Skiing in Idaho is the nations new travel destination activity. With each season, ski resorts in Idaho are growing at a rapid rate with more visitors coming to the state to enjoy the slopes and stay at some of the finest resorts.  Revenue growth has allowed resorts to invest in expansion projects opening up restaurants, more lodging and reworking terrain for skiing, mountain biking and summer activities. Idaho’s varying terrain, which has heavy snowfall a good portion of the year, makes for the perfect location for ski resorts. Mountain ranges span the entirety of the state – from their northern Canadian border to the southern border of the state. The exponential growth of resorts across the state has made Idaho skiing a tourist attraction that appeals to a national ski crowd.

There are certain qualities people look for when choosing a ski destination for their next vacation. Idaho delivers different terrain, natural snowfall, plenty of lifts, and easy access to multiple ski resorts.

Athletes tend to keep two things in mind when they are looking for a new mountain to ski or snowboard on: vertical drop and the deepness of the snow. Out of the 16 skiing mountains in Idaho, Sun Valley and McCall have the steepest slopes. Pomerelle and Lookout pass have the most yearly snowfall.

Designated Ski Trails

Skiers typically like ski trails for one particular reason: they are popular for a reason. Free skiing down a mountain side can be exhilarating; however, skiing down a popular, named ski trail is another experience all together. They are also more convenient, and often have lifts that will take people to the drop point. Sun Valley has the most named runs in Idaho at 121. They also have 18 different lifts. Schweitzer is another slope you may be interested in checking out; it has 92 named runs and 10 lifts. Another honorable mention is Brundage Mountain in McCall, ID.

Ease of Access

For some, the adventure of getting to your ski resort is part of the vacation; others prefer easily accessible mountain slopes, close to airports and towns. Idaho has the best of both worlds. Many mountains are hours away from civilization; however, most of them are near towns. Tamarack is only 2 hours away from the state’s only major airport. If you want to get off the plane and be at the slopes as quick as possible, you might want to try Bogus Basin. It’s only 40 minutes away from the airport.