Seniors Enjoy Steep Discounts at Most Idaho Ski Areas

/5 Comments/in , /by

Collectively, Idaho’s ski areas boast 29,000 feet of vertical spanning more than 21,000 acres, short lift lines, and extremely affordable passes. Plus, most offer skiing seniors significant discounts on lift tickets (and season passes).

Here’s a comprehensive list of the deals available to seniors looking to ski Idaho:

  • Bald Mountain Ski Area (Pierce) — Seniors ages 70 and older ski for free.

    At Bald Mountain, a small nonprofit ski area near Pierce in North Central Idaho, seniors ages 70 and older ski for free while full-day adult lift tickets go for only $25. Nestled amongst the vast Clearwater Mountains along the Gold Rush Historic Byway, Bald Mountain offers 21 runs that span 140 acres of skiable terrain with 845 feet of vertical. It is operated by the Clearwater Ski Club on land leased from PotlatchDeltic Corp., a forest products company based in Spokane, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Idaho Tourism)

  • Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area (Boise) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $57 vs. $76 for adults 18-69, late arrivals (1 p.m. to close) costing $49 vs. $69, and twilight passes (3 p.m. to close) costing $32 vs. $39. There are no discounts on night passes (6 p.m. to close). Seniors also can purchase discounted Nordic passes, with full-day passes costing $17 vs. $24 for adults 13-69 and half-day passes costing $12 vs. $17. There are no senior discounts on winter tubing or the Glad Runner mountain coaster.
  • Brundage Mountain Resort (McCall) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $62 during the regular season and $64 on holidays vs. $86 and $94, respectively, for adults ages 18-69. Likewise, seniors receive discounts on late-arrival tickets, which cost $48 during the regular season and $50 on holidays vs. $72 and $76, respectively, for adults. Seniors also enjoy discounts on multiday tickets. Buy full-day tickets online two days ahead of time and enjoy additional discounts. Brundage does not offer discounts for seniors booking snowtubing at the McCall Activity Barn, snowcat adventures, or snowmobile tours.

    Brundage Mountain Resort in Southwest Idaho near McCall about two hours north of Boise is home to what SKI Magazine has claimed is “the best powder in North America.” Its base area is blessed with more than 320 inches of snow annually, creating a consistently satisfying mix of bluebird and powder days throughout winter. It is also home to some of the best senior lift ticket discounts in the Gem State. (Photo courtesy of Ski Idaho)

  • Cottonwood Butte Ski Area (Cottonwood) — The mountain doesn’t offer seniors discounts, but full-day adult lift tickets only cost $20.
  • Grand Targhee Resort (Alta, WY) — Seniors ages 65 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $90 during the regular season and $103 on holidays vs. $120 and$135, respectively, for adults ages 13-64. Buy your alpine ski tickets online and save up to 6 percent on most dates. Seniors also can purchase discounted Nordic passes, with day passes costing $15 vs. $20 for adults. Grand Targhee does not offer discounts for seniors booking snowshoe tours. Those wishing to fatbike its winter sports trail system must purchase a full-day alpine lift ticket or Nordic trail ticket.
  • Kelly Canyon Resort (Ririe) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy the same lift ticket pricing as juniors ages 6-12, with a full day costing $59 vs. $79 for adults ages 13-69. Likewise, half-day and night-skiing lift tickets cost seniors $39 vs. $59 for adults.
  • Little Ski Hill (McCall) — The mountain doesn’t offer seniors discounts, but full-day adult lift tickets only cost $25.
  • Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area (Mullan) — Seniors ages 80 and older ski for free. Seniors ages 62-79 enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with full-day passes costing $45 midweek, $52 on weekends, and $54 on holidays vs. $55, $66, and $73, respectively, for adults ages 18-61. Buy them online well before 8 a.m. the day before your visit and save another $3 per ticket. Additionally, if you show your photo I.D. or birth certificate at the ticket window on your birthday you’ll receive a free lift ticket on your birthday.

    Show your photo I.D. or birth certificate at the ticket window of Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area on your birthday and you’ll receive a free lift ticket for that day. Plus, seniors ages 80 and older ski for free and 62- to 79-year-olds enjoy sweet discounts on lift tickets. Near the historic town of Wallace and straddling the Idaho-Montana border and the Mountain and Pacific time zones, Lookout Pass is debuting its Eagle Peak expansion this winter, nearly doubling its footprint and adding another 500 feet of vertical. (Photo courtesy of Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area)

  • Lost Trail Ski Area (Sula, MT) — “Golden agers” 60 to 69 years old and seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $50 and $29, respectively, vs. $58 for adults ages 13-59. Likewise, golden agers and seniors only pay $45 and $26 for half-day passes, respectively, vs. $53 for adults.
  • Magic Mountain Ski Resort (Kimberly) — The mountain doesn’t offer seniors discounts, but full-day adult lift tickets only cost $40.
  • Pebble Creek Ski Area (Inkom) — Seniors ages 66 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $50 and a half day costing $42 vs. $62 and $49, respectively, for adults ages 18-65. Pebble Creek does not offer seniors discounts on lift tickets that only allow riding on the Aspen beginner lift, which costs $25 for guests ages 6 and older.
  • Pomerelle Mountain Resort (Albion) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $27 online and $37 at the ticket window vs. $50 and $60, respectively, for adults ages 13-69. Pomerelle does not offer seniors discounts on half-day and night tickets.
  • Rotarun Ski Area (Hailey) — The mountain doesn’t offer seniors discounts, but adult lift tickets only cost $15. Plus, Rotarun offers free public night skiing 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays.
  • Schweitzer (Sandpoint) — Seniors ages 65 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $97 their first visit and $92 to reload their RFID card for subsequent dates vs. $110 and $100, respectively for adults ages 18-64. Schweitzer does not offer seniors discounts on afternoon and twilight lift tickets or Nordic trail passes. Book a stay in any Schweitzer-managed property and receive discounted lift tickets.
  • Silver Mountain Resort (Kellogg) — Seniors 65 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $60 midweek (Monday-Friday), $64 on weekends, and $70 on holidays vs. $65, $71, and $75, respectively, for adults ages 18-64. Likewise, senior half-day tickets cost $55 midweek and on weekends and $60 on holidays vs. $57 and $65, respectively, for adults. Seniors also enjoy discounted scenic gondola rides (the resort is home to the world’s longest single-stage gondola that serves a ski area), which cost them $17.95 vs. $21.95 for adults. Silver Mountain does not offer seniors discounts on snowtubing or passes to Silver Rapids, Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark, which is adjacent to the resort’s Morning Star Lodge in the gondola village.
  • Snowhaven Ski & Tubing Area (Grangeville) — Seniors ages 62 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $22 vs. $24 for a regular adult ticket and half-day passes costing $17 vs. $22 for a regular adult ticket. There are no senior discounts on snowtubing.
  • Soldier Mountain (Fairfield) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day costing $39 online and $54 at the ticket window vs. $59 and $74, respectively, for adults ages 18-69. Half-day tickets cost $24 online and $39 at the ticket window vs. $44 and $59, respectively, for adults. Soldier Mountain does not offer seniors discounts for its snowcat adventures.

    Seniors save 27 percent off regular adult prices when purchasing their Soldier Mountain lift tickets onsite at the ticket window, and up to one-third when they buy them online. It is one of only 10 ski areas in the U.S. you can rent out for the day. For $6,000 you can privately book the mountain during nonoperational days (Mondays-Wednesdays) for corporate retreats or personal events. So if you and 99 friends got together, you could have the entire mountain to yourself for the day for only $60 apiece. (Photo courtesy of Ski Idaho)

  • Sun Valley Resort (Sun Valley) — Seniors ages 65 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets, with a full day ranging from $86-145 depending on the date vs. $104-225 for adults ages 13-64.

    Boasting 3,400 ft. of vertical, Sun Valley Resort’s senior discounts are nearly as steep, reaching upwards of 35 percent. For the third consecutive year, SKI Magazine named it the top ski resort in North America in its 2022 Annual Resort Guide. Sun Valley ranked no. 1 in the West for overall satisfaction, lifts, dining, and local flavor, and also ranked highly in the grooming, guest services, lodging, après, nightlife, and family friendly categories. (Photo courtesy of Sun Valley Resort)

  • Tamarack Resort (Donnelly) — Seniors ages 70 and older enjoy discounts on lift tickets. When pre-purchased in advance online, a full-day pass costs seniors $40 midweek and weekends and $60 on holidays vs. $55, $75, and $90, respectively, for adults ages 18-69. When purchased at the ticket window, seniors pay $60 for a half day, $75 for a full day, and $95 on holidays vs. $80, $115, and $135, respectively, for adults.

Please visit skiidaho.us for more details.

These Prescription Goggles Offer Fog-Free and Full-Range Vision

/0 Comments/in /by

Are you a senior skier or rider who has struggled to find a suitable solution for prescription eyewear on the slopes? Are you still looking for a solution to seeing the trees or reading the trail map while skiing without having to worry about lens fogging up?

Traditional Over-the-glasses (OTG) goggles can be prone to fogging, requiring frequent wiping and gear adjustment. Prescription goggles with lens inserts offer clear vision straight ahead. Still, many users complain that they have limited visibility around the edges, requiring them to turn their heads to see frequently. To improve the viewing experience for senior skiers and riders, There are better ways for senior skiers and riders to enjoy the view entirely.

SnowVision has developed a unique lens technology that addresses some of the common issues with traditional over-the-glasses (OTG) goggles and prescription goggles with lens inserts. Jerke van den Bogaert, Jan Van Roy and Wim Van Roy, an aerospace engineer, founded the company. Wim Van Roy also designed the vents to prevent fogging. By integrating the prescription lens into the inner lens of the goggle, they create an insulating layer of air that prevents misting and fogging.

Additionally, the prescription lens inserts are curved, like the goggle lens, instead of flat, like your regular glasses providing a wider field of view and improved visibility even around the edges of the goggles. They have the widest optical range on the market (+9 to -9) and can have prisms and progressive/multifocal lenses installed. All these make Snowvision goggles an excellent option for senior skiers and riders who want to enjoy a clear and unobstructed view while on the slopes.

Plus, the lenses are photochromatic, so you don’t have to worry about carrying and changing goggles or lenses to match the weather, which can vary from bluebird to overcast, flat light, and back again in a couple of runs. The goggles adjust automatically within 30-60 seconds, about the same time it takes to unfold or refold a paper trail map.

SnowVision prescription lenses are available as unifocal, progressives, or bifocals to meet the diverse needs of skiers and riders. It’s also important to note that it may take some time for your eyes to adjust to the prescription lenses, just as they would with regular glasses. It’s always a good idea to consult your ophthalmologist to determine the best lens type and prescription for your needs and activities. The SnowVision website is also helpful for finding the right lens for your needs and preferences.

High-quality vendors in Germany, Italy, and Japan manufacture the goggle’s components. The modern design, robust look, and performance reflect the quality of SnowVision goggles.

Prices start at around $100 for the no-fog, photochromatic goggles without a prescription and around $250 for the unifocal options. Each pair is custom-made based on your prescription. If you have not seen your eye doctor recently, this may be an excellent opportunity to update your prescription and try out these high-quality, custom-made RX goggles from SnowVision.

skijoring Banff Lake Louise Tourism

Things to Do in Banff/Lake Louise Besides Skiing

/1 Comment/in /by

Skijoring Banff Lake Louise Tourism

If you aren’t too tired after a day or more on the slopes of Lake Louise, Sunshine and Mt. Norquay, there are plenty of options, including ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Events at SkiBig3 and in the towns of Banff and Lake Louise are back and better than before the so-called “pandemic pause”.

Here’s what to put on your calendar between now and spring.

Snow Days in Banff

Every January, Banff and Lake Louise come alive with the annual Snow Days Winter Festival. The streets of downtown Banff transform into larger-than-life winter galleries with giant snow sculptures, and onlookers line Banff Avenue to watch skijoring, as skiers are pulled through the snow by horses.  And more events, including just for kids.

  • Jan. 18 – 29, 2023

Mt. Norquay’s Stay & Apres Series

End your day on the mountain by going straight from the chair to cheers with the new Stay & Après Tasting Sessions, from 4 to 5 p.m. at Lone Pine Restaurant at Mt. Norquay on five days this season. This informative and delicious series of après ski tasting experiences is free with a valid lift ticket or season pass.

Kick your boots up, relax, sip on amazing drinks, and learn from an expert from Black Stallion wines (March 4), Park Distillery (Jan. 20 and Feb. 24), Hendo (Feb. 25) and Banff Ave. Brew Co. (March 10). There are only 20 spots available for each session, which is open to adults aged 18 and over. Sign up now or day of in the Cascade Lodge.

  • Jan.  20; Feb. 24, 25; March 4, 10 

Demo Days at Lake Louise Ski Resort

Try out the latest and greatest skis and snowboards from your favorite brands for free at Demo Days at Lake Louise Ski Resort. Visit a tent in the base area with a valid lift ticket or pass (along with an ID and credit card) and choose the gear (first come, first served) you’d like to try for a few laps. A rep will set up the gear to fit your own boots.

  • Feb. 17, and March 18, 2023

Cardboard Sled Derby

Race down the Norquay Tube Park for your chance to win great prizes, and even greater bragging rights. The catch? You’ll be racing in a self-made sled built from only the following items: tape, string, garbage bags, glue, and cardboard. Prizes are awarded for the fastest sled, best crash, and best overall.  Or just watch.

  • Feb 3, 2023, 6:30pm to 10pm

Norquay’s Lifts of Love

Feb. 11, 2023

High-speed quad dating returns to Mt. Norquay this February. Lifts of Love is a fresh take on speed dating, promising you’ll meet somebody new on every chair. The $45 entry fee includes a lift pass, an Apres Ski Mixer including food and drink specials and a live DJ, in The Lone Pine, beginning at 9 p.m.

  • Feb. 11, 2023

Nightrise at the Banff Gondola

At Nightrise, Sulphur Mountain’s summit is transformed after dark through four digital art installations inspired by the area’s First Nations history. Vibrant lighting, multimedia effects, video projections and music bring the mountaintop to life in new and unexpected ways. The installation was created by visionary Montreal-based multimedia studio Moment Factory in partnership with the Stoney Nakoda Nation.

Reservations recommended, whether you opt for just the digital light experience or add drinks or dinner at the Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen.

  • Dec. 2, 2022 – April 9, 2023

Slush Cup

Banff Sunshine plays host to its three-day #slushtival each May, promising true spring skiing and snowboarding, music, dancing and entertainment.

The Slush Cup is a neon, nutty, nail-biting pond skimming event, now in its 95th (ish) year, and celebrated traditionally on the last day of the ski season (Banff/Lake Louise is North America’s longest non-glacial ski season. Laugh as the brave attempt to travel across an ice-cold pond on skis or a snowboard while wearing crazy costumes. Also, check out the Slushshine Rail Jam and the Water Gate Banked Slalom.

  • May 21-23, 2023

What’s your favorite run at Lake Louise?  Sunshine?  Norquay?

See you on the slopes!

[authors_page role=contributor]