America's premier ski resort, Sun valley, is 178 miles from Pocatello. 16 lifts, 66 runs and a 3400-ft. vertical drop tell only half the story. It's the ambience, the continental flair and the scenic beauty that draws people from around the world to Sun Valley.
Rivaling Sun Valley are two other destination resorts, Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole. Grand Targhee is nestled on the sunny west side of the Grand Tetons near Driggs, Idaho, 130 miles from Pocatello. Boasting 500 inches of snow annually, Grand Targhee offers 46 runs and a 2200-ft. vertical drop.
Jackson Hole, about 150 miles from Pocatello, will simply amaze you. Its 4139-ft. vertical drop is the biggest served by lifts in the nation. With 62 runs, 5 double chair-lifts, a triple chair, a quad chair, 3 surface lifts, and an aerial tram that reaches 2 1/2 miles to the summit with 62 skiiers aboard every 12 minutes, congestion on the slopes is a rare sight.
Floating the Salmon River "Rapid Transit" takes on a whole new meaning in Idaho. The Salmon River (dubbed "The River of No Return" by Lewis and Clark) remains one of the few undammed waterways in America. The Salmon roars through the River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest single wilderness in the lower 48 states.
The Snake River provides white water action near Jackson, Wyoming, and scenic, swift floats on the South Fork below Palisades Reservoir. The wildlife, scenery and fishing are unbelievable.
Steelhead Trout
Idaho fishing is like no other. River steelhead weighing 20 pounds take both hands to land from swift waters. In streams fed by bubbling springs, the cutthroat and brown trout lurk. There are mountain creeks where brook trout are so wild you have to sneak up on them. And lakes hold mackinaw, lake trout, perch and bass that are only too willing to give you a fight.
