Silver Mountain Resort in Idaho is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders. As part of a series on ski resorts, Huffington Post Travel offers our guide to Silver Mountain Resort, featuring all the key information snow lovers need to know before they hit the slopes.
The Basics
is in Kellogg in the Idaho panhandle, 70 miles east of Spokane, Washington, and a five-hour drive from Seattle. The drive to the resort, which is just off I-90, is easily accessible and stress-free with no curvy, winding roads with which to contend. Instead, guests relax on a three-mile ride to the resort via a gondola while sipping a latte and enjoying the view. The nearest airport is Spokane International, about an hour from the resort. Silver Mountain offers Alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, show shoeing and snow tubing.
The Mountain
The two mountains at Silver Mountain Resort, Kellogg and Wardner, offer 1,600 acres of terrain that include a
and more than 300 inches of annual snowfall. The longest run spans 2 1/2 miles. Because of its large size spread over two mountains, waits at lift lines are minimal. Powder in some areas stays around days after a storm because of hidden gems. The long season runs from late November through early April.
Trails And Lifts
Eighty percent of the
at Silver Mountain are for intermediate or advanced skiers, and take skiers to glades, secluded areas and off-piste spots. The other 20 percent are beginner trails that are fun to access on the 700-foot moving carpet, where a snow-tube park also lies. All other lifts are chairlifts. A terrain park features a 21-foot double barrel and a 32-foot T-Box. A trail is also available for showshoeing.
In The News
Silver Mountain has numerous
to make the resort even more fun for guests. The folks who run the mountain have a sense of humor. A remembrance is held once a year lest anyone forgets the resort's original moniker of
, named from miner Noah Kellog's jackass that found silver there. (The name was changed to Silverhorn Ski Area before winding up as Silver Mountain.) One notable event the resort hosts is the United States of America Snowboard Association's Boarder/Skier Cross, where the best boarders and skiers compete on a fierce course.
Cost
A full-day adult
costs $51; a half-day ticket costs $42. Discounts are available for children, college students, military personnel and seniors. Children 6 and younger ski free. A scenic gondola ride that does not include skiing costs $17 for an adult. Snow tubing costs $20 for an adult. Season passes are available that range from $129 for a super senior (70 plus) to $599 for an adult pass.
is available and varies in price depending on whether the package is basic or demo and the age of the person renting. A basic package that includes skis or snowboard, boots and poles costs $34 for an adult.
are available for boarders and skiers at every level and range in price from $35 for a group lesson to $60 an hour for a private lesson.
Apres-Ski
The resort has several
that vary from Wildcat Pizza, a pizza and wings place, to the Mountain House Grill, a cafeteria that serves soup, chili, burgers and dogs, to Noah's Canteen, a full-menu restaurant that features a signature Huckleberry elk skewer appetizer. Gondola Village offers
for name-brand winter wear and souvenirs. A
offers manicures and pedicures, massage therapy, hair styling, waxing and tanning.
WATCH: Silver Mountain Resort
Check out the awesome powder available at Silver Mountain Resort.