Image courtesy of Grand Targhee

SKI IDAHO THIS SUMMER

BOISE, Idaho (June 14, 2021) -- Eleven of Idaho's ski areas offer lift-served mountain biking, and four -- Lookout Pass (plus the Route of the Hiawatha), Silver Mountain, Soldier Mountain, and Tamarack -- have already opened their trails for the season. Five more -- Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain, Grand Targhee, Kelly Canyon, and Schweitzer -- open up their mountain biking trails this weekend.

Meanwhile, Sun Valley will open downhill mountain biking June 26. Although Pomerelle has not announced its plans yet, the resort typically is open weekends in July and August.

Photo courtesy of Silver Mt. Resort

Over half of Idaho's ski resorts offer summer mountain biking adventures

BOISE, Idaho (May 21, 2020) -- In concert with Gov. Brad Little's Idaho Rebounds phased approach to reopening the state economy in the wake of COVID-19, 10 Ski Idaho resorts will offer summer mountain biking adventures and more. In fact, some will open just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

TAMARACK RESORT in Donnelly begins scenic chairlift rides May 21, opens its Waterfront Cabana for motorized and nonmotorized boat rentals May 22, and will initiate lift-served mountain biking May 28 depending on mid-mountain snowmelt. The lift will operate Thursdays-Sundays for scenic rides and mountain biking through Sept. 13 and on Memorial Day and Labor Day. The International Mountain Bicycling Association created the resort's 25-mile trail system.

Beginning June 6, also depending on mid-mountain snowmelt, Tamarack will offer zip line canopy tours that explore 3,500 feet of terrain, including eight different zip lines, two suspension bridges, and a 105-foot-high tree house. The resort's guided whitewater rafting trips on the Cabarton stretch of the North Fork of the Payette River will kick off mid-June.

Tamarack resumed its dining and lodging services, opened its meadow hiking and biking trails for complementary use, and restarted real estate tours May 16.

Visit TamarackIdaho.com for more details about the resort and https://tamarackidaho.com/covid-19-health-and-safety-plan for its COVID-19 plan.

LOOKOUT PASS SKI AND RECREATION AREA, close to the historic town of Wallace, is opening the ROUTE OF THE HIAWATHA Memorial Day weekend on May 22. 

Considered the crown jewel of the nation's rails-to-trails initiative, the 15-mile Route of the Hiawatha's gentle 2-percent, all-downhill ride straddles the Idaho-Montana state line, delves 10 tunnels, crosses seven sky-high train trestles, and sports shuttle service. Attracting more than 60,000 riders last summer, the Route of the Hiawatha is by far the most popular ski area bike trail in the country.

It is accessible daily through Sept. 20 and is offering full-moon night rides June 5, July 5, Aug. 3, and Sept. 2 by reservation only. Phone (208) 744-1234 ext. 19 to reserve a full-moon night ride.

New this summer, Lookout Pass will begin offering scenic chairlift rides on its new Peak 1 Quad June 12 and lift-served mountain bike trail rides from the summit June 19. Both will operate Fridays-Sundays and over all holiday periods through early October.

The resort will construct more trails and enhance existing ones over the course of the summer. However, there is still a fair amount of snow on the trails, so construction on mountain biking trails can't begin at the moment. At the beginning of the season, Lookout Pass visitors can ride down existing trails and access roads, with the resort adding new trails (very old cross-country trails that will be cleaned up) throughout the summer.

Visit SkiLookout.com and RideTheHiawatha.com for more details about the attractions and https://skilookout.com/covid-19 and www.ridethehiawatha.com/Covid-19 for their COVID-19 plans.

The Wallace Inn, a lodging partner with Lookout Pass, is offering three deals this summer:

* Ride and Stay -- One night of lodging in a deluxe single queen room for $159 weekdays / $169 weekends includes two adult trail passes and two adult shuttle passes for the Route of the Hiawatha.

* Hiawatha Extravaganza -- Two nights of lodging in a deluxe single queen room for $218 weekdays / $239 weekends includes two adult trail passes and two adult shuttle passes for the Route of the Hiawatha.

* Family Fun Package -- One night of lodging in a double queen room for $259 weekdays / $279 weekends includes two adult trail passes, two child trail passes, two adult shuttle passes, and two child shuttle passes for the Route of the Hiawatha.

Visit TheWallaceInn.com for more details about the hotel.

Meanwhile, 27 miles west of Lookout Pass, SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT in the North Idaho town of Kellogg is opening for summer over Memorial Day weekend, too. Weekend operations -- which include mountain biking and scenic rides on North America's longest gondola -- start May 23, with daily operations commencing June 26-Sept. 7. Weekend operations will continue through Oct. 4.

Snow still remains in the resort's Chair 3 Zone, so mountain biking will only be open for gondola-served top-to-bottom runs on opening weekend. Since Silver Mountain's easiest mountain bike trails all reside in the Chair 3 Zone, the resort has reserved opening weekend for experienced bikers only.

Voted Best in the Northwest on four separate occasions in the MTBparks.com Riders' Choice Awards as recently as 2017 and earning second place last year, Silver Mountain Bike Park maintains almost 40 singletrack trails that span 3,300 vertical feet. This year the resort has rerouted some trails to improve flow and added some bigger berms and jumps on the advanced trails.

The resort also boasts the state's largest indoor waterpark, Silver Rapids, which opens Memorial Day Weekend, too. However, due to COVID-19 concerns, the resort is limiting waterpark access to Silver Mountain lodging guests only.

Activities at Silver Mountain also include trail hiking and running, and the resort's exquisite nine-hole Galena Ridge Golf Course is tucked away in the mountains of the Silver Valley. 

Although many summer events at the resort have been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, the resort currently plans to host its Friday night Ride & Dine mountaintop barbeques that feature live music and 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks.

The Northwest Cup, a premier mountain bike race series for all ages and abilities, is still slated for July 17-19. Brewsfest, Silver Mountain's mountaintop craft beer-tasting event, is slated for Aug. 15. And Silveroxx, a three-day celebration of all things mountain bikes, will take place Sept. 25-27, the closing weekend for the resort's summer operations. 

Silver Mountain will open its newly renovated hotel, the Silver Inn, June 6. A less-expensive option than the resort's Morning Star Lodge, the Silver Inn is only two minutes away from the Gondola Village by car.

Visit SilverMt.com for more details about the resort and https://silvermt.com/mountain-news/details/covid-19 for its COVID-19 plan.

KELLY CANYON SKI RESORT in Eastern Idaho is targeting May 29 as opening day for its second summer season. Like last summer, the resort will operate Thursdays-Saturdays. Kelly Canyon is planning a grand opening event (date TBA) this summer since 2020 will be its first full summer season of operations.

Kelly Canyon is currently smoothing and refining the initial 18 miles of lift-served mountain bike trails it completed last year, and more trails and features are in the works. Riders can also explore less steep trails at the foot of the mountain without using the lift. World-renowned bike trail developer Alpine Bike Parks out of Whistler, B.C., provided initial design consulting.

Citing a growing number of National Interscholastic Cycling Association teams and hundreds of local youth joining, Kelly Canyon will complete a 4-mile loop designed especially for NICA teams to practice their riding skills on days the lifts are not turning in the bike park.

In addition, the resort announced it is in the design phase of its first-ever overnight lodging facilities. Kelly Canyon hopes to roll out some lodging units in late summer.

Visit SkiKelly.com for more details about the resort.

Just across the border in Alta, Wyo., GRAND TARGHEE affiliates with the Idaho Ski Areas Association because the resort is only accessible via Driggs, Idaho. It will open for downhill biking on June 19, conditions permitting.

Ranked among the Northwest's top-five bike parks in the MTBparks.com Riders' Choice Best Bike Parks Awards for six consecutive years, Grand Targhee offers 2,200 vertical feet of lift-serviced downhill and more than 60 miles of multi-use trails.

Other activities include scenic chairlift rides, a nature center, horseback riding, trail hiking and running, and an 8,000-foot-long, 18-hole disc golf course.

Grand Targhee is not selling pool season passes this summer due to COVID-19 concerns, but it will offer 90-minute pool sessions with 30-minute breaks between each so employees can clean the pool area, changing rooms, and restrooms. 

The resort has also canceled its annual music festivals this summer, including Targhee Fest, Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival, and Targhee Music Camp. In addition, all other events and group functions have been cancelled through July 13.

Grand Targhee has not yet determined if it will offer a summer kids camp, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, or gold panning.

Vacation rentals at the resort will resume June 1, and it is currently working through the final details for on-mountain lodging and summer food and beverage services.

In addition, Grand Targhee will offer RV, sprinter, car, and tent camping this summer, and a designated number of spaces may be purchased online.

Visit GrandTarghee.com for more details about the resort.

In Southwest Idaho's West Central Mountains near the resort town of McCall, BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN is targeting June 20 for its opening day this summer. The BlueBird Express lift will operate the last two weekends of June and then Wednesday-Sunday from July through Labor Day. 

Brundage Mountain Bike Park has a fresh experience to offer all types of mountain bikers this year as trail crews improve and expand options for downhill and cross-country riders. Last summer, the resort completed Lakeview Vista, a new 4-mile XC trail at the top of the mountain, as well as a base-area XC trail, Hammerhead, bringing the bike park's total mileage to 26 miles.

This summer, work will focus on creating a new XC trail that connects to Thorn Creek and a new downhill trail, Wildcat, off the existing Elk trail. Crews will also break ground on a new stretch of trail that skirts around the mountain linking Lakeview Vista on the south side with Grouse near Sargent's Peak and traverses the entire bike park area. 

The mountain also offers scenic chairlift rides that afford a 360-view at the summit that includes silhouettes of Idaho's Seven Devils Wilderness, Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness, and sweeping vistas of the Payette Lakes.

Hikers can take the chairlift to the top and explore short, scenic trails from the summit or choose longer, multi-use routes to soak in more of the mountain's beauty.

Brundage also boasts a 2,500-foot-long, nine-hole disc golf course in the base area, outdoor dining at Smoky's Bar & Grill, and a grassy amphitheater that provides a charming, spacious, fresh-air environment for summer concerts.

Visit Brundage.com for more details about the resort and https://brundage.com/covid-19 for its COVID-19 updates.

Biking season at SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT in North Idaho near Sandpoint begins June 26, with daily operations continuing through Sept. 7. The resort maintains more than 40 miles of mountain bike trails, and it also offers a 2-hour hosted E-bike tour daily.

Schweitzer's summer visitors also can take side-by-side rides on dual, 700-foot zip lines, play disc golf on its 18-hole course, and enjoy scenic chairlift rides on the Great Escape Quad to the summit. The latter serves up breathtaking views of Lake Pend Oreille and the Selkirk, Bitterroot, and Cabinet mountain ranges.

Other summer activities include hiking and trail running, geocaching, bungee trampolines, a 25-foot climbing wall, gold panning, huckleberry picking, and horseback riding.

Schweitzer still plans to host its Northwest Winefest July 18-19, the Huckleberry Color Fun Run Aug. 9, and Fall Fest over Labor Day weekend. All events are subject to change.

Visit Schweitzer.com for more details about the resort and www.schweitzer.com/covid-health-and-safety for its COVID-19 plan.

BOGUS BASIN in Southwest Idaho near Boise plans to open for the summer June 27. It will operate seven days a week through Aug. 16 and will remain open Fridays-Sundays through Labor Day weekend. From that point, the resort will open Saturdays and Sundays through the first weekend of October, weather permitting.

MTBproject.com ranks Around the Mountain at Bogus Basin as the number-one mountain bike trail in Idaho. The recreation area also serves as the main access point to the Mahalo and Dry Creek trails, collectively ranked number two in the state.

The nonprofit recreation area currently maintains 23 mountain bike trails, but it is developing a new bike park off its Morning Star Express high-speed quad chairlift. Alpine Bike Parks, the world-renowned Canadian bike trail developer that assisted Kelly Canyon, will construct four new downhill trails designed to serve a range of skill levels that are scheduled to be complete for use this summer.

Bogus Basin has spent nearly $22 million on infrastructure improvements over the past four years, transitioning the area into a year-round destination for recreation and education.

Beyond biking, Bogus Basin operates the Glade Runner, the Pacific Northwest's first mountain coaster. The recreation area also offers scenic chairlift rides, summer tubing, gold panning at the Shafer Butte Mining Co., and trail hiking and running.

Bogus Basin has currently suspended its Music on the Mountain series for this summer as a precautionary measure. In addition, the area's climbing wall and bungee trampoline will not operate -- at least for the beginning of the summer.

Visit BogusBasin.org for more details about the recreation area and https://bogusbasin.org/covid19-faq for its COVID-19 FAQ.

World-famous SUN VALLEY RESORT in South Central Idaho has not announced when it will begin lift-served mountain biking this summer. However, it did begin a phased reopening May 16, and the resort's three championship golf courses and most area driving ranges are already open for daily operations. Lodging is expected to resume May 30.

The nation's first destination ski resort and global birthplace of lift-assisted skiing, Sun Valley boasts hundreds of miles of singletrack and more than 3,000 vertical feet of descent. Riders also have easy access to more than 30 miles of paved, car-free bike paths throughout the Wood River Valley. In addition, the resort offers an array of activities, scenic gondola rides, a spa, a shooting range, bowling, fly fishing, hiking, trail running, ice shows, ice skating, tennis, paddle boats, fishing, beach volleyball on Sun Valley Lake, three outdoor swimming pools, and concerts at the Sun Valley Pavilion and River Run.

Visit SunValley.com for more details about the resort and www.sunvalley.com/covid19 for COVID-19 updates.

POMERELLE MOUNTAIN RESORT in Southern Idaho near Albion hasn't determined the extent of its summer operations yet. An announcement is forthcoming in the next week or so.

During typical summers, the resort offers lift-served mountain biking, but Pomerelle has no rentals so riders must bring their own cycles. It also maintains an 18-hole course that serves up some of the finest high-altitude disc golfing in the state. Discs are available for rent, but play is free unless visitors want to ride the chairlift to the top of the course. They also can play volleyball, enjoy scenic chairlift rides, and hike and run trails.

Visit Pomerelle.com for more details about the resort.

RE: COVID-19 PLANS

Ski Idaho resorts have collaborated with the Idaho Ski Areas Association to create and implement COVID-19 operational and safety guidelines to address the spread of the novel coronavirus and to ensure the safety of staff and the public. The sources for these protocols are CDC-guided policies and best management practices along with OSHA guidelines, state and federal rules and guidelines, and guidance from the National Ski Areas Association.

With the health and wellness of staff and guests the top priority, Ski Idaho resorts have established COVID-19 taskforces that meet daily to develop and implement safety protocols.

For employees, these protocols include: Required COVID-19 testing for all employees; completion of a daily health survey prior to work; extensive training on proper disinfecting, sanitizing and PPE use; requirement to wear face masks when unable to maintain physical distance guidelines, or in a communal area, such as restrooms; instructions to deep clean and disinfect all areas, using cleaners approved by the EPA; and a specific COVID-19 janitorial department to assure frequent, effective sanitizing and disinfecting occurs in all areas, and on all equipment, especially where guest contact occurs.

For guests, these protocols will include: Requirement to follow physical distancing guidelines; requests that anyone experiencing potential COVID-19 symptoms refrain from visiting; strong recommendations to wear face masks when in line or in designated communal zones; and implementation of a range of precautionary measures, such as hand sanitizer, reduced contact at points of purchase, satellite first-aid services, and more.

ABOUT SKI IDAHO

Founded in 1982, the Idaho Ski Areas Association, a.k.a. Ski Idaho, is a nonprofit association funded in part by the Idaho Travel Council via the state's 2 percent lodging tax paid by travelers and collected by hotel, motel, and private campground owners. Boasting 28,000 vertical feet of terrain spanning more than 20,000 acres, Idaho is the birthplace of lift-assisted skiing, home to America's first destination ski resort, and often considered the soul of skiing. Its 18 family friendly Alpine ski resorts offer trails and backcountry for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels, breathtaking views, hundreds of inches of fresh powder, and short lift lines. Many Ski Idaho resorts open for the summer season, as well, to serve up lift-served mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, hiking and trail running, disc golf, and more. Visit skiidaho.us for more details.

Image courtesy of Ryan Zimmer and Lookout Pass 

Idaho 2020-2021 ski and snowboard season begins 

Ski and snowboard season has officially begun in Idaho. 

Ski Idaho publicist Tony Harrison enjoyed the fantastic snow and breathtaking views at Silver Mountain in North Idaho during the organization's January 2019 FAM tour. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Marshall and The Ski Journal)

North Idaho FAM tour explores three sensational resorts

NAMPA, Idaho (Jan. 14, 2019) — I had the pleasure of showing off our three northernmost ski resorts to several journalists last week. Two hail from the East Coast and had never visited Idaho before, but they thought it was very easy to reach the region by flying to Spokane, Wash., via Seattle.

The terrific resorts we visited — Schweitzer, Lookout Pass, and Silver Mountain — and our wonderful lodging and dining partners were consummate hosts. Highlights included:

SUBLIME SKIING — My companions and I fell in love with our resorts up north on this trip. It was my first visit to Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain, and I hadn’t skied Schweitzer since 1985 when I was a junior at University of Idaho. I won’t be waiting another 34 years to return and desperately wish it won’t take me even 34 days to get back. Boasting the most acreage among Ski Idaho resorts, Schweitzer offers plenty of diverse terrain to explore and epic views of Lake Pend Oreille and the Selkirk Mountains. It’s no wonder SKI magazine dubbed the resort “the best kept secret in North America.” Lookout Pass was a lot of fun, too. It straddles the Idaho-Montana border, so you can ski two states and two timezones at one resort. Plus, Lookout averages more than 400 inches of annual snowfall, so there’s always plenty of pow stashes to play in. Last, but definitely not least, was Silver Mountain. A quarter of the world’s silver supply has come out of Idaho’s Silver Valley, and it’s pretty wild to think while we were skiing on top of this grand mountain people were actively mining it far underneath. Like Schweitzer, the views from Silver’s two summits, Kellogg Peak and Wardner Peak, are incredible. So’s the skiing!

EASY, SCENIC DRIVES — Schweitzer, Lookout Pass, and Silver Mountain lie within the Idaho Panhandle's lofty and lush evergreen mountains that are also home to historic and illustrious mining and timber towns and ethereal lakes. All three resorts are within 30 minutes to 2 hours and 20 minutes of each other. All but 83 of the 311 miles we drove on our five-day trip were on I-90, with the remainder on state highways that traverse flat valleys. Total drive time between the airport and the resorts over the course of the journey was only 7 hours and we would’ve clocked in right around 6 hours if we hadn’t encountered snow on our drive from Schweitzer to Wallace Tuesday afternoon. Visit https://goo.gl/maps/5zGcP19q2Fu to see our route map.

AMAZING ACCOMMODATIONS — We stayed slope side at Schweitzer in the cozy condos at Selkirk Lodge our first night in rooms overlooking the Village Plaza. Night two found us two hours southeast at The Wallace Inn, a nice hotel about 15 minutes from Lookout Pass with comfy rooms and a lovely indoor pool area. The posh rooms at Silver Mountain’s Morning Star Lodge, which included wonderful kitchenettes, are essentially slope side, too, with the gondola — North America’s longest — only a couple hundred feet away. Silver Mountain is also home to Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark, Silver Rapids, which is loads of fun and immediately adjacent to the lodge. We spent our last night in North Idaho at Ski Idaho’s newest lodging partner, the elegant Blackwell Boutique Hotel. This luxurious historic mansion and gourmet bed-and-breakfast is nestled along Sherman Avenue, the picturesque main street of Idaho’s iconic mountain-lake resort town Coeur d’Alene just 40 minutes east of Spokane International Airport. The Blackwell’s restoration, regional significance, artwork on display, frittatas, and hospitality are staggering.

CRAFT BEER GALORE — Chimney Rock Grill at Schweitzer served up a fantastic dinner our first night that paired each of the four courses with a different Idaho beer. The next evening we enjoyed some tasty hopped cereal-grain beverages and satisfying pub fare at City Limits Brew Pub in Wallace and heartily recommend their Loft Honey beer brewed in honor of the Loft Pub at Lookout Pass. Lamentably Radio Brewing in Kellogg was closed on Wednesdays this month, so we diverted to Hill Street Depot, which has an excellent array of craft beers and ciders on hand. And our last night in North Idaho we dined at Daft Badger Brewing in Coeur d’Alene — my favorite watering hole on the trip — and enjoyed a nightcap at Mad Bomber Brewing Co. in nearby Hayden.

It was a truly memorable trip, and I must say if you haven't skied North Idaho, you really haven't skied.

Visit the Ski Idaho 2019 North Idaho FAM photo album on my Facebook page if you’d like to check out more photos from this super-fun FAM.

Cheers!

Tony Harrison, Ski Idaho publicist

Sun Valley voted top resort in Ski Magazine's 2021 Annual Ski Resort Awards. Photo courtesy of Sun Valley Resort.

SKI Magazine lauds four Idaho resorts

SKI Magazine gives four Ski Idaho resorts serious props in its November issue — chief among them naming Sun Valley as the top mountain in the 2021 Annual Ski Resort Awards.

In addition to Sun Valley taking gold for the first time ever in the annual Resort Guide, Grand Targhee made the list at No. 28. The issue also boasts a three-page travel feature about Schweitzer Mountain with a sidebar about five under-the-radar ski resorts that includes Silver Mountain.

SKI Magazine’s annual Resort Guide is based on the results of its Reader Resort Survey, the most comprehensive and longest-running rankings in the industry. Sun Valley ranked No. 1 in the categories of Lifts and Down-Day Activities and ranked in the top five in the categories of Grooming, Dining, Lodging, On-Mountain Food, Service, Accessibility, Local Flavor, Charm, and Overall Satisfaction.

“Sun Valley truly does cater to all levels of skiers,” senior editor Samantha Berman writes. “But if you have a soft spot in your heart for corduroy (Grooming, No. 2), you’ve come to the right place. (‘Best grooming I’ve ever skied,’ says one such reader.)”

“At the end of the day,” Berman continues, “if you know where to look, or can hook up with a friendly local to point you in the right direction, you will have a blast at Sun Valley on or off the slopes (Down-Day Activities, No. 1).”

Meanwhile, contributing writer Lily Krass says, “Targhee boasts a warm, friendly spirit that’s everything you love about skiing without any of the overpriced fluff” and that “skiing Targhee for the first time feels like visiting an old friend.”

The Alta, Wyo., resort affiliates with the Idaho Ski Areas Association because it is only accessible via Driggs, Idaho.

In its Schweitzer Mountain feature, titled “Party in the Panhandle,” contributing writer Paul Tolme describes Idaho’s northernmost alpine ski area as “the biggest little resort you’ve probably never visited.”

“With 2,900 acres of inbounds terrain — and an open boundary policy — it’s Idaho’s largest ski area,” he writes, “bigger than Sun Valley and larger than any resort in neighboring Washington as well. Who knew?”

Regarding Silver Mountain, Tolme writes in the accompanying “5 Under-The-Radar Resorts that Ski Big” sidebar: “No wonder Idaho is called the Gem State. Silver Mountain claims some gorgeous tree skiing across its two mountains, plus few crowds to compete with.”

SKI Magazine isn’t the only noteworthy media outlet doling out accolades to Ski Idaho resorts. Brundage Mountain is a finalist for USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Ski Resort category. The awards are based on online voting, which ends Nov. 9 at noon. Brundage is currently in the top spot among the 20 contending ski areas.

Santas skied free Dec. 21 at Lookout Pass near Mullan, Idaho. All 18 alpine ski resorts in Idaho will be open this holiday season. (Photo courtesy of Lookout Pass)

All 18 Idaho ski resorts open during the holidays

McCALL, Idaho (Dec. 22, 2018) — Skiers throughout Idaho have much to celebrate this holiday season, with all 18 of the state's alpine ski resorts either already open for the season or opening before the New Year.

Up in the Idaho Panhandle, Bald Mountain Ski Area (skibaldmountain.com) in Pierce plans to open Friday Dec. 28.

Bogus Basin (bogusbasin.org) near Boise is open seven days a week, with night operations beginning last night, Dec. 21. The resort has 25 inches of snow at the base and has received 47 inches total this season. The mountain is among resorts of the year for Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming identified in SKI magazine's annual "Resorts of the Year" issue for 2019.

In McCall, Brundage Mountain (brundage.com) is open seven days a week. The resort has 37 inches of snow at the base and has received 74 inches total this season. It earned an Editor's Choice-Next Best Places award for up-and-coming areas in SKI magazine's 2019 "Resorts of the Year" issue.

Meanwhile, up on the Camas Prairie, Cottonwood Butte Ski Area (cottonwoodbutte.org) near Cottonwood plans to open Dec. 26 depending on snow.

Just across the state's eastern border, Grand Targhee Resort (grandtarghee.com) in Alta, Wyo., is open seven days a week. The resort, which has 54 inches of snow at the base and has received 140 inches total this season, affiliates with Ski Idaho because it's only accessible via Driggs, Idaho.

Kelly Canyon Ski Resort (skikelly.com) in nearby Ririe is open six days a week and closed Sundays. This season it has received a total of 47 inches of snow.

Likewise, the Little Ski Hill (payettelakesskiclub.org/little-ski-hill) in McCall is open six days a week beginning today, Dec. 22, but closed Mondays.

Back up north, Lookout Pass (skilookout.com) near Mullan is open seven days a week. The resort has 54 inches of snow at the base.

Straddling the Idaho-Montana border, Lost Trail (losttrail.com) near Conner, Mont., is open daily through Jan. 6 and then open Thursdays through Sundays and major holidays the rest of the season. It has 20 inches of snow at the base and has received 61 inches total this season.

Down south, Magic Mountain (magicmountainresort.com) near Hansen is open daily though Jan. 6 except Christmas and then open Thursdays through Sundays and major holidays the rest of the season. The resort has 29 inches of snow at the base.

Pebble Creek Ski Area (pebblecreekskiarea.com) in Inkom is currently open Fridays-Sundays but will begin daily operations Dec. 26. It has 19 inches of snow at the base.

Pomerelle Mountain Resort (pomerelle.com) near Albion is open seven days a week. Night operations begin Dec. 26 and run Tuesday-Saturday nights. The resort has 32 inches of snow at the base and has received 81 inches total this season.

Idaho's northernmost alpine ski area, Schweitzer Mountain Resort (schweitzer.com) in Sandpoint is open seven days a week. The mountain has 38 inches of snow at the base and has received 79 inches total this season. It is among resorts of the year for Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming identified in SKI magazine's annual "Resorts of the Year" issue for 2019. SKI magazine also singled out Schweitzer as "an up and coming four-season resort" whose "views of sparkling Lake Pend Oreille give the Tahoe areas a reason to be nervous."

Nearby Silver Mountain Resort (silvermt.com) in Kellogg is also open seven days a week. It has 41 inches of snow mid-mountain and has received 80 inches total this season.

Snowhaven Ski & Tubing Area (grangeville.us/snowhaven-ski-and-tubing-hill) to the south near Grangeville on the Camas Prairie opened today, Dec. 22. It has 12 inches of snow at the base.

Back down south, Soldier Mountain Ski Area (soldiermountain.com) near Fairfield is open daily through New Year's Day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Beginning Jan. 3 the resort, which has 17 inches of snow at the base, will open Thursdays through Sundays and on major holidays the rest of the season.

North America's first destination ski resort and the global birthplace of lift-assisted skiing, Sun Valley Resort (sunvalley.com) in Sun Valley is open seven days a week. It has received a total of 25 inches of snow this season, but thanks to the resort's fantastic snowmaking capabilities it has 33 inches of snow at the base. Sun Valley earned first place in western North America for charm and lift service in SKI magazine's annual "Resorts of the Year" issue for 2019 and third place for "overall satisfaction" among readers.

Tamarack Resort (tamarackidaho.com) in Donnelly is open seven days a week. The mountain has 19 inches of snow at the base and 26 inches mid-mountain.

Founded in 1982, the Idaho Ski Areas Association, a.k.a. Ski Idaho, is a nonprofit association funded by the Idaho Travel Council via the state's 2 percent lodging tax paid by travelers and collected by hotel, motel, and private campground owners. Boasting 28,000 vertical feet of terrain spanning more than 20,000 acres, Idaho is the birthplace of lift-assisted skiing, home to America's first destination ski resort, and often considered the soul of skiing. Its 18 family friendly alpine ski resorts offer trails and backcountry for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels, breathtaking views, hundreds of inches of fresh powder, and short lift lines. Visit skiidaho.us for more details.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Zimmer and Brundage Mountain Resort. 

Ski Idaho 2020-21 season promising despite pandemic

The Idaho Ski Areas Association, aka Ski Idaho, elected Bogus Basin general manager Brad Wilson president of the 18-resort collective at its annual membership meeting last month.

Wilson, who has worked in the resort industry for 42 years and at ski areas for all but nine of them, has helmed Bogus Basin since November 2015.

On Wilson’s watch, Bogus Basin has established robust summer operations, offering a variety of family-friendly activities from late June through early October, adding the year-round Glade Runner mountain coaster, and building a second mountain bike park. He’s also overseen improvements to winter operations, with the recreation area adding and then doubling snow-making capabilities and replacing the Morning Star Chairlift with a high-speed detachable quad.

During his four-year term as Ski Idaho president, Wilson hopes to help the state’s smaller ski areas successfully navigate challenges like managing operations with limited human and financial resources and overcoming disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I love small ski areas,” Wilson said. “I’ve always enjoyed them and understand their significance in the whole scheme of things. That’s why the ISAA is so important. It’s difficult for a small ski area to attend the big national ski area association conferences. Ski Idaho gives smaller ski areas a chance to glean information from the larger ones and stay in touch with the industry so they can continue to grow and prosper.”

Wilson had praise for his predecessor, Brundage Mountain president and managing director Bob Looper.

“Under Bob’s enthusiastic leadership, many ski resorts around Idaho have successfully transitioned to year-round operations,” Wilson said. “The introduction of mountain biking and other summer activities at mountain recreation areas throughout the state is generating essential new operating revenue and putting Idaho on the map as a top outdoor destination in all seasons. We appreciate Bob’s many contributions toward this end.”

Adapting to COVID-19

During the organization’s annual meeting, Ski Idaho also laid out plans on how its members can address safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic this winter. Wilson said National Ski Areas Association president and CEO Kelly Pawlak presented its “Ski Well, Be Well” program during the Zoom meeting, and he’s confident all 18 Ski Idaho resorts will adopt it.

“We assume the current health mitigation strategies related to COVID-19 will continue to be in place through the winter,” Wilson said. “This includes the requirement of facial coverings in public spaces – including the base area and lift lines and any time you’re allowed indoors – and maintaining physical distance in all public spaces by both guests and employees. The rule of thumb on the chairlifts and gondolas is to ride with who you came with, and many resorts are recommending that guests use their own vehicles as personal lodges.”

He said the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you choose outdoor activities and places where it’s easy to stay 6 feet apart if you decide to go out, and skiing and snowboarding have a low risk of transmission.

“It would be tough to find a safer outdoor space than on a chairlift,” Wilson said. “Skis are about 6 feet long, so it’s easy to social distance in the lift line. There’s good directional airflow when you’re riding the lift and the chairs are spaced 50 feet apart. Skiers and boarders are already used to wearing gear like masks and gloves and goggles and helmets. And if there’s any place to social distance, it’s here in Idaho.”

Wilson said many Ski Idaho resorts are limiting or not allowing indoor seating and dining. At least one Idaho ski area, Bogus Basin, is using software that allows visitors to order food via their smartphones and establish a specific time to pick it up right outside the lodge. Kelly Canyon will also allow guests to order food via their personal devices with satellite food distribution options outside the lodge. Several mountains have purchased large tents to expand outdoor seating and dining, and at least two – Grand Targhee and Tamarack – will begin operating food trucks.

As many transactions as possible ranging from lift ticket sales to liability waivers are going online. Some long-standing annual events will be canceled. Some resorts may not offer après-ski events.

Tamarack is repurposing a dome to become the primary rental and retail space to allow for safe social distancing. The resort will also offer touchless ticket- and pass-pickup boxes as well as noncontact, pay-as-you-go, direct-lift access.

No Ski Idaho resort plans to place limits on season passholder visitation, according to Wilson.

At least one mountain, Schweitzer, will limit single-day lift ticket inventories based on historical data to ensure season passholders can maintain social distancing expectations, and another, Bogus Basin, will limit them on peak winter weekends and holidays. The latter will open up night skiing earlier – at 3 p.m. instead of 4 – and even offers a discounted night-skiing season pass.

Some resorts will offer prorated credit to this year’s season passholders based on how many, if any, days they are closed due to COVID-19. Grand Targhee calls it their 100-Day Guarantee. Silver Mountain calls theirs the Passholder Peace of Mind Policy. Tamarack announced a COVID-19 refund policy that provides 2020-2021 passholders with rollover credits in the event of a government-mandated closure prior to the season’s end.

Several ski areas will place restrictions on the Idaho Peak Season Passport, an $18 multiresort pass that lets fifth-graders ski or board up to three times for free at each of Ski Idaho’s 18 member resorts and lets sixth-graders go up to two times for free at 17 of them. This season some mountains may not allow kids to use the passport on Saturdays, while some plan to exclude weekends and holidays.

The three Ski Idaho resorts boasting backcountry snowcat operations – Brundage Mountain, Grand Targhee, and Soldier Mountain – are limiting access this winter to private bookings rather than letting guests purchase single seats. Selkirk Powder, which uses Schweitzer Mountain as a launchpad for its backcountry snowcat excursions, is making no such restrictions, although it has installed larger windows in the cabins to create more airflow and adopted robust COVID-19 safety protocols.

Wilson recommends skiers and snowboarders check online for the most up-to-date information about Ski Idaho resorts they plan to visit this season. He said skiidaho.us has links to all the resorts’ websites.

New for 20-21 season

In addition to all the new safety protocols, visitors to Idaho ski resorts will encounter an array of other enhancements this winter.

Near Boise, Bogus Basin doubled the number of top-to-bottom runs with snowmaking coverage and made updates throughout its main lodge, the Simplot Lodge.

It expanded its outdoor seating and dining options by adding large tents and four new satellite food and beverage offerings, plus visitors can order food for pickup via their smartphones.

Brundage Mountain has added a new two-acre parking lot that can accommodate up to 150 additional vehicles. Guests have access to a free shuttle that runs to and from nearby McCall, and Brundage has replaced its 12-passenger van with a new 33-passenger bus.

The resort has installed a new bathroom facility with four flush toilets that provides easy outdoor access on the edge of the main parking lot.

Two new outdoor grill areas will keep lines short in food-and-beverage facilities and expanded outdoor seating areas boast new tables and benches.

Kelly Canyon in eastern Idaho near Idaho Falls will begin operating on Sundays this season and has other improvements planned.

The Little Ski Hill in McCall has installed a new T-bar to replace the old one, plus it is upgrading the existing night-skiing lights. The goal is to light the remaining two runs next summer.

In addition, the Little Ski Hill will likely start opening at noon during weekdays this winter rather than 3 p.m. to help accommodate its altered after-school program.

This summer Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area took advantage of its new frontside main lift, a fixed-grip quad, by offering lift-served downhill mountain biking and scenic chairlift rides. It is something to try out in summer 2021.

In eastern Idaho near Pocatello, Pebble Creek Ski Area has expanded its snow-making capabilities and night-skiing lights in the First Timer area, significantly improving terrain for beginners during early and late-season lessons and evenings.

The South Idaho ski resort Pomerelle prides itself on keeping the mountain well-groomed every day and visitors there have come to expect that, so the resort purchased a new, high-tech PistenBully snowcat.

Plus, its summer crew spent many days clearing brush to enhance glade access and accomplished enough to feature the newly manicured area on its trail map.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort up north near Sandpoint continues to improve terrain on the backside of the mountain with logging and brush cutting occurring over 200 acres between Stella and Phineas’ Forest. More work is still planned for this fall with an additional 30-40 acres expected to be thinned before the season starts in November. The resort completed several other projects for this winter, too, including creating a “ski ready room” for KinderKamp, carpeting the Lakeview Lodge, stocking all-new Rossignol rental boots, and purchasing a new snow cat for grooming operations. Meanwhile, construction of the new 30-room ski-in/ski-out boutique hotel is proceeding well and the resort hopes to have all the concrete foundations finished heading into winter. Slated for a fall 2021 opening, the new hotel will offer impressive views of Lake Pend Oreille and feature a 50-seat restaurant and bar, an outdoor patio with a fire pit, a co-working area, a communal living room area, an outdoor spa, and additional underground parking.

Silver Mountain Resort, also in North Idaho, installed a new carpet lift to service the beginner run and tubing hill. The doublewide lift is covered, so guests are shielded from the elements. In addition, the resort opened a newly renovated hotel this summer. A less-expensive option than its Morning Star Lodge, the new Silver Inn is only two minutes away from the Gondola Village by car.

Utah-based Ascent Ventures, which counts former North American Snowboard Association president Paul Alden among its investors, purchased Soldier Mountain in southern Idaho. The new owners built a mountain bike park this summer, and two days before it was slated to open the Phillips Creek Fire broke out 2 miles away from the resort.

The wildfire completely destroyed the magic carpet lift, all the outbuildings except for the outdoor restrooms, and most of the signage on the mountain. Heat from the fire damaged Lift One, compromising the haul rope and ravaging the comm lines. (A second southern Idaho ski resort, Magic Mountain Ski Area, was recently threatened by another forest fire called the Badger Fire but survived unscathed.)

Fortunately, Soldier Mountain’s lodge and snowcats were untouched and the new owners are confident the resort will reopen this winter.

They are replacing the magic carpet and Lift One’s haul rope, comm line and chair slats, plus they are busy cleaning flame retardant off the lift shacks and bull wheels and have repainted the towers.

The new owners also plan to create Soldier Mountain’s first terrain park this winter.

With the Bald Mountain Expansion complete, Sun Valley – America’s first destination resort and birthplace of the chairlift – is opening an additional 380 acres of skiable terrain after replacing its oldest lift, Cold Springs No. 4, with a high-speed detachable quad.

The original vision for Tamarack Resort near Donnelly is finally being realized. The Village at Tamarack is open, and visitors can expect food from five new restaurants, including fresh pizza, Summit Bowls, Tilted Taco, The Alpine Diner and The Reserve, an upscale Italian-inspired establishment.

The resort will also begin operating a food truck, Mountain Bites, on the snow front this winter. Tamarack added new groomers, including a terrain-park-specific snowcat, plus touchless ticket- and pass-pickup boxes and pay-as-you-go direct lift access.Noteworthy milestones

Up in North Idaho, the state’s oldest ski resort, Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, turns 85 this season, and Snowhaven Ski Area & Tubing Hill, which is owned by the City of Grangeville in North Central Idaho, turns 75.

Return of La Niña

Idaho and the Northwest should expect a cold, wet winter with heavy mountain snow because of a La Niña weather pattern that’s developing in the Pacific Ocean thousands of miles away.

According to Ron Abramovich, a retired Idaho water supply specialist and skier and rafter who’s watched the weather for more than three decades, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center sees an 85% likelihood of La Niña conditions continuing throughout the northern hemisphere until January. He said the agency also predicts there’s a 60% chance the weather pattern – which is a cooling of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures off equatorial South America – will continue February-April.

For the Northwest, that likely means colder average temperatures and above-average precipitation, Abramovich told Ski Idaho.

Win a trip to three North Idaho ski resorts this season

Ski Idaho, Skis.com giving away ski vacay

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. (Dec. 5, 2018) — This month Skis.com, Snowboards.com, and Ski Idaho are giving away a trip for two to visit three North Idaho ski resorts in The Great Idaho Ski Getaway sweepstakes promotion.

"With over 28,000 feet of vertical and 18,000 acres of skiable terrain, Idaho is quintessential ski and snowboarding country," Ski Idaho board chair and Brundage Mountain Co. president Bob Looper said. "And if you win The Great Idaho Ski Giveaway you'll get to explore some of the very best our state has to offer."

One grand prize winner and a guest will fly to Spokane International Airport courtesy of Alaska Airlines to ski or ride Lookout Pass, Schweitzer, and Silver Mountain amid the Idaho Panhandle's vast lakes, winding rivers, lush evergreen mountains, and historic mining and timber towns. Schweitzer has 2,400 vertical feet and Silver has 2,200 vertical feet, so expect epic views and choose from 92 and 77 trails, respectively. Meanwhile, Lookout Pass boasts two mountains and straddles the Idaho-Montana border so you can actually ski in both states at the same resort.

Also worth noting: Schweitzer was just singled out in SKI magazine's annual Resorts of the Year issue for 2019 as "an up and coming four-season resort" whose "views of sparkling Lake Pend Oreille give the Tahoe areas a reason to be nervous."

The winner will also receive an overnight stay at the acclaimed Coeur d'Alene Spa Resort in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho -- ranked as one of the top resort spas in America by Condé Nast Traveler.

Visit Skis.com/skiidaho to enter and for official contest rules. No purchase is necessary.

The grand-prize package includes:

• Round trip airfare for two courtesy of Alaska Airlines (up to $1,000)
• Car rental for five days (up to $500)
• One day of lift tickets for two, ski/board rentals for two, and lunch for two at Lookout Pass Ski Resort plus overnight stay for two at a hotel in nearby Wallace, Idaho
• One day of lift tickets for two, ski/board rentals for two, lunch for two, and overnight stay for two at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho
• One day of lift tickets for two, ski/board rentals for two, lunch for two, and overnight stay for two at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho
• Overnight stay for two at The Coeur d'Alene Spa Resort in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
• $500 shopping spree at Skis.com or Snowboards.com
• Line Sakana and Line Pandora 104 skis
• 2 pairs of sunglasses from Proof Eyewear
• Welcome kit from Payette Brewing

ABOUT SKIS.COM + SNOWBOARDS.COM

Skis.com and Snowboards.com are Internet extensions of Summit Sports, a retailer with five stores in Michigan and five in Texas that's been serving skiers and snowboarders in a brick-and-mortar capacity since 1990 and online since 1997. It offers the best gear and apparel from Atomic, Burton, DC, Flow, Forum, GNU, K2, Libtech, The North Face, Salomon, Ride, Rossignol, Ugg, Under Armour, and other leading brands. The Summit Sports family of sites also includes InlineSkates.com, WaterOutfitters.com, CampGear.com, ACK.com, and RackBoys.com. Visit SummitSports.com for more details.

ABOUT SKI IDAHO

Founded in 1982, the Idaho Ski Areas Association, a.k.a. Ski Idaho, is a nonprofit association funded by the Idaho Travel Council via the state's 2 percent lodging tax paid by travelers and collected by hotel, motel, and private campground owners. Boasting 28,000 vertical feet of terrain spanning more than 20,000 acres, Idaho is the birthplace of lift-assisted skiing, home to America's first destination ski resort, and often considered the soul of skiing. Its 18 family friendly Alpine ski resorts offer trails and backcountry for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels, breathtaking views, hundreds of inches of fresh powder, and short lift lines. Visit skiidaho.us for more details.