Sun Valley, ID. (January 7, 2026) —
Sun Valley Resort has been featured in The New York Times' article "Slalom and Skeleton: 5 Places to Experience Olympic Sports, Without a Trip to Milan," spotlighting the Idaho destination as one of five premier North American venues where winter sports enthusiasts can experience Olympic-level competition and training without traveling to Italy for the 2026 Winter Games.
The Times highlighted Sun Valley's impressive Olympic heritage, noting that 56 former and current Olympians hail from the region. The article described how the resort honors its championship tradition by naming runs on Bald Mountain after hometown Alpine medalists, from Gretchen's Gold—named for Gretchen Fraser, the first American to win an Alpine skiing gold medal in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland—to Kaitlyn's Bowl, honoring snowboarder Kaitlyn Farrington's 2014 halfpipe gold medal in Sochi, Russia.
The article emphasized Sun Valley's active role in developing future champions, noting that the mountain regularly hosts U.S. Alpine National Championships and has hosted World Cup races. The resort hosted the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals in 2025, and will host again in 2027. This spring, the U.S. Paralympics will hold a training camp at Sun Valley Resort, while the Wood River Valley Nordic trails serve as Olympic training grounds.
The Times also featured the historic outdoor skating rink behind the Sun Valley Lodge, noting that while it opened in 1936, it became a magnet for Olympians after expanding to near-Olympic size in 1955. Since then, the rink has hosted legendary skaters including Peter Kennedy, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Nathan Chen, and Brian Boitano. As the article noted, "Since boldface names love to practice at the rink, you may end up doing figure eights alongside a champion." Sun Valley's deep ties to Olympic skating continue year-round through the resort's summer Sun Valley on Ice shows, which regularly star Olympic figure skaters.
From world-class skiing to skating alongside champions, Sun Valley continues to offer visitors an authentic Olympic experience rooted in nearly 90 years of winter sports excellence.
