Schweitzer Mtn Resort

I skied the Schweitzer Mountain Resort ski area on one foggy day.

Please be patient while photos load in new webpage

Part of Voyage to Revelstoke in 2023

20230307

The fresh snowfall overnight created hazardous driving conditions for the route from Sandpoint to the Schweitzer Mountain Resort ski area. The road winds and climbs to reach the resort. The all weather tires on my car were slipping and sliding as if on a iceskating rink. I drove very cautiously. I arrived early secureing a parking spot about 100 meters from the Village. I stopped at the ticket office and confirmed the IKON pass would get me on the lifts.

The mountain was shrouded in clouds. I took the Great Escape chair to the Sky House. There were two groups on the broad ridgeline checking avalanche beacons. I later learned they were with a backcountry cat skiing operation and were preparing to drop out-of-bounds toward the west. As the fog was thick I was uncertain which way to head. As I made my along the ridge I stopped a couple of times to look at the large billboard maps provided trying to figure out where I was and which way to jump off. I kept seeing double diamond signs. A couple of times I swung over to try and peer down the slope. No! Not for me at this time! I couldn't see a bottom with foggy indications they were very very steep. Most skiers were passing me continuing down the ridge so I followed. They cut through a small trail and we all emerged on a black powder filled run cut out of the trees. I skied well ahead of them and soon found myself in a land of powder and trees with no clear idea which way to go because of the fog. I kept going down avoiding a steep gully stumbling upon trail signs that didn't offer reassurance. I wasn't seeing anyone. Finally I came to the Outback lodge and the Stella chairlift and was able to get some bearing!

I skied the Stella chairlift several times alternating between groomed runs and powder through the trees. I stayed in the Outback bowl riding three of the chairs and sampling runs around the bowl. Toward noon I was ready to ski back to the main area, the Village, and Schweitzer Bowl.

I rode the Stella chair with a guy who'd skied there since 1969. The folks here didn't strike me nearly as friendly as at Red Mountain Resort in BC. Schweitzer has several high speed multiple seat lifts. Stella seat 6 people and the building at the base where skiers board reminding me of a Disney ride.

I enjoyed a delicious sandwich at Gourmandie in the Village recovering slightly from all the morning's mixed powder, tree, and groomed slope skiing.

I spent the afternoon skiing the Basin Express Quad and the A Chute lifts. The runs off these lift vary from black to blue groomed with several lines that took me into trees with soft powder. Delightfully the clouds and fog broke briefly with strikingly place sunshine after some heavy graupel snow affording me views! By 2PM my legs offered no more support against gravity and I decided to call it a day. I'd never tested the double diamond pitches of which there are plenty. The snow gods have favored my last two ski days with soft fresh snow.