ON THE MOUNTAIN LOCAL RESORTS
MAKE TURNS @ MT. SPOKANE 7 DAYS A WEEK
Mt. Spokane is making its family-friendly mountain more readily available this season. In January and February, the ski area will be operating all week long, including Mondays and Tuesdays. The move should help spread skiers and riders out over more days and lead to shorter lift lines and a safer, less crowded experience throughout the resort. SILVER ADDS NEW AFFORDABLE LODGING OPTION Silver Mountain Resort purchased and remodeled the Silverhorn Motor Inn and rebranded it the Silver Inn, located about a half mile from the gondola base. This 40-room hotel-style accommodation has a rich history in Kellogg and will be an affordable quality lodging option for skiers and riders looking to spend more time on the snow and less time driving back and forth to the mountain.
49 DEGREES NORTH. // BOB LEGASA
WHAT'S NEW FOR THE SEASON
SPONSORED BY SKI THE NW ROCKIES ASSOCIATION RESORTS
WITH COVID-19 THROWN into the mix of
what could be one of the snowiest and coldest winters in years, local resorts are stepping up to create a safe, fun, and convenient ski and snowboard experience like never before. Here’s a glimpse into what you can expect for this upcoming season from our local Ski the NW Rockies Resorts.
BUY YOUR LIFT TICKETS IN ADVANCE THIS YEAR
Some regional resorts are planning to limit the number of skiers and snowboarders on their mountains on peak days, which means no more early-birding it to the ticket window on a powder day expecting to score a lift ticket. Most resorts this year will require advanced online ticket purchasing, and tickets may be limited and potentially not available during weekends and holidays. Priority, on the other hand, will be given to season pass holders, so the point here is to buy your lift tickets in advance online if you don’t plan to purchase a season pass.
Rick Brown, the director of skier & rider services at 49 Degrees North, illustrates how ticket purchasing will work at 49 and potentially at other resorts this season. 49 is totally upgrading its point-of-sale system to make it easier and safer for guests to get up to the mountain, he says. “We will have online ticketing so that people will be able to purchase tickets anywhere then walk up to the ticket window to get their lift ticket.”
A BETTER RIDE FOR BEGINNERS AT SILVER
Silver Mountain Resort is installing a new, double-wide, covered magic carpet lift to service their beginner run as well as their tubing hill. “Upgrading from our old single-wide to this double-wide will minimize the amount of time in the lift line and allow for more time spent on the snow,” says Silver Mountain Resort General Manager Jeff Colburn. “This new covered ride will provide protection from the elements and make for a more comfortable experience for tubers and beginners just learning how to slide on the snow.”
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NEW SNOWMAKING TO EXTEND THE SEASON AT 49
The big news at 49 Degrees North this season is the extensive addition to the resort’s snowmaking. “The snowmaking expansions will essentially give us the ability to make snow from the base area all the way up to Midway at Silver King and on up to Silver Ridge,” says 49’s director of skier and rider services Rick Brown. “It’s a pretty large swath that will allow us to open earlier most years and have better conditions later in the season.” The work involved putting in two pump houses and a reservoir on silver ridge, which positions 49 to move snow making even further up the mountain in the future. 49’s egalitarian snow-making capacity will also spread the cold, white love to the lower reaches of the mountain near Chair 3 that accesses beginner terrain as well as the resort’s magic carpet conveyor lift, greatly improving conditions for those just learning to ski and snowboard.
BREATHE EASIER WITH EXTENDED LODGE HOURS
New this year, Mt. Spokane’s Lodge 1 and Lodge 2 will be operating seven days per week. The mountain is extending indoor operations to allow for more physical distancing for a safer experience during the ongoing pandemic.
BETTER, FASTER FOOD
Our local resorts will have some welcome culinary innovations this season that will make dining on the mountain faster and more enjoyable. We are excited to hear that Mt. Spokane has brought on celebrity regional chef, Chad White, to make big kitchen changes at Spokane’s closest resort this year. “He’s bringing to life a new food and beverage menu focused on mountain flavors and local brews,” reports Mt. Spokane’s new assistant general manager and marketing director Jodi Kayler. “We can’t wait to roll out new flavors, more efficient service, and short wait times.” Lookout Pass is also working to refine its food menu with the primary goal of offering a faster meal purchasing experience. “Guests will find more grab-and-go options in our food court/deli and more food and drink options at our Summit Shack at the top of the mountain near the unloading point for our Peak One Quad,” says Lookout’s Matt Sawyer.
