2 nights/1 day in Sun Valley. Worth it? (while on our way to Grand Teton/Yellowstone)

[echo7tango]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

Sun Valley is OK in summer but nothing spectacular. I'd say that shopping is the main attraction there in summer and you don't like that. It gets much more interesting in deep winter snow. Jackson WY is similar.



I would pass through and head up over Galena Pass from Sun Valley to Stanley ID instead, at the base of the Sawtooths. Or, if your rroute lies more via Boise, then go direct from Boise to Stanley. After some hiking there, then proceed east through the Salmon River gorge to Challis, up to Salmon, and then to West Yellowstone. You can return down via the Tetons, and if you have time and want more hiking, then an option is Dubois WY and hiking up on the Absarokas or better yet, in the Wind River range, which is very ancient glaciated rock, 2.5 to 3 M years old. Drop south to through western WY to I-80 and head home. That route is going to contain far, far more scenery and the types of activities that you like. This route is very rural, and contains some of the most dramatic scenery you will find in the whole region.



Of course this is all subject to the travel situation with the CV...

Yes, CV-19, the great unknown. I’m keep track of the cancellation and refund requirements.

That Galena Pass area sounds beautiful but is too north for this trip to GTNP / YNP (Grand Teton / Yellowstone). Another time!

In Aug 2017 I explored western Idaho for the solar eclipse. We were in Midvale ID for it. I even made a new friend there from this forum! What we saw of Idaho is beautiful! Snake River canyon too. Craters of the Moon. The potato museum (is it in Blackfoot?). Need to see more!

I love dramatic scenery. Thanks!

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Please don't travel to Idaho unless Covid is 100% stopped. Infectious disease is spread fast by vacationers and traveling businessmen. Don't contribute to that spread.


Myself, I will be making Sept reservation for Yellowstone, but will not go unless Covid has been wiped out.

[banjomike]

Teton nearly touches Yellowstone; they're very close. It's a much smaller park, and there isn't all that much to do in it other than hiking and possibly spending some time at the lake.

They are also much better seen at a distance than up close. Any hike pretty much demands a stop at the ranger station for info, as without some guide, the trails are very deceiving; some are nothing but fairly strenuous hikes, while others will suddenly dump a hiker into some technical rock climbing unexpectedly.

The Teton range is notorious for unpredictable weather too. It's not unusual to get snowed on in mid-summer once you're up on any of them, and/or rained on, with lots of thunderbolts smacking the rock all over.

They were my stomping grounds for a couple of years when I was a kid. I joined an alpine club, and always climbed with them, never alone or with another novice. While I'm sure the park's trails are much more defined and signed than they were back then, the mountains are treacherous, so a hiker has to be as well prepared as possible, even for a hike on a well-established trail.

Wearing bear bells on a pack is a good idea. Not for the bears- for the moose. They like to use hiking trails in mid-summer to get up to the high country, and you don't want to run into a moose on a trail with no way to escape.

The worst morning I ever spent in Teton Natl. park was spent halfway up an aspen sapling, clinging to a slender branch for dear life while a young cow elk tried to knock me out of the tree. I was the low man on the tree; my buddy was about 3 feet higher up.
We were both hiking out of the park on our way to the highway, to hitch a ride into Jackson Hole. Neither of us saw or heard the moose when we cut through an aspen stand, but she came a'roaring through the trees with murder in her eye.

A 2-year old cow can do some remarkable damage to a good back pack. While waiting for us to come down, she tore both of ours apart. We were up in the tree for over 3 hours before she finally gave it up.

[jwest09]

Ketchum's Wagon days in early Sep. can get very crowded, if all goes well. It's primarily a ski town. A better option would be Jackson Wy., closer to the park. Tetons vs Sawtooth range, a toss up of jagged peaks. Very similar.

[echo7tango]

Thank you to all who provided the good information in this thread. Much appreciated. It seems like while Sun Valley does have some nice parts to it, that I'd rather spend our time on the main goals of this trip, YNP & GTNP (Yellowstone / Grand Teton).

Banjomike, thanks for your really good information. I was able to book a couple of nights at the Old Faithful Inn, and yes that looks like a good place to form a base to then explore YNP every day. Yes it is pricey, but then again what is the cost of our time? If we stayed farther out, we'd be commuting back and forth to YNP. The Old Faithful Inn looks quite nice and we're looking forward to staying there.

Before arriving in YNP I also booked an AirBNB in Teton Village, very reasonable price, where we'll stay 3 nights -- therefore, 2 full days in and around GTNP, Jackson Hole, Jackson, Teton Village, and Jackson Lake. Plenty to see and do, and also enjoy the jagged mountains. Sawtooth will have to wait for another time.

Thanks again!

[dcisive]

I was considering a bit of a "Staycation" up on McCall then over Hwy21 through Stanley and staying in Ketchum. Well.......I've pretty much written that vacation off. I'm NOT interested in going anywhere with crowds let alone when this dang virus, or yet another looms in hotels, restaurants and more. Guess this next year I'm just staying put and hoping that this junk dies out and we get a decent vaccine of some sort or another. Some of you sure are cavalier about it all thinking you'll be safe......don't count on it

[echo7tango]

Originally Posted by dcisive

I was considering a bit of a "Staycation" up on McCall then over Hwy21 through Stanley and staying in Ketchum. Well.......I've pretty much written that vacation off. I'm NOT interested in going anywhere with crowds let alone when this dang virus, or yet another looms in hotels, restaurants and more. Guess this next year I'm just staying put and hoping that this junk dies out and we get a decent vaccine of some sort or another. Some of you sure are cavalier about it all thinking you'll be safe......don't count on it

You seem to need assistance finding the COVID-19 threads: locate the function beginning with the letter S, and also with the letters earch.

[NW Crow]

Good decision to pass on Sun Valley right now. I recently read it has one of the highest coronavirus rates in the country.

[kayaker6]

Interesting article.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-...-in-the-nation