Travel back in history, and you find many small towns around Boise, Idaho, offering ski slopes. While some cities did it to draw in tourism dollars, others did it because residents wanted to be on the slopes all the time. These towns often saw residents pooling their money to buy a little gasoline for the motor powering a tow rope up the closest slope. The first ski slopes groomed in Idaho were groomed by having skiers ski down them sideways. While the scene may be much different today, some of the best skiing in the world is still easily accessible to those in the Boise area.
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Tamarack Resort
Located just two hours north of Boise, Tamarack is the ultimate Idaho resort. Having been under-construction for some time now, the resort is finally in stellar condition. Idaho skiers will enjoy both the awesome mountain ski trails as well as the fine dining and great lodging opportunities. Tamarack resort is the new ski destination in Idaho that skiers and snowboarders can’t miss this season.
Bogus Basin
Bogus Basin is operated by a nonprofit which helps keep costs down for skiers who can easily access the slopes at this location just 16 miles northeast of Boise. The first skiers hit the slopes in 1942 using a tow rope to go 500 feet up the mountain. Workers installed a chairlift in 1961. Skiers can quickly get to the 20 miles of groomed trails today because there are seven chairlifts and one Magic Carpet. Boise residents can easily enjoy playing on the four miles of lighted groomed Nordic trails after work. The resort has had lighted Alpine trails for more than 40 years. A primary focus of this area that uses lots of volunteer hours to operate is keeping costs down to make skiing available to everyone, especially students.
Soldier Mountain
Located about two hours from Boise in the Sawtooth National Forest, Soldier Mountain is another fantastic skiing opportunity near Boise. Olympic hopefuls Bob Frostenson and Harry Durall laid the foundation for Soldier Mountain. Workers installed the first chairlift in 1971. Actor Bruce Willis purchased the resort in the late 1990s, and he donated it to a nonprofit. In 2012, sold it to Matt and Diane McFerran, who sold it to a group of skiing enthusiasts in 2020. Today, the resort has grown to 1,150 skiable acres surfaced by two chairlifts and a Magic Carpet installed in 2020.
Sun Valley Resort
Just three hours from Boise, Sun Valley Resort was the first destination winter resort created in the United States, and you will still be thrilled with skiing conditions on its two mountains. As workers were laying the railroad’s last rails, this resort’s location was selected as a winter vacation destination to exceed winter enthusiasts’ expectations, who often visited the best European resorts. Workers installed the first chairlifts in 1936, and the Proctor Mountain chairlift is on the National Register of Historic Places. This scenic area was where Ernest Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls. Today, the resort consists of 121 trails served by 18 chairlifts. New areas are continually being added, with over 360 acres of new terrain available for winter fun in 2020.
If you are looking for a winter destination, consider Boise, Idaho. You will find warm hospitality and excellent skiing conditions. With a strong economy, it may also make a great place to live throughout the year. Enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of these resorts where skiers of all ability levels are welcome. You will also love the wide range of activities away from the slopes.
