Rotarun Ski Area is a modest ski area in central

Central Idaho

Central Idaho is a geographical term located northeast of Boise and southeast of Lewiston in the U.S. state of Idaho . It is dominated by federal lands administered by the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Idaho's tallest mountain, Borah Peak, is located in this region...

 Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

, less than three miles (5 km) west of Hailey

Hailey, Idaho

Hailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,200 at the 2000 census. Hailey is the site of Friedman Memorial Airport , the airport for the resort area of Sun Valley/Ketchum, north. The town...

 in Blaine County

Blaine County, Idaho

Blaine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 21,376. The county seat and largest city is Hailey. The county is home to the Sun Valley ski resort....

. The elevation

Elevation

The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....

 of its summit is 5895 feet (1,796.8 m) above sea level, with a vertical drop of 475 feet (144.8 m) on its treeless north-facing slopes of Art Richards Mountain. A Poma lift was installed in 1998; it replaced a J-bar

J-bar

J-bar may refer to:* J-bar lift, an apparatus for bringing people to the top of a ski slope* The J-Bar, a drinking establishment at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado, USAJ-bar may also be an abbreviation for Johnson bar:...

 lift which had served since 1964. The primary lift before the J-bar was a rope tow

Ski tow

thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....

.

The facility has operated since the 1950s and offers an affordable alternative for alpine skiing

Alpine skiing

Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

 for the Wood River Valley

Wood River Valley

The Wood River Valley is a region in south-central Idaho located in Blaine County. The valley has four incorporated cities. Bellevue, Hailey , Ketchum and Sun Valley...

. (The world-famous Sun Valley

Sun Valley, Idaho

Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...

 resort is 15 miles (24.1 km) north, with significantly higher prices.) Rotarun operates on Friday nights and weekend days; it is the only ski area for night skiing

Night skiing

Night skiing is the sport of skiing or snowboarding after sundown, offered at many ski resorts and mountains. There are usually electric lights along the piste which allow for better visibility...

within a three hours' drive. The ski area is supported by community volunteers and donations.

External links

• Rotarun Ski.com - official site
• You Tube.com - video - Rotarun ski area - 2011-03-19