Idaho might not be the first Rocky Mountain state you think of for skiing, but it shouldn’t be forgotten! Idaho ski resorts offer high elevations, generous vertical drops, and long ski seasons mountain skiers love while also offering relatively low lift ticket prices and varied terrain. Not to mention Idaho’s overall remote nature making it crowd-free in comparison to the more famous resorts out west.
Thanks to Idaho’s central geography in North America, many of these ski resorts are worth visiting for skiers in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Utah. In our opinion, Idaho’s ski resorts are worth visiting no matter where you’re from!
While Idaho might not be stacked with household name resorts, we hope to introduce you to new ski destinations with our list of the top 6 ski resorts worth visiting in Idaho!
But first…ski gear!
Even for the rugged adventurous folks in Idaho, having the right ski gear is essential. Upgrading your bindings or ski poles can change your skiing experience. Being prepared is especially important for backcountry skiers headed to Idaho, as they will need additional safety equipment.
Our Top 6 Ski Resorts in Idaho
1. Sun Valley
Acreage: 2,154 acres
Highest elevation point: 5,750 ft
Number of runs: 120
Best for: Epic Pass holders, all-level skiers, groups, longer trips, park skiers
The tallest ski resort in Idaho is Sun Valley, a spectacular location that’s worth a visit! With 8 out of every 10 days featuring sunshine, this resort earns its name thanks to its location in the center of Idaho. With almost 400 acres added during the 2020/21 season, even skiers familiar with this resort will have plenty of new terrain to explore! A consistent 3,400-foot vertical gives skiers long runs, ranging across all skill levels. Intermediate skiers have the most terrain to explore, but beginner skiers can still enjoy nearly 750 acres of green runs.
Advanced skiers shouldn’t overlook Sun Valley either, with several legendary trails, the often-overlooked Elkhorn powder stash, and an abundance of pristine Idaho backcountry. Freestylers can show their stuff on a 22-foot superpipe. Oh, and did we mention heli-skiing is available too?
2. Tamarack Resort
Acreage: 1,100 acres
Highest elevation point: 7,700 ft
Number of runs: 50
Best for: Indy Pass holders, cross-country skiers, intermediate to advanced skiers
Finding an Idaho ski resort that balances affordability, size, vertical drop, and versatility is a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, but it’s the very reason why Tamarack Resort makes our list of resorts worth visiting in Idaho. Located less than 2 and a half hours north of Boise, this relatively new and highly scenic resort features mountains, meadows, and a lake across its over 1,000 acres of skiable terrain. Advanced skiers can play in the 375+ acres of terrain reserved for experienced skiers, while intermediates can enjoy 450 acres of blue trails.
Tamarack’s northern geography gives it one of the longest seasons in Idaho, with lifts operating November through March, making it perfect for early season and spring skiing. Tamarack is also a destination for cross-country skiers in the winter and world-class mountain bikers in summer.
3. Pebble Creek Ski Area
Acreage: 1,100 acres
Highest elevation point: 8,560 ft
Number of runs: 54
Best for: intermediate to advanced skiers, backcountry skiing
Veteran skiers should look to Pebble Creek Ski Area as a ski resort in Idaho worth visiting. Only a 2-and-a-half-hour shuttle from Salt Lake City airport, this can easily be considered a destination ski resort. Here’s why: over half of Pebble Creek’s trails are for advanced and expert skiers, with enough backcountry to keep the adventures fresh season after season. With a 2,200-foot vertical drop, skiers have plenty of time on the slopes (which is a good thing, because Pebble Creek only has 3 lifts).
Pebble Creek also has a vibrant après scene, with plenty of food and drink options available, including the Rock Bottom Saloon located at the foot of the slopes.
4. Bogus Basin
Acreage: 2,600 acres
Highest elevation point: 7,600 ft
Number of runs: 91
Best for: early and spring season skiing, all-level skiers
Bogus Basin is a rare breed of ski resort. It is the only non-profit ski resort on our list of ski resorts to visit in Idaho. That means all its profits go back into the mountain’s equipment and operations. But good deeds aren’t the only reasons to check out Bogus Basin, the mountain speaks for itself. Its size, proximity to Boise, and 90+ trails earn its place on this list. Bogus Basin is Idaho’s biggest ski resort by acreage and features an 1,822-foot vertical. With a particularly long season, this resort is also great for early season and spring skiing and snowboarding as well!
5. Brundage Mountain Resort
Acreage: 1,920 acres (18,000 with backcountry)
Highest elevation point: 7,640 ft
Number of runs: 46
Best for: Indy Pass holders, backcountry skiers, intermediate to advanced skiers, spring skiing
For those of you ski purists who are all about the deep snow, check out Brundage Mountain. This independently owned ski resort boasts 320 inches of annual snowfall, making the backcountry and glades between its 46 runs unforgettable terrain for the adventurous skier. A vertical drop just under 2,000 feet means long runs you would hope from a Western state. Brundage has a 6-month ski season to boot.
For Snowcat-loving skiers, Brundage offers 18,000 acres of guided backcountry. And no, we’re not kidding!
6. Pomerelle Ski Area
Acreage: 500 acres
Highest elevation point: 8,762 ft
Number of runs: 24
Best for: Indy Pass holders, families, skiers on a budget, all-level skiers, spring skiing
For skiers on a budget, Pomerelle Ski Area in Idaho gives you the most bang for your buck. With lift tickets at $35, Pomerelle is the most affordable ski resort on this list. Even for that price, skiers have nearly 500 acres of terrain to explore, with two-thirds of trails accessible to beginners and intermediates. We don’t want you to give you the impression that you won’t find loads of fresh powder at Pomerelle, though.
Powder-lovers can expect over 100 inches of snow in the late winter! Pomerelle has also adopted RFID technology, cutting down wait lines for lift tickets by allowing visitors to get their ticket on their mobile.
This is our short list of Idaho’s ski resorts worth visiting. Did we miss any? Let us know! We love hearing from you. Share your Idaho ski memories with us by tagging us on our Instagram.
