North Idaho ski hills ready for season

All signs are pointing toward this ski season being one for the books, and North Idaho's ski hills are ready.

Marketing director Gus Colburn said Silver Mountain Ski Resort will open Nov. 23.  

“All weather projections are pointing toward a La Niña pattern, which means it is predicted to be colder and snowier than average,” Colburn said. “Right now, we have a 10-inch base of snow at the mountain house with more on the way.”  

Silver Mountain leans heavily into the holiday season, including the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in the resort’s Gondola Village. Visitors can enjoy fireworks, caroling, cocoa, cookies and even an appearance by Santa Claus on Thanksgiving weekend.  

The Christmas Tree Lighting festival is Nov. 30.

Depending on weather conditions, Schweitzer Mountain Resort plans to open Nov. 22 and continue to operate that weekend. It will then close operations for the week of Thanksgiving and reopen for daily operations Nov. 29. 

Ahead of this weekend’s season-opening, the snow is flying at Lookout Pass, where recent storms dumped 14 inches to 36 inches of snow.

Marketing director Matt Sawyer said Lookout Pass will have most of the 14 trails on the front of the mountain open Friday, with a few runs groomed just prior to opening. It will also be open Saturday and Sunday.

“With more snow in the forecast, the start of the promising La Niña winter is adding a nice pre-Christmas glimmer to what is being touted by many forecasters as ‘A winter to remember,’” Sawyer said. 

The mountain will be closed Monday through Thursday, with plans to reopen next weekend.