The nighttime Race Series will move to Saturday nights, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25.
Administered and coached by the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, the Learn to Alpine Ski and Race (LASER) program for youth 5 to 11 years old continues this year, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. after school Wednesdays and Fridays for eight weeks, starting in January. To register and for more information, interested participants should contact the SVSEF at svsef.org.
But even the non-skiers among us have an opportunity to play on the hill. A new dual tack tubing course on the northwest side will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 12 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Rotarun will also hold a few special events later this year, including a New Year’s pasta dinner with skiing under the lights and fireworks, and a free Community Appreciation Day in February.
To keep everyone comfortable while taking a break or putting on equipment, the Sun Valley Company donated comfortable chairs from River Run Lodge to replace the old benches, charming as they might have once been.
But perhaps the most intriguing news out of the nonprofit organization is the potential for snowmaking. This will not commence until the 2017-18 season, but the Idaho Department of Water Resources has approved a transfer of water right to Rotarun for snowmaking usage.
While we all wait for that propitious day, we can all pray for another great ski year on the Valley’s fine slopes. And now in the south Valley, Rotarun’s improvements will keep everyone involved.
For more information on Rotarun’s busy upcoming ski season, visit rotarunskiarea.org.