Wood River Valley

The Wood River Valley is a region in south-central Idaho located in Blaine County. It is named after the Big Wood River, which, like the Little Wood River,[1] flows through the area.

Aerial view of Wood River Valley

The valley has four incorporated cities: Bellevue, Hailey (county seat), Ketchum and Sun Valley. It is considered part of the larger Magic Valley region, but differs from it economically due to its ties to the tourism industry, with less of a dependence on agriculture than that seen in the southern Magic Valley proper.

The Wood River Valley is home to the Sun Valley Resort in the north end of the valley. The region also includes large portions of the Sawtooth National Forest and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Notable people

• John Baldwin Neil (1842–1902), residing in the valley while involved in mining operations after serving as governor of Idaho Territory from 1880 to 1883[2]
• Bowe Bergdahl (born 1986), the last U.S. soldier captured during the War in Afghanistan[3] after deserting his post.

References

1. Link, Paul K. (September 2002). "Geologic Map of Blaine County". Idaho Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2014-05-31.
2. Limbaugh, Ronald H. (1982). Rocky Mountain Carpetbaggers: Idaho's Territorial Governors, 1863-1890. Moscow, Idaho: University Press of Idaho. p. 152. ISBN 0-89301-082-0.
3. Sanchez, Ray; Starr, Barbara (May 31, 2014). "Bowe Bergdahl, U.S. soldier held in Afghanistan, freed in swap". CNN. Retrieved 2014-05-31. Bergdahl, of Wood River Valley, Idaho, appeared in diminished health in a video that the U.S. military obtained in January.

Further reading

• Kellam, Janet K. Case study of the urban avalanche interface and community impacts: Ketchum, Sun Valley & the Wood River Valley, Idaho, from the Proceedings of the 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska (Abstract, Article)
• Bartolino, James R.Groundwater resources of the Wood River Valley, Idaho : a groundwater-flow model for resource management (PDF) (2013)