Idaho ski & snowboard resorts

Idaho's ski resorts are one of the West's best-kept secrets: big vertical, deep snow, and a fraction of the crowds and prices of Colorado or Utah. The state offers everything from Schweitzer, the largest resort in Idaho at 2,900 acres, to Kelly Canyon, a beloved night-skiing hill near Idaho Falls.

Idaho spreads its downhill skiing across three broad zones, and understanding them is the first step in planning a trip. The Panhandle in the far north — Schweitzer above Sandpoint and Silver Mountain at Kellogg — catches heavy, reliable Inland Northwest snow and sits within easy reach of Spokane, Washington. The West Central Mountains around McCall hold Brundage, famous for all-natural snow and a vast snowcat operation, and Tamarack, a four-season resort perched above Lake Cascade. Central and eastern Idaho are anchored by Sun Valley, America's first destination ski resort, with the family-oriented Kelly Canyon serving the Idaho Falls and Rexburg area to the east.

What ties them together is value. Lift tickets, lodging, and lessons generally cost less than at the marquee resorts of neighboring states, lift lines are shorter, and several areas participate in multi-resort products — Schweitzer on the Ikon Pass, Kelly Canyon on the Indy Pass — that make a visit easier to justify for pass holders. Terrain ranges from gentle learning slopes and night-lit local hills to 2,400-foot bowls and snowcat-accessed backcountry, so there is a match for every ability level.

Below are Idaho's alpine ski and snowboard resorts, each with a detailed guide to terrain, seasons, lodging, and dining. Many also run in summer for mountain biking, golf, scenic lift rides, and — at Silver Mountain — a year-round indoor waterpark.