5 minute read
Ski Idaho: Uncommon Adventure on the Slopes
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOGUS BASIN MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA
BY APRIL THOMAS WHITNEY
When the sun goes down at southwest Idaho’s ski resorts, it’s time for a unique assortment of adventures to begin. The innovative thinkers who run this special collection of resorts have come up with creative ways to keep the good times rolling after dark, design guided experiences to connect guests with natural surroundings, and use the latest tech tools to enhance safety and convenience.
BOGUS BASIN MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA—BOISE
Bogus Basin is taking its night riding experience to the next level with improvements both on and off the slopes. The non-profit mountain recreation area expanded night lighting this season, doubling the number of lit trails off the Superior Express lift and bringing the total number of lit acres to 200.
Bogus partnered with local brewery, Western Collective, to create the High Peak Hangout, located on the third floor of the Pioneer Lodge. The space—which offers spectacular views of the mountain’s night lights and glow from the valley below—provides a comfortable conversational environment, a place to warm up and enjoy a craft brew with an evening meal.
Warm up and enjoy a drink or meal from Western Collective at High Peak Hangout.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOGUS BASIN MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA
A new Night Season Pass (just $99) opens this experience up to a wider range of guests. It offers four hours of night riding—from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
“The re-envisioned, budget friendly, night season pass was born out of our available capacity in the late evenings and was made possible by our new RFID technology, which allows us to offer multiple sessions at the mountain seamlessly,” said Bogus Basin Director of Marketing and Innovation Austin Smith.
BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN RESORT—MCCALL
BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN
PHOTO BY CHAD CASE PHOTOGRAPHY
At Brundage Mountain, a signature after-hours dining experience came to life in 2017 when the resort saw the combined potential in its passenger snowcat fleet and charming mid-mountain Bear’s Den venue. After the lifts close and the powder hounds head home, a heated snowcat transports guests to a cozy log building where the culinary team rolls out a delightful fourcourse meal known as the “Dinner After Dark”.
Forget about the cold as you enjoy “Dinner After Dark” in the Bear’s Den, a unique dining experience for adventure seekers.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SWITA
Brundage has been operating snowcat adventures (during the daytime) since the early 1990s, when it began offering guided snowcat powder tours on an expansive 18,000 acres of backcountry terrain. The multi-peak powder zone is a 30-minute snowcat ride beyond the resort but can feel worlds away from the in-bounds experience.
Feel like exploring? Take in one of Idaho’s best backcountry views with a guided snowcat tour.
PHOTO COURTESY OF INFLATABLE FILMS
Tech talk: Brundage onboarded a new RECCO detector this season, which bounces radio waves off reflective chips built into some jackets, pants, and helmets to help locate lost skiers and snowboarders. The resort also utilizes the AirFlare Wilderness Rescue App, which uses GPS to track smartphones and guide patrollers to the exact location of a lost skier or snowboarder.
SOLDIER MOUNTAIN— FAIRFIELD
It might come as a surprise that a low-profile ski area like
Soldier Mountain offers a high-elevation snowcat experience just two hours from Boise. During daylight hours, the guided backcountry ski and snowboard tours explore 2,000 acres and 3,000 vertical feet of open bowls, rolling glades, and steep chutes on a trio of peaks above the ski area. The tallest tops out at an impressive 10,000 foot elevation, and guests can log 10,000—16,000 vertical feet in a day while “discovering your flow in untracked snow.”
Idaho yurts reflect the best of our state—cozy yet rustic, adventurous, and comfortable.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOLDIER MOUNTAIN
What’s truly unique about the experience is the option for an overnight stay at the remote Smoky Dome Yurt between two days of cat skiing. The wood-fired yurt sleeps 12 and has a four-burner gas stove, cooking supplies, and an outhouse. While the sleeping quarters are simple, the experience can be as extravagant as the guests desire. “Joe the Yurt Dude” helps groups customize their overnighters with catering, down-mountain dining excursions and, timed correctly, he’ll even help you chase down some full moon powder shots.
Soldier Mountain cat skiing allows skiers total immersion in the experience of powder snow.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOLDIER MOUNTAIN
Tech talk: For those shredding in-bounds at Soldier Mountain, new RFID-triggered “SNAPD” action cameras can help capture an epic day. You just grab a SNAPD tag before you hit the slopes, ride past one of the three cameras (striking a pose is optional) and view and download your photos after you’re done for the day.
TAMARACK RESORT— DONNELLY
Tamarack Resort is using its RFID technology to streamline the base area experience, both during the day and for après ski. On the snowfront, a pocket-sized card can unlock ski checks and heated seasonal lockers with boot and helmet dryers. After the lifts close, thirsty skiers and riders can swipe the same card for instant access to a tap wall at the Seven Devil’s Taphouse, which offers 40 regional beers, ciders, and hard seltzers.
RFID taps allow skiers instant access to lockers and—better yet—beer with the swipe of a card.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TAMARACK RESORT
During the day, Tamarack is breaking down barriers to a world-class (but sometimes intimidating) sporting opportunity right at its doorstep. Unbeknownst to a lot of winter visitors, Cascade Lake is one of the premiere ice fishing locations in North America (with what’s arguably now one of the best trophy perch fisheries in the WORLD). This often-chilly sport, which involves cutting a hole in a frozen lake, can be understandably daunting for first-timers. Tamarack’s guided tours take the guesswork out of this experience and include snowmobile rental, heated ice shacks, and all the fishing equipment needed to snag one (or a dozen) of the lake’s jumbo Yellow Perch.
A little ice never stopped anybody! Idaho sportsmen shine, no matter the season.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMANTHA SAIS PHOTO
