Powder Compass

Atlas · Northern Rockies · ID

Sun Valley

9,150′ summit · 3,400′ vert · 2,154 acres · avg 220″/yr

Coin flip — Dec 16–31

Delivered 30″+ in 4 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 6 of 20 · typical 22", most land 17"–31"

Before you book

This bet missed 6 of the last 10.

1 of the last 10 came in under 10″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Sun Valley · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 15 30 45" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 3 of 10 · 5 busts Long shot 9" 35" 2022 0" 2019
Nov 16–30 24″+ 2 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 14" 38" 2012 1" 2008
Dec 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 19" 51" 2015 0" 2011
Dec 16–31 30″+ 4 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 22" 84" 2025 3" 2013
Jan 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 Coin flip 18" 57" 2017 0" 2012
Jan 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 13" 54" 2012 0" 2026
Feb 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 · 3 busts Coin flip 10" 80" 2019 1" 2011
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 3 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 17" 68" 2017 3" 2015
Mar 1–15 24″+ 3 of 10 · 1 bust Long shot 17" 68" 2023 1" 2015
Mar 16–31 30″+ 3 of 10 · 3 busts Long shot 19" 54" 2011 0" 2022
Apr 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 13" 32" 2017 3" 2021
Apr 16–30 24″+ 0 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 10" 22" 2011 1" 2020

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

America's original destination resort — Baldy's long, continuous fall lines groomed to perfection, with the Warm Springs leg-burners as the signature. True expert terrain is limited, but the corduroy-and-consistency product is as good as it gets.

Ketchum is a real town with old-Hollywood bones. Snow totals run modest — this is Idaho's banana belt — and snowmaking plus grooming carry the product. It now sits on the Epic Pass.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Sun Valley's odds move on the Dec 16–31 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.