Older than Vail, Jackson Hole, Aspen or Lake Tahoe, Sun Valley was America's very first winter resort, hosting celebrities, families and skiing fanatics since 1936. We spent two autumn nights there, basking in its classic elegance.
For 33 miles, a scenic byway hugs the eastern coast of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Given the bustle of the city, the road gets into some surprisingly remote territory: over the gorgeous Mineral Ridge, through the tiny town of Harrison, and into pristine forests. We visited during the autumn and were blown away by the beauty of the drive.
Maybe it was all the Mountain Dew we'd been drinking, but Jürgen and I woke up on Saturday morning with an unquenchable thirst for crazy action. "Dude!" I yelled at him. "Extreeeeme!" came his frenzied reply. Mouths frothing, we examined our options. Repelling in the Sawtooths? Lame. Kayaking in Hell's Canyon? Snooze-ville. But what's this? An ice cream social in historic Roseberry? Sounds like it's time to get our party shoes on!
