On Saturday, October 24, Sturtevants Hailey fills with secondhand skis, boards and outgrown kids' jackets for the annual Rotarun Ski Swap. The sale runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free. Most people come for the bargains, but the swap is also one of Rotarun Ski Area's main fundraisers. The share of each sale that Rotarun keeps went up this year, and that money funds what happens on Rodeo Drive once there's snow: free Wednesday night skiing, a tuition-free learn-to-ski program, and the new beginner lift getting its first full winter.
The Idaho Mountain Express quoted Rotarun's marketing and events manager, Casey Hanrahan, in its preview of the swap:
"The Ski Swap is the official winter kick-off. It brings our community together to share our excitement for winter."
If You're Selling, Friday Is Your Last Chance
The swap had three drop-off windows this week. Tuesday's at the Rotarun Lodge, 25 Rodeo Dr., and Wednesday's at Sturtevants Ketchum, 340 N Main St., are already over. One remains.
- Drop-off: Friday, Oct. 23, 3 to 6 p.m., at Sturtevants Hailey, at the corner of Main and Carbonate.
- Registration: Every item has to be entered at myskiswap.com by 6 p.m. Friday. Gear can't be donated on swap day.
- Labels: At drop-off, staff and volunteers print a barcode label for each pre-registered item, then sort the gear and bring it to the sale floor.
- Payout details: Payout checks are mailed to the contact and address you enter on myskiswap.com, so check that information before you hit submit.
The registration deadline and the last drop-off both fall at 6 p.m. Friday. If you're dropping off at 5:45, register first, because without a label your gear can't go on the floor. The online listing describes accepted items as unused or outgrown ski equipment and clothing.
The Split Moved This Year
Rotarun has run the swap since the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation handed it over in 2015. The format hasn't changed much since then, but a few terms did change this year, and sellers who come every October will want to know.
2025 swap | 2026 swap | |
|---|---|---|
Sale date | Saturday, Oct. 18 | Saturday, Oct. 24 |
Rotarun's share of each sale | 25% | 30% |
Seller's share | 75% | 70% |
Ketchum drop-off | SVSEF Warm Springs Training Center | Sturtevants Ketchum, 340 N Main St. |
Unsold gear pickup | 4 to 6 p.m. on swap day | 4 to 6 p.m. on swap day |
Rotarun doesn't list a separate consignment fee. The 30 percent is the whole cost of selling, and it all goes to Rotarun's programs and operations. A $200 pair of skis now pays the seller $140 and Rotarun $60. Last year the same sale paid the seller $150 and Rotarun $50.
The fire sale is optional. Sellers who opt in agree to have their items marked down 50 percent from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Whatever is still on the floor at 3 p.m. may be half off. Unsold items can be picked up at Sturtevants Hailey from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, and anything left after that is donated.
Where That Money Goes
Rotarun names the programs the swap supports: the tuition-free Rota-Rippers after-school program and free public ski evenings. Both show up in the posted 2026/27 schedule.
Rotarun's operations page lists these 2026/27 hours:
- Wednesday: 6 to 9 p.m., free
- Friday: 6 to 9 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
That's two lit evenings a week, and one of them is free for everyone. The page also lists day tickets at $20 for adults 18 and up, $10 for ages 6 to 17, and free for children 5 and under, with tickets sold at the Rotarun ticket window. Season passes are listed at $300 for a Family/Tribe pass, $175 for an Individual/Legend pass and $85 for a Youth/Futures pass. The pass link on that page still carries last season's label, so check the current price when you buy.
Free passes are also available. Rotarun's Freddy's Pass Program takes applications for free season passes for local youth ages 6 to 17. A kid can go from the swap rack to a season of free Wednesday nights for the cost of a used pair of boots.
The Deadline That Lands Before Baldy Opens
Rota-Rippers is Rotarun's tuition-free learn-to-ski and snowboard program for kids ages 5 to 11. Riders must be 5 by January 1, 2027. Each of the two sessions takes 50 kids, with one coach for every six riders, and a child can sign up for one session but not both.
Dates | Days and time | |
|---|---|---|
Session 1 | Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, 2027 | Mondays and Tuesdays, 3 to 5 p.m. |
Session 2 | Feb. 8 to Mar. 1, 2027 | Mondays and Tuesdays, 3 to 5 p.m. |
Applications are due Monday, November 16, 2026, and families will hear back by November 23. Forms are on the Rotarun homepage in English and Spanish. The program's costs are fully covered by Rotarun Ski Club, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's Athlete Endowment Fund, the Kids Mountain Fund, and community partners and donors. Rotarun also takes volunteer coaches, who can sign up through an interest form on the same page.
The timing lines up with the rest of the valley. Sun Valley Resort has set Bald Mountain's 2026/27 opening day for Thursday, November 26, at 9 a.m., starting at River Run. Sun Valley Resort November 26 is also Thanksgiving. Families thinking about Rota-Rippers have until ten days before that to apply.
Last Winter and This One
Rotarun runs on a smaller scale than Baldy, and last winter showed how much it depends on the weather. The Idaho Mountain Express reported in December that warm weather and rain had pushed the planned Dec. 26 opening back to Jan. 2. Eye on Sun Valley reported the lower mountain opening on Saturday, January 3, 2026, while crews were still building a base. In March, the Express reported that the hill had received only 4.5 inches of natural snow and was moving closing day up to Sunday, March 15, citing warm weather, low snowpack and mechanical issues.
That season was also the first for Rotarun's biggest recent upgrade. A 60-meter magic carpet was finished on December 17, 2025. In a story Rotarun republished from the Express, the paper put the carpet's cost at about $130,000, plus roughly $20,000 to install it. The carpet is a beginner and family lift and serves the Rota-Rippers program. It wasn't running on Rotarun's first weekend of the season while staff built up a snow base. If the snow cooperates, this winter will be its first full season.
Rotarun has posted its 2026/27 hours but no opening date. For now, the only firm date on its event calendar is Saturday's swap. Whatever sells at Sturtevants on Saturday helps pay for the season on Rodeo Drive, whenever it starts.
I spent 14 years with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, and the Rotarun swap still feels like the start of winter to me. If you're bringing gear on Friday, shopping on Saturday, or looking for your child's first pair of skis, I'm happy to talk about any of it. Let's connect through Erika Rixon.