What’s new for the Idaho ski season

There’s more to explore at several Idaho ski areas this winter season.

Sun Valley Resort and Tamarack Resort are unveiling 90 acres and 50-60 acres of new inbounds terrain, respectively, while Silver Mountain Resort and Kelly Canyon Resort have added new glades. Magic Mountain is expanding its beginner area and tubing hill, and Soldier Mountain debuted 250 acres of side country at the end of last ski season.

Premiering an array of upgrades during Sun Valley Resort’s 90th season, 90 acres of newly gladed terrain are home to four advanced runs between Canyon, Exhibition, and Olympic. Developed through the resort’s Bald Mountain Forest Stewardship Project with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Forest Foundation, the effort reduces fire risk and improves forest health while providing heating firewood to local indigenous communities. The project also unlocks some of the most exciting advanced terrain on the mountain and has led Sun Valley to develop more than 350 acres of glades over the last five years.

The family-owned Central Idaho ski area — renowned as America’s first destination resort and the birthplace of the chairlift — is introducing RFID technology across all base areas of Bald and Dollar mountains to improve guest experiences and efficiency.

Sun Valley is also launching new ski and ride clinics — including multiday adult camps — as part of its ski school programming. Plus, this winter Dollar Mountain will debut Sunny’s Adventure Park, a bright, whimsical addition to the resort with fun, imaginative terrain-park-style features.

Sun Valley is slated to open for skiing and riding Nov. 27.

Post fire, Tamarack Resort is transforming upwards of 60 acres south of Bliss into terrain that will appeal to advanced skiers and riders. The fire began with a lightning strike August 12 less than 2 miles from Tamarack and burned nearly 2,800 acres across Idaho’s West Central Mountains.

Tamarack also enhanced its main green run, Waltz, to allow more room for progression and learning, and it moved additional mobile snowmaking guns there to ensure early opening conditions and consistent coverage. In addition, the resort brought in specialized Aebi mowers to cut brush on Tamarack’s most popular runs, including Serenity, Showtime, and Encore, for earlier openings and to provide smoother, more manicured surfaces all winter.

Plus, it installed new loading and unloading ramps at key chairlifts, including Discovery Chair, Tamarack Express, and Summit Express.

The resort, in Southwest Idaho near Donnelly, recently announced plans to limit day ticket sales on peak dates this winter — a measure adopted by other ski areas to minimize crowds and improve the on-mountain experience.

Tamarack is expanding Nordic rentals, lessons, and programming, too, and it’s taking après to new heights, introducing a mobile DJ Snowcat to bring high-energy experiences to different areas of the mountain. Plus, the mid-mountain lodge, which debuted last winter, will offer expanded dining offerings, live music, and enhanced outdoor seating overlooking Lake Cascade.

It has relocated Tamarack Sports School to a new, centralized location in the Village that conveniently includes rentals and lesson check-ins. Likewise, the resort has established a new Central Reservations and Lodging Check-In center in the Village. Additionally, it is opening Elevation Studio to offer guests and club members a range of fitness and wellness classes from yoga and mobility to guided stretch and recovery sessions.

Expansions to Tamarack’s upper and lower Village parking lots will ease congestion during peak weekends, and the new Aspen lot will significantly grow capacity. The new lot sports 10 camping spots that are 26 ft. wide by 40 ft. deep (ideal for Class A and C motorhomes) and four spaces that are 12 ft. wide by 25 ft. deep (optimal for Sprinter vans and Class B camper vans).

The event calendar at Tamarack includes Night Skiing on Discovery Jan. 17, an Intermountain Division under-14 qualifier Feb. 6-9, Valentine’s Day with Expedia Cruises Feb. 14, Disco on Disco Night Skiing Feb. 14, a Ski Like a Girl Tour stop Feb. 21, Snowfort Music Festival March 6-7, the Idaho State Pond Skim Championship April 4, and an RMSHA Hillclimb X Games qualifier April 17-18.

Tamarack plans to open for winter Nov. 28.

Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area in Southwest Idaho near Boise thinned undergrowth and opened up more gladed terrain across Pine Creek and Bitterroot Basin, partnering with Asplund to test a new piece of remote brush-cutting equipment called The Green Climber. Plus, it graded two aspects off the top of the top of the Morning Star Express chairlift, creating a more direct, beginner- and intermediate-friendly path toward the Bitterroot and Morningstar sides of the mountain.

The big news for Bogus Basin this winter is that guests will be skiing on snow from last winter, because it’s been piloting innovative snow-storage technology from Finland that is only in use at three North American ski areas. The system stored approximately 11 acre-feet of snow over the summer with a 70 to 80% percent retention rate. Dubbed a clear success, the effort preserved roughly. 2.6 million gallons of water in snow form on Lower Coach’s Corner.

The nation’s largest nonprofit ski area, Bogus Basin undertook a major remodel of the Pioneer Lodge exterior and the entire lower level. That has transformed it into a modern, multi-use hub. Upgrades include a new elevator, providing full ADA access to all lodge floors, and renovated locker rooms that include a kitchenette-style food station for visitors who bring their own provisions. Pioneer Lodge will reopen in December.

Other improvements include a new point-of-sale and e-commerce platform to modernize guest transactions, a near complete rental fleet refresh for downhill and Nordic gear. Bogus Basin expects to start winter operations November 21.

In North Idaho, Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg conducted extensive thinning in new areas of the North Face Glades, yielding additional steep, fall-line tree skiing and reducing the need for traversing. It also expanded Sheer Bliss, a run on skier’s left, and installed a permanent rope line for safety and clarity.

Other mountain improvements include updated signage that provides more accurate run status updates and links to backcountry forecasts at backcountry gates. Tubing sessions are now extended to seven days per week, and Silver Rapids — Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark — will boast extended midweek hours. Plus, a new partnership is bringing the Rossignol Experience Center to Silver Mountain Sports that will offer a wealth of branded hard goods and expanded demo experiences.

Silver Mountain anticipates beginning winter operations November 28.

In Southern Idaho, family owned Magic Mountain Ski Resort doubled its surface lift capacity, adding a second magic carpet to serve an expanded beginner area. It is also expanding the Twilight Tubing Hill by adding a new beginner/child area and adding new private weekday tubing sessions for schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations.

For the first time guests can rent Magic Mountain for private full-day events on its nonoperational days (it is typically closed Mondays-Wednesdays except holidays). It will begin selling single-ride lift tickets (uphill only) for backcountry skiers, Nordic skiers, and snowshoers desiring a “lift bump.” Plus, Magic Mountain is new to the Indy Pass this winter, bringing the total number of Idaho ski areas accessible via that popular multiresort pass product to eight. Magic Mountain is targeting December 13 as an opening date.

In Eastern Idaho near Ririe, Kelly Canyon Resort cleared and graded a new cat track between the tops of Lift 2 and Lift 4 to provide easy access to more terrain when the latter chair is not running, plus it opened a whole new glade below that. The resort also installed a new rope tow to serve its terrain park, which will boast 13 new features, including dancefloors, F-boxes, spines, and 10-inch-diameter tanker tubes. Kelly Canyon plans to open Thanksgiving Day.

Soldier Mountain in southern Idaho opened 250 acres of intermediate and expert terrain for two weekends last March that it will open this winter for guided excursions on select dates aboard the TRAX side-by-side UTV. Guests possessing the necessary skills and equipment can also reach the Bridge Creek Sidecountry Project’s steep, north-facing ridges and trees by foot on established bootpack trails or by skinning up in alpine touring gear.

The resort, once owned by actor Bruce Willis, is run by the Alden family, and they have big plans for the mountain this winter. Competitions and athlete training this winter include the inaugural Soldier Mountain Freeride Invitational limited to 20 top riders, the RMSHA Uphill Battle Snowmobile Race Jan. 16-17, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Training in April, the launch of the Soldier Scholastic Ski & Snowboard Team, and the Soldier Mountain/Sun Valley Ski Education Speed Project. The resort is also adding Ladies Backcountry Days and Intro to Backcountry Days.

Mountain improvements include a reforestation project with the US Forest Service, expanded snowmaking, new restraint bars on chairlifts and other safety enhancements, as well as the return of its tubing park. Soldier Mountain has not announced an opening date yet.

Although it hasn’t added any new terrain for this winter, Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area in North Idaho undertook numerous projects this summer to improve many trails.

It added two groomers to its fleet. The resort also repainted Chair 3, installed a new locker room floor in the lodge, expanded its lower parking lot, and is completing a U.S. Forest Service bathroom at the bottom of the Eagle Peak Chair. Plus, it is offering a new, affordable Lift Ticket 3 Pack for $179 if purchased by December 1.

Lookout Pass will unveil its new website in mid-November, and the mountain expects to open this month.

IDAHO PEAK SEASON PASSPORT The Idaho Peak Season Passport program is open to any child from any state or country ages 10-12.

The Idaho Peak Season Passport is accepted at 18 of 19 Ski Idaho destinations. The only Ski Idaho destination that doesn’t participate is Rotarun, which offers a community-skis-free night weekly every Wednesday. Visit skiidaho.us/passport-blackout for a list of scheduled blackout dates.

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