Schweitzer Mountain is the largest ski area in Idaho. Pam LeBlanc photo
Last year’s ski season ended early for me, with a splint fashioned of cardboard and bubble wrap and an impromptu trip to the hospital emergency room in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
I wound up having surgery to replace the ACL that I detached in a fall on an easy groomed run, and I’ve been in physical therapy ever since. But snowflakes are flying at ski resorts across the country again, and I’m already plotting my return to the sport I love.
Resorts in North America saw some of their biggest snowfalls in years last winter. More than 20 of them extended their ski seasons beyond the norm. Among them were Vail Ski Resort and Copper Mountain, which kept the lifts spinning well into May, and Mammoth Mountain, where skiers made tracks through the end of July.
As soon as my physical therapist gives me the OK, I’m ready to ski this year. I’ve already planned a trip to Banff, in Alberta, Canada, and I’m hoping for another to an as-yet-undetermined destination in Colorado.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the mountains this season, and that first run after last year’s misstep will be a thrill for me.
Planning a ski trip? Here’s what’s new for the 2023-24 ski season.
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Colorado
Over at Winter Park Resort, a new six-person lift called the Wild Spur Express features a mid-station loading area that helps snowboarders and skiers avoid some flat spots, says Jen Miller, who handles communications for the resort.
Also of interest? The Winter Park Express, a train that picks up passengers at Union Station in downtown Denver and whisks them to Winter Park, starts running in mid-January. It’s a great way to avoid traffic on Interstate 70. It runs weekends only, but you can split the inbound and outbound trips over separate days.
The big news at Copper Mountain Ski Resort, located 75 miles from Denver in Colorado’s front range, is a new 25,000-square foot mid-mountain lodge called Aerie. From the mountain’s base, visitors can hop a gondola that drops them off at the lodge. Inside you’ll find a sit-down restaurant called Forage and Feast that specializes in Colorado cuisine, plus a bar, lounge, and coffee shop.
“The views from the building are amazing,” says communications manager Olivia Butrymovich. “It’s huge. We’ve never had anything like this in terms of dining and in terms of the building.”
The lower level features a five-station food hall plus a hot chocolate bar. It’s a far cry from the cafeteria where I ate when I visited as a college student. Those were the days I figured a pair of blue jeans sprayed with waterproofing material would work as well as insulated pants.
I’ve learned a lot since then. But Copper, with its laid-back, unpretentious vibe, still appeals.
And if you’re planning a Christmas trip, catch Copper’s on-mountain parade and fireworks on Dec. 24.
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Cat skiing
Two years ago, I strapped on an avalanche beacon and spent a day riding a snowcat to access the wide-open spaces in Bergman, Independence, and Erickson bowls at Keystone Resort. Starting this season, you don’t need the snowcat to access the terrain. The new Bergman lift opens up easy access to about 500 acres of terrain that’s been historically underutilized, resort officials say.
I’m a little nostalgic about it. The lift takes away from the daredevil feeling of skiing hike-to terrain. But it also means more space for people to spread out. Skiers will find 16 new trails, gladed runs, bowls and plenty of beauty.
And daredevils will still have to hike more than half a mile to ski Independence Bowl.
Keystone is also offering a first tracks program for guests staying in resort-operated lodges. On Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23, and March 1, 8 and 15, they’ll get to board the River Run Gondola an hour earlier than the public. Wahoo!
Things look a lot different at Steamboat, which is unveiling more of its $200 million Full Steam Ahead project this season.
The Mahogany Ridge Express chairlift, opening sometime in December, will carry visitors to 655 acres of previously out-of-bounds terrain, including lots of extreme, double-black diamond slopes. The expansion makes it the second largest ski resort in Colorado.
A new beginner’s learning area opened last season, along with an ice rink, an outdoor stage, a new food and drink hall, and the lower leg of a new 10-person, bottom-to-top gondola. The top leg of that gondola, dubbed the Wild Blue Gondola, opens this season. You’ll be able to catch it at the base and ride 3.16 miles to the top of Sunshine in just 13 minutes.
Idaho
Schweitzer Mountain overlooks Lake Pend Oreille. Pam LeBlanc photo
Idaho, for skiing? Yep. The last two years I’ve made trips to the state known for trout, precious gems and, yes, potatoes. And while it’s also the state where I trashed my knee, I don’t hold that against it.
Schweitzer is the state’s largest ski resort, even bigger than better-known Sun Valley Resort, once a hotspot for celebrities including Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and Ingrid Bergman.
Schweitzer covers 2,900 acres in the Selkirk Mountains and was named, according to the Bonner County Historical Society & Museum, after a Swiss hermit who supposedly enjoyed the occasional bowl of cat stew. It’s perched just above Lake Pend Oreille, and the best terrain on the mountain is called Headwall.
Lookout Pass is small but sweet, but it added 500 acres two years ago, which doubled its size. The resort straddles the border between Idaho and Montana. You won’t find any on-slope lodging, but nearby Wallace, the self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe,” makes a great home base.
Grand Targhee Resort technically lies 4 miles beyond the Idaho border in Wyoming, but Idaho claims it because you have to drive through Driggs, Idaho, to get there. It’s no frills and laid-back and typically gets tons of powder. Think ski bums sleeping in their trucks to get first tracks and you’ve got the idea.
Buy lift tickets now for this ski season
Alex Silgalis and Jaime Pirozzi make their way down a run at Lookout Pass ski area. Pam LeBlanc photo
If you’re planning a ski trip this season, now’s the time to buy lift tickets – even if you don’t know your dates.
“The earlier you can sort out plans, the cheaper it’s going to be,” Butrymovich of Copper Mountain Ski Resort told me.
If you wait and buy lift tickets when you get to the mountain, you’ll pay top dollar. These days, lift tickets at most large resorts will set you back close to $200 a day at the window.
If you buy in advance, you can take advantage of deals. Some resorts offer flex tickets, which allow skiers to buy two-, three- or four-day tickets without designating which day they’ll use them.
Lessons
Every resort offers its own version of lessons. I’m a fan of women’s clinics and mogul lessons.
Besides women-specific clinics, Winter Park is now offering the option for quick 60-minute brush-up sessions.
“It’s $99 for an hour early in the morning, and you work on one thing, then go out on your own,” Miller says.
Lines
You’ve probably seen photos on Instagram of crazy long lift lines at some ski areas.
Don’t freak out. The lines might look shocking, but they usually occur first thing in the morning, when everyone is funneling through the base area, and disperse quickly.
My advice? Take a deep breath and wait a few minutes instead of rushing out when the lift lines open. And remember, once you’re up on the mountain and away from the main lifts, it won’t be so bad.
Finally, avoid holidays and weekends if you can. Mid-week is more mellow.
