Life in Sun Valley, Idaho is about adventure. It was the first mountain town to install chairlifts, revolutionizing winter recreation. So a sense of adventure and forward thinking is ingrained in its history. And its people. That’s why the Wood River Valley has kicked out its fair share of adventurous souls over the years, from skiers to mountain bikers to climbers. And athletes like Will Burks personify this ethos. Burks is a former professional freeskier who spent years chasing winter around the globe, filming for feature-length ski films. Until he found speed flying. He was instantly hooked, able to practice the sport in every season. He’d found a pursuit that balanced everything he loved to do in life. And the place he grew up was an ideal playground for this new sport.
But as Burks says, speed flying is “wickedly dangerous.” Here he talks about balancing family life in America’s original mountain town with the risks that come with one of the most hazardous pastimes on Earth. This is the first in a three-part series with athletes who call Sun Valley, Idaho HOME.
HOME profiles the best mountain towns in the world from the perspectives of locals who live in them.
