Sawtooth Ski Festival: March 3 & 4
Nordic skiers are a fun-loving crowd! So it’s no surprise ski festivals have snowballed through the years. Ski festivals are all about exploring the terrain, bonding with other winter enthusiasts and gathering in an idyllic setting. The Sawtooth-Salmon River country is the ideal place for this festival!
The Sawtooth Ski Club is hosting its 16th Annual Sawtooth Ski Festival in Stanley. You’re invited to this fundraising event to help support their efforts to provide quality groomed cross country and skate ski trails at Park Creek and Alturas Lake.
Saturday, March 3
Park Creek Ski Trails - 7 miles west of Stanley on Highway 21
11am – 2pm
The festivities kick off with homemade chili and treats from the Stanley locals. All skiers and snowshoers are welcome to join in the Poker Run. It's fun and easy! Navigate around a designated course while collecting playing cards at stations along the way. At 1:30pm, it’s the luck of the draw where the best hand wins a fabulous prize.
Stanley Community Building
5:30pm – 8:30pm
The festival really heats up when the Sawtooth Ski Club’s celebrity chef, Sean Peterson, serves his authentic chicken mole (there’s a vegetarian option too!).
The silent auction is a great time for festivalgoers to mingle and browse for those items you simply can’t live without. Here’s a sneak peek of some of the auction items from businesses, artists and locals in Stanley, Wood River Valley, Boise and Challis:
- Original art including paintings and photographs
- Whitewater rafting trips
- Horseback riding trips
- A scenic flight over the Sawtooth Mountains
- 3 night stay at a cabin in West Ketchum
- 8 pairs of sunglasses from Smith Optics
- Ski passes for Sun Valley Nordic and BCRD trails
- Jewelry
- Clothing including handmade sweaters and scarves
- Fine wine
- Gift certificates: Redfish Lake, Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, Kasino Club, Smiley Creek Lodge, Stanley Sluice, Mountain Village Resort, Papa Brunees, Ketchum Grill, Pioneer Saloon plus many, many more
Bid often and bid high!
Sunday, March 4
Alturas Lake Ski Trails - 18 miles south of Stanley
11am – 3pm
The Sawtooth Ski Festival culminates at the Soup Kitchen Social. Locals will ladle out hot, delicious goodness made by friends of the Sawtooth Ski Club. Grab a cup along with a sweet treat on your way to/from Alturas Lake, Sheep Thrills or North Cabin Loop.
All events are donation based so bring your checkbook or cash.
If you would like to volunteer for any of these events or donate to the silent auction, please call Karen Keiski at 208-774-3487.
Before March Madness has a chance to set in, the Sawtooth Ski Festival lures folks into a weekend of fun, food, friends…..and, of course, skiing and snowshoeing! It’s filled with pulsating energy to offset cabin fever.
Make your plans to attend the Sawtooth Ski Festival today!
Blog written by Erica Cole
