What’s New in Idaho for the 2023/24 Season
Idaho’s mountain resorts were busy all summer adding and upgrading lifts, snowmaking and amenities for the new season including introducing or expanding RFID ticketing. Here’s what’s new at Idaho’s downhill and Nordic destinations, in alphabetical order, because that’s the only fair way.
Brundage scenic with snowcat
BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN
The resort has replaced the Centennial fixed-grip triple with a high-speed quad. The new Centennial Express cuts uphill time from 16 minutes down to just six. That gives Brundage two high-speed quads on the front side, easing congestion across the mountain’s 1,920 acres of terrain.
There’s also a new RFID point-of-sale system. Each guest will be issued an RFID card, which can be loaded and re-loaded online with season pass or day tickets, allowing for straight-to-lift access. The new system also streamlines reservations for the resort’s signature guided Snowcat Adventures, which are offered on 18,000 acres of pristine backcountry terrain. Those looking to book a private snowcat can view an online calendar showing availability in real-time.
The resort also is working to expand the free shuttle service between McCall and the base area, where construction of a new base lodge is well underway with opening planned for January 2025.
GRAND TARGHEE
The resort is making infrastructure upgrades to the Colter Lift, which opened last season, accessing 600+ acres of new terrain. Adding bathroom facilities and other tweaks will allow skiers/riders to spend the entire day on the pristine south side of the mountain. Targhee also has made significant upgrades to the beginner ski area by the Shoshone Lift, including widening the beginner area, moving the magic carpet and renaming it the Huckleberry Lift. Plus, there is a new cover over the magic carpet, an important addition considering how much snowfall Targhee enjoys.
KELLY CANYON RESORT
The resort has replaced Chair 4 and also installed a magic carpet at the summit of Chair 2 to improve access to terrain accessible before by bootpacking. They’re building reservoirs for new snowmakers, have rebuilt the lower parking lot and made enhancements to the lodge after an ice dam caused damage this spring.
LOOKOUT PASS
They’ve finished improving the gearing on the new Eagle Peak Express quad that opened last winter so chairs move at full capacity, shaving 2.5 minutes off the ride time. will move faster. Lookout Pass also cut dead trees in some glades on Eagle Peak, opening up lines, and continued to grade some trails there to smooth out the ride and remove stumps, all to allow earlier opening of this new terrain. In addition, Lookout Pass purchased a new Prinoth Bison X groomer, is adding new demo skis and snowboards to the demo fleet, and installed a new White Peaks point-of-sale ticketing system.
MAGIC MOUNTAIN
The beginner snow sports terrain has been expanded. Magic’s tubing area has been expanded with more lanes and tubes, and there are new weekday group tubing opportunities available by reservation. All-new Sno-Go trikes have been added to the rental and retail shop so more folks can experience sliding. A third snowcat has been added to the grooming fleet, and aggressive brush cutting will re-open various terrain and allow for earlier use in most areas.
PEBBLE CREEK SKI AREA
The resort celebrates its 75th anniversary this season with a torchlight parade and other events throughout the year. A new public ADA compatible restroom has been installed with easy access from the parking lot and the Aspen beginner area. New equipment was added to the rental fleet and a new Prinoth snowcat purchased to improve grooming.
SCHWEITZER
Schweitzer’s sale to Alterra has been finalized,
https://www.seniorsskiing.com/alterra-buys-schweitzer-mountain-already-an-ikon-pass-partner/
so this winter is the first one under the new ownership. They are also debuting a new high-speed detachable quad lift called the Creekside Express, plus it’s the first full season for Cambium Spa, which focuses on treatments to help you prepare for and recover from the slopes.
SILVER MOUNTAIN
The Jackass Snack Shack, which was slated to open in late winter last season, will now open this winter. It is located at midway Chair 4 on the site of the resort’s original lodge.
SOLDIER MOUNTAIN
Soldier staff has worked over the last two summers to restore the resort’s snowmaking system, which was installed in 1976 but laid dormant for decades and damaged by the Phillips Fire that swept through the area in August 2020. Thanks to these efforts, the resort will have a fully functional snowmaking system that extends from the base to the top of Chair 1 for the first time since the late 1970s. This will let Chair 2 start spinning earlier, too.
The resort also has expanded brush cutting to open more terrain earlier in the season and be able to leave it open longer. One of its three snowcats was replaced with a top-of-the-line Piston Bully PB600. The resort will also redesign the tubing park this winter to make it more fun and user friendly.
SUN VALLEY
The resort has replaced the old Warm Springs lift with two new lifts, Challenger and Flying Squirrel. The new Challenger lift is a six-pack (Idaho‘s second, after Schweitzer’s Stella lift, and Ski Idaho‘s third, after Targhee’s Colter lift). The expansion also adds another 54 acres of new gladed tree skiing in Little Scorpion. More details regarding development progress and updates are available at https://www.futureofsunvalley.com.
TAMARACK RESORT
Enhancements include a new interactive family-friendly zone, Lumberjack Land, located off of Waltz, 5.5 acres of sculpted terrain learning area adjacent to the Discovery Lift, and new snowcat technology with a new Prinoth Winch Cat and additional winch points for better grooming of steeper terrain. Snowmaking improvements include a 30 percent increase for winter 23/24 covering 150 acres of named runs and the majority of those accessed from Tamarack Express quad, made possible by the addition of six new TA TT10 Automated snow guns – these are the most efficient in the world, one mile of new snowmaking pipe and a 40 percent increase in snowmaking capacity.
Tickets and passes upgrades include a new automated ticket/pass kiosk on the Village Plaza so skiers can skip the ticket line and print/reload tickets or passes and go straight to the lift. New ticket products include 4 Fun Pass multi-day consecutive day tickets. Nordic upgrades include a new Nordic Center in the Lodge at Osprey Meadows at the foot of the Nordic trail system, including rentals, retails and lessons. The 20K+ trail system is family-friendly and suitable for XC, skate skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking. In addition, the Buttercup Chair will operate on weekends and holidays for more ski-in/ski-out access, paid overnight RV camping will be available in the lower Aspen Parking Lot, and guests can make online reservations for rental equipment.
EXTRAS — Local Freshies are creating a Southern Idaho digital backcountry snowboarding and skiing guide for Visit Southern Idaho that should go live this fall.
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Wow Evelyn, great article about my home state. We think of Grand Targhee as our own even though the resort actually is inside Wyoming. The only road to the ski area comes from Driggs, Idaho. The ski area has fantastic inbound powder skiing. Magic Mountain is special to me as it is where I first skied and developed a lifetime passion. Happy Skiing!