Vote now for Idaho ski areas in USA TODAY 10BEST Awards
A snowboarder makes their way through the trees at Schweitzer in 2024. Photo courtesy SCHWEITZER
For the first time, Idaho has contenders in all 10 of USA TODAY's 10BEST Ski & Snowboard Awards categories, and it's the only time the state has just one candidate.
"We're thrilled to see the mountains, communities, instructors, and small businesses that make Idaho such an authentic and welcoming place to ski and snowboard recognized on the national stage once again," Ski Idaho president and Silver Mountain Resort GM Jeff Colburn said. "These nominations celebrate the unique experiences Idaho mountains and towns offer -- from laid-back local ski hills to legendary resorts. And while the Gem State may fly under the radar, our skiing and snowboarding culture runs deep."
Gem State nominees include:
• Schweitzer and Sun Valley Resort are vying for Best Ski Resort.
• Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area and Galena Lodge in Ketchum are competing for Best Cross-Country Ski Resort.
• Ketchum and McCall are up for Best Ski Town.
• Humbird at Schweitzer, Knob Hill Inn in Ketchum, and the Sun Valley Lodge at Sun Valley Resort are contending for Best Ski Hotel.
• Three establishments in Ketchum -- Apple's Bar & Grill, The Cellar Pub, and Grumpy's -- are nominated for Best Après Ski Bar along with Taps Bar at Schweitzer.
• Powder Cache at Grand Targhee Resort, The Reserve at Tamarack Resort, and The Roundhouse at Sun Valley Resort are vying for Best Ski Restaurant. The Reserve at Tamarack has won the accolade the last three years.
• Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is competing for Best Place for Snow Tubing.
• Brundage MTN Sports School, Grand Targhee Mountain Sports School, and Sun Valley Snowsports School are up for Best Ski School.
• Greenwood's Ski Haus in Boise, Peaked Sports in Driggs, and Sturtevants' multiple locations in Ketchum and Hailey are contending for Best Ski Shop.
Bald Mountain near Pierce won Best Place for Snowboarding in 2023 and has been nominated since, but USA TODAY didn't include the category in this year's 10BEST Ski & Snowboard Awards.
Visit 10best.usatoday.com/awards/browse/category/ski-snowboard to vote for your favorite Idaho nominees. You can vote for your top pick in each category once per day until Nov. 9. Winners will be announced Nov. 18.