Idaho Resorts Focus On Improving Terrain For The 2025-2026 Season
After a flurry of summer lift construction in recent summers, Idaho mountain resorts settled down this offseason with modest, experiential improvements for the 2025-2026 season.
Among the highlights at the Gem State's 22 mountain resorts was a major thinning project at Silver Mountain (1,600 a., 2,200 vert.) that added more fall-line tree skiing to North Face Glades and reduced traversing. North Idaho companion Lookout Pass (1,023 a., 1,650 vert.) undertook a major grading project by removing stumps under Chair 3, regrading its beginner area, smoothing out Big Dipper and Hercules, and removing rock for other trails.
Farther south, Brundage (1,920 a., 1,921 vert.) turns 65 years old this season and, to celebrate, the Idaho resort is selling $65 tickets on Tuesdays. New this year is a 1,800-square-foot emergency services building with room for an ambulance and fire engine.
Neighbor Tamarack (1,610 a., 2,100 vert.) turned a negative into a positive over the summer. Face with 80 acres near its boundary that was scorched by a wild fire, crews cleared out debris to create more black-rated open terrain on the upper mountain. The resort is also limiting ticket sales for the first time.
Near Boise, Bogus Basin (2,600 a., 1,800 vert.) also hit the chain saws this summer for thinning and removal in the Pine Creek area and Bitterroot Basin, and also off the top of Morning Star Express. Pioneer Lodge got a remodel, too.
Sun Valley (2,054 a., 3,400 vert. [Bald Mountain]) celebrates 90 years of operations this season so, along that vein, the resort has opened 90 acres of newly graded black-rated terrain underneath the Roundhouse Express gondola.
Next door at Rotarun (15 a., 475 vert.) has put in a magic carpet that is free for anyone to use. Skiers and riders 5 and older still need a ticket for the platter lift.
Over toward the Wyoming border, Kelly Canyon (640 a., 1,000 vert.) upgraded a cat track between the tops of Lift 2 and Lift 4 for access to a new glade area. There's also a new rope tow for the terrain park.
And at Idaho's southernmost mountain resorts, Magic Mountain (120 a., 740 vert.) debuted a second magic carpet in its expanded beginner area. And, Pebble Creek (1,100 a., 2,200 vert.) overhauled the Aspen Beginner Lift and introduced night skiing with lessons available.
