Escape to Sun Valley

I'm ashamed to admit that since my in laws moved to Boise last fall - Mike and I have yet to make it out to Idaho for a visit.  The beginning of the year got away from us with it's various travels & by the time we realized that we were due for an Idaho escape - it was almost the end of summer!

For my husband and I, it's very difficult to separate ourselves from work when we take vacation days. The temptation to "check in", or "call in remotely" has plagued every trip we've taken thus far (until my husband had his phone stolen in Europe...or as I refer to it, Karma!) this summer.  We both had a combination of unfinished business coupled with the fear of coming back to a barrage of urgent requests that had Mike & I peeking at our phones on those cherished vacation days together.

All of that went out the window when we headed out to Sun Valley earlier this month...all of it.  After 3 flights and several hours in airports, we arrived at Greenhorn Gulch in gorgeous Idaho, where there is absolutely....no cell phone reception.  As soon as we were within about 1 mile of our luxury log cabin for the long weekend, all calls and emails ceased.  There were ZERO reception bars on our devices....and it was an amazingly liberating feeling.


The tech-free high was quickly outdone when we walked into our home for the trip - a quaint log cabin at the base of a gorgeous purple mountain, surrounded by acres of water colored sage brush!  It was the perfect setting for daily morning coffee and nightly happy hour cocktails.  But the best part was the quiet....the loudest sound I think I heard the entire trip was when the wind picked up and the breeze blew through the alpine trees.

Similar to our 2011 trip, we had a lot of nature filled excursions and family time to fill into our very short time in Idaho.  Here are few of our favorite moments from our 5 fun-filled days in God's Country.

1.  Our triumphant return to the Payette River for round 2 of the white water rafting excursion.

Last time we went river rafting, my husband took a most unfortunate tumble out of the raft which resulted in two years of amusement for me every time I told the story.  This year, he and our guide were determined to throw me from the boat - but my grace and agility kept me in the boat during the 5 hour tour! :P  We had a blast out on the water during a 90 degree summer day, and this time, a few dunks from the rapids and a 20 foot jump off the rocks felt refreshing!

2.  The Sun Valley Arts & Crafts Fair

This has always been one of Mike's favorite Valley events so I couldn't wait to see what all the buzz was about - and it was an event that the whole family was fired up about!  So we all slathered on the sun screen and grabbed our hats to walk through what felt like one hundred booths full of beautiful artwork from all over the area.  There was jewelry, hand carved wood crafts, water color paintings, oil paintings, big paintings, small paintings, stunning photography, hand-crafted pottery, and leather goods made with care.  We walked out of the fair with an adorable little oil painting and a larger than life photograph of an all-American buffalo. I'm fairly certain that we don't have anywhere to put him, but we can't wait until he gets here.

3.  Hiking through Nature with my Love!

Each day, Mike & I made a point to do some sort of exercise outside.  During our trip, we took a 2 hour hike through the National Forrest, we went on a run together, and we walked along the Big Wood River.  With "real nature" being so far away from our every day lives in the Concrete Jungle, it was so lovely to make sure that we spent at least a few hours getting some fresh mountain air in our lungs & some peace in our minds.  It's unreal how therapeutic nature can be for the mind & soul.

4.  Lunch at the top of the Mountain

I think I've now officially been on the mountain more in the summer than I have in the winter!  This trip was the first time I had ever taken the brand new gondola that just opened up on the mountain.  Unfortunately, Idaho had experienced some pretty devastating fires from the summer heat shortly after we left.  So when we got to the top of the mountain, it was incredible to see how the early sign of smoke was creeping over the mountain into the valley, like eerie little fingers.  Despite the slightly smokey haze, the breeze was lovely & our little lunch was such a sweet little escape.

5.  A necessary visit to Grumpy's

I'll be the first to admit, Grumpy's is best when you're still in your ski gear and are returning from a long day on the mountain.  But an ice cold Grumpy's schooner & one of their famous burgers is always a treat - and always a must do whenever we're in Idaho.  The walls are covered with bumper stickers, there is paraphernalia hanging everywhere, I won't go within 5 feet of the bathroom, and the bartenders are...well....grumpy, but it's a staple - and I could eat their special french fry sauce for DAYS!


6.  Family dinners with a view

The best part of our trip to Sun Valley was absolutely our nightly family dinners.  Every day, we enjoyed an evening cocktail in the comfort of the back porch while watching the sun (and on some nights, the smoke), set behind the mountains.  Drinks were followed by delicious home cooked meals, stimulating conversation, many many laughs, & many bottles of wine.  It's only once or twice a year that all 6 of us are together, and it always promises to be an eventful meal!

I love Sun Valley for so many reasons.  I love that it provided us with a family retreat that brought everyone together.  I love that Idaho forced us to disconnect from the stress that we left behind in New York.  For the first time in a while, Mike and I returned to New York feeling refreshed, well rested and clear headed.
I love that Idaho provides never-ending views everywhere you turn as a constant reminder of how great God really is.  I love that you can stumble upon a herd of sheep walking along the highway on your way to the mountains.  I love that it's the only place in the world where I can get a delicious "bowl of soul" from Java . But mostly, I love that it's the opposite of New York...in every way.

As I mentioned earlier, the Valley was pretty severely burned during the fires the week after we left and it breaks my heart to think that the gorgeous setting that had provided us with a summer retreat was a different sight just a few days later.  Thankfully, the homes were spared and no one was hurt, but it's a sad thought, and I couldn't be more grateful that we chose to go to Sun Valley when we did.  Despite the fires this summer, I hope that we can continue to return every year to this very special place that has quickly become a destination full of family memories.    Winter or Summer, ....Sun Valley never disappoints!