Sun Valley and Pomerelle, January 31st through February 3rd, 2021

I'm way behind in my posts, so here is some catch-up, starting with the best shots of Sun Valley . . . and Pomerelle Mountain Resort, a small, mom-and-pop ski area just north of City of Rocks in SE Idaho, for one run during the drive home. We had to stop to pee anyway, why not take one run . . .

Sun Valley

As a preface, the winter in Utah thus far has seen very little snowfall, so little that I've lost interest in BC skiing (see my previous post) so we booked another long weekend in Ketchum. This is our second year skiing Sun Valley, staying at the same condo as last year, which is within walking distance (one block) of the Warms Springs base. Last year was fun albeit a bit hard and icy conditions, but who cares, it's skiing. This year we totally lucked out. Two days before our drive to Ketchum, Sun Valley got dumped upon. Depending upon who you believe, Ketchum received 30 to 60 inches within the three days prior to our arrival. Sun Valley is not known for deep snow, but checking ski reports the day we left, they had a deeper base than Alta, which normally has double or triple the snow of Sun Valley. Alta averages more than 450 inches a year while Sun Valley averages around 200 inches per year.

So we headed north for some real snow, and real snow we got. Deep and soft with absolutely ZERO lift-lines. Same as last year but now with twice as much snow. Our longest wait was two chairs. Utah is pretty messed up in many ways, I could go all political or religious on you, but I won't, I've got integrity and I respect you more than I do politicians or fake Christians (based only on Utah drivers), and Utah has too many of both, but still, Utah is now failing in it's ski industry. The lift lines in Utah suck. Ski Utah is an unnatural, aberrant, dribble of  fake-news, resulting in stolen ski lines, which demands a sans-violent insurrection of the Icon and Epic conglomerates. The marketeers heap on the glamor of powder skiing, but Utah ski resorts have ZERO powder. It's gone within three seconds after the ropes are pulled, and the back-country is quickly become just the same. What is meant to be a joyful, spiritual experience, is now a major rat-race of money laundering, vehicle jockeying, and lift lines that are longer than the queue at the Plastic Surgeon's office  three months before your 30th (40th?) high school reunion. It is absolutely ridiculous to sit on one's ass in one's car for three hours on a Saturday, moving inches, not miles per hour, whilst driving up Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon, ultimately turned away because there is no fucking parking spots left. I refuse to ski anywhere that requires a reservation for parking. It is an unnatural abomination before the lord.  

But I rant and ranting is divisive. Let's just oogle some ski pics of Sun Valley . . .   

Soft bumps on Upper Hemingway. I saw NO-ONE on this run for three days.

The cat-track to the far west edge of Sun Valley.

The summit of Sun Valley on a beautiful day with soft snow and sunshgince everywhere. 

Riding up Lookout Express, view east towards the Pioneer Mountains and Hyndman Peak (12,009- feet elevation). 

Ten years ago I stayed in a yurt at the base of Hyndman Peak for a long weekend of Powder skiing. During that trip it dawned on me that Ketchum back country skiers have absolutely no competition for skin tracks or ski lines anywhere due to a fraction of the population coupled with a huge mountain offering. The Ketchum-Stanley area of Idaho has a much larger mountain topography than the Wasatch Front. From Hailey to Stanley, a 75 mile drive, the highway is bordered by big, skiable mountains on all sides, row upon row of ridges and big peaks in every direction. In the distance from Hailey to Stanley, roughly the distance from Prove to Brigham City, similar to the distance of northern two-thirds of the Wasatch Mountains, encompassing both Custer and Blaine Counties, has a population of under 30,000, per the 2010 Census. In comparison, the 2010 Census put the population of Utah’s ‘big five’ counties (Utah, Sal Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder) at 1.9+ million. Yes, that’s old data, the current estimates have the Utah 'big five’ at almost 3 million people while the estimated population of Idaho’s Blaine and Custer Counties is estimated at under 40,000. 

The disparity in skiable terrain between Hailey and Stanley vs. the Wasatch Front is immense, covering roughly twenty-times the Wasatch footprint, again with a fraction of the population. And these aren’t rounded foothills or hills in the city park, we are not talking about a 6AM run to Lake Blanche before work, although I’m there are similar offering, these are big, serious mountains without highways circling their bases like the Wasatch. Back Country skiers up here need to be strong, fit and capable for long days on big lines without easy exits when shit hits the radiator fan. No bus service to 7-11 in a moment of weakness. Being prepared for an overnight bivi is mandatory when skiing many of these Idaho mountains.    

While skiing Sun Valley I had planned to back county ski one day, aiming for a return to Hyndman Peak,  but with such a huge offering I decided to do my due-diligence and research what was nearby. I went into The Elephant's Perch, a climbing and ski shop in Ketchum, and stupidly asked for a back-country ski guide. The employees all stopped what they were doing, turned and stared, looking at me like I was asking for diamond earrings. "There is no ski guide, “ said five employees in unison. Instead I bought several hiking maps if only to find trailheads. In sad comparison, the Wasatch Mountains are too-well documented, FIVE back country ski guides by my count, many more bootleg guides that I don’t know about. In the end we didn’t have the time for my selfish backcountry foray into the Sawtooths, White Clouds or the Pioneer Mountains of Idaho. 

Yes, I am a grumpy old man and I know that the world has passed me by. I can’t accept the Wasatch standard that backcountry skiing is a conga line on the up, and a mass-orge on the down. The crowding and the competition sucks out the joy. BC skiing should be an adventure, not a bread-crumb, hop-scotch to tick off the '50-bad-ass lines in the Wasatch.’ 

Do the math. For a 'John Denver’ experience the Wasatch is toast. Idaho is a different world. I'd move to Hailey if I wasn't locked into a job.

The view from our dining room window, Warm Springs Base just a shuffle away, no parking reservation necessary.

The fastest nurse in Bountiful.

And then there was Pomerelle 

For Pomerelle, on the way home from Sun Valley, who cares if it's 3pm and the lifts might be closed, exit I-84 at Burley and head south to Albion, then head over the mountain as if you're going to City of Rocks, but turn right (west) at the low pass and drive about 5 miles up the winding, icy, snow-packed road to Pomerelle. 

At 4pm at the ticket window, the ‘help' said it was either $10 for one lift ride or $52 for a twilight pass, the 'big lift' closes at 4:30, the smaller lift open until 9pm. I paid $10 for one run and they gave me what looked like raffle ticket and said, “give it to the Lifty." Skis on, I shuffled up to the lift where a very young Lifty, looking much like a 15-year-old Prince Harry in a Levi jacket, was shivering while raking the snow. I handed Sir-Harry the raffle ticket. He looked at me like I just gave him diamond earrings: 

   "what the freak is this?"said Pomerelle Harry.

   "It's a ONE-ride ticket,' I said. 

   "Huh . . . who new? Never seen one of these." said the Lifty. 

Simple is as simple does. I'm starting to 'get' the barn signs along the way (see below).

 

I loved everything about this place, low-key, relaxed and no crowds. The only downer were all the 'Trump Stolen in 2020' on half the barns between Burly and Albion Idaho.  

Biggest lift at Pomerelle, Triple 88, just under 1,000 vertical feet, but can you see ANYONE else riding this thing? Makes me happy.

And still powder under the lift at 4:15 in the afternoon.

This is the steepest section of a black diamond run called Instructor, which is no steeper than Big Emma at Snowbird. Not too challenging, but can you see another skier? Anywhere? Makes me happy. 

It was an XXX-Large, it’s all they had, but I bought it anyway and once home I sewed-off 3-inches from each side, off each arm-pit and off the upper sleeves. A pretty damn OK alteration for a fat-accountant, if I do say so myself.  $20 bucks well spent.