<P> Among skiers, the term "Sun Valley" refers to the alpine ski area, which consists of Bald Mountain, the main ski mountain adjacent to Ketchum, and Dollar Mountain, adjacent to Sun Valley, for novice and lower intermediate skiers . Bald Mountain, or "Baldy," has a summit of 9,150 feet (2,790 m) and a vertical drop of 3,400 feet (1,035 m). With its abundance of constant - pitch terrain, at varying degrees of difficulty, coupled with its substantial vertical drop and absence of wind, Baldy has often been referred to as one of the better ski mountains in the world . The treeless "Dollar" at 6,638 feet (2,023 m) has a moderate vertical drop of 628 feet (191 m). </P> <P> The term "Sun Valley" is used more generally to speak of the region surrounding the city, including the neighboring city of Ketchum and the Wood River Valley area winding south to Hailey and Bellevue . The region has been a seasonal home to the rich and famous since first being brought to public attention by Ernest Hemingway in the late 1930s . </P> <P> The first destination winter resort in the U.S. was developed by W. Averell Harriman, the chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, primarily to increase ridership on U.P. passenger trains in the West . The success of the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, spurred an increase in participation in winter sports (and alpine skiing in particular). A lifelong skier, Harriman determined that America would embrace a destination mountain resort, similar to those he enjoyed in the Swiss Alps, such as St. Moritz and Davos . During the winter of 1935--36, Harriman enlisted the services of an Austrian count, Felix Schaffgotsch, to travel across the western U.S. to locate an ideal site for a winter resort . The Count toured Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Yosemite, the San Bernardino Mountains, Zion, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Wasatch Mountains, Pocatello, Jackson Hole, and Grand Targhee areas . Late in his trip and on the verge of abandoning his search for an ideal location for a mountain resort development, he backtracked toward the Ketchum area in central Idaho . A U.P. employee in Boise had casually mentioned that the rail spur to Ketchum cost the company more money for snow removal than any other branch line and the Count went to explore . </P> <P> Schaffgotsch was impressed by the combination of Bald Mountain and its surrounding mountains, adequate snowfall, abundant sunshine, moderate elevation, and absence of wind, and selected it as the site . Harriman visited several weeks later and agreed . The 3,888 - acre (15.73 km) Brass Ranch was purchased for about $4 per acre and construction commenced that spring; it was built in seven months for $1.5 million . Publicist Steve Hannagan named the resort "Sun Valley" and developed the tag line: "Winter sports under a summer sun ." (Count Schaffgotsch returned to Austria and was killed on the Eastern Front during World War II .) The centerpiece of the new resort was the Sun Valley Lodge, which opened on 21 December 1936 . The 220 - room, X-shaped lodge's exterior was constructed of concrete, poured inside rough - sawn forms . The wood grain was impressed on the concrete finish, which was acid - stained brown to imitate wood . The Swiss - style Sun Valley Inn (originally the "Challenger Inn") and village were also part of the initial resort, opening in 1937 . Hannagan wanted swimming pools at the resort, "so people won't think skiing is too cold ." Both the Lodge and the Inn have heated outdoor swimming pools, circular in shape . Hannagan had the pools designed this way, unique at the time, in the hope they would be widely photographed, providing free publicity, and it worked . </P>

What mountain range is in sun valley idaho