ExcelsiorTheFathead

Sunday December 24. Day 22. Nice weather but a little windy. More crowded at open than I was hoping for, but the first hour was still ok. I ran into James finally and we made a few runs together, trying to find a clear window in the crowds to make some turns. Indeed we are both wearing yellow jackets, so it is easy to confuse us. Some snowmaking is going on when the conditions are good, and there might be a little bit of snow in the forecast. This was the last day for me until well after new year's since my off-peak pass is now blacked out. Not sure what to do with myself now.

Thursday-Friday December 21-22. Day 21. Thursday was cloudy up top but Friday was sunny. Crowded. Some good turns made on upper Northwest, riding only from 9-10AM. No snowmaking in recent days and little new in the forecast.

Wednesday December 20. Day 19. The weekend had nice weather but was very crowded. A storm came in on Monday and Tuesday that left 13-17" of new snow. Finally on Wednesday conditions are ok for me to go up again. Today was cloudy with flat light and a bit crowded. The snow is softish and I spent the first hour just sluffing down the slightly bumped-up surface. More terrain came online and the resort says that the "Main Side" trails are now 95% open. The chutes are still closed and Silver Dollar on the Slide Bowl side hasn't opened yet. This trail has many portable fan guns on it but it has been too warm lately to operate them.

Thursday-Friday December 14-15. Day 18. The weather has been generally nice. I had to skip Wednesday because of back pain, but now it is getting better. I rode the first hour on Thursday and Friday, getting some good carves on Upper Northwest. The rest is just meh. Ramsey's trail is open now, taking more pressure off of the wide Kit Carson Bowl. Ramsey's looks pretty skinny so I won't be using it. The resort is trying to make snow on Silver Dollar which is on the Slide Bowl side of the hill. I'm sure that they would like to have this open for Christmas, but who knows if that will be possible. If it opens, I think that they will have to start running the Zephyr lift to serve it.

It seems like hardbooters are so rare that we all look alike. I'm always in goggles and mask so nobody knows who I am unless they see me in the lodge or parking lot. Somebody told me that James wears a yellow jacket these days, and I am still wearing my beat-up yellow jacket, so that might not help. I blew out my back yesterday trying to be low and tight. Today (tuesday) the weather is crappy so I'm not missing anything. I hope the pain goes away by tomorrow.

Monday December 11. Day 16. People on the lift: "When did you start riding boards that skinny? We've never seen you on a board like that before." Me: "I'm not James."

Friday December 8. Day 15. Nice to hear from James. There were two days of bad weather. The resort preemptively closed on Wednesday due to the storm which brought 10-13". Thursday was open but very windy and the higher lifts had to close by 1 PM. A further 1-2" fell. Friday was nice and mostly sunny with light winds but cold, starting in the low teens. I made a few good turns on Upper Northwest again but it became difficult to get a clear run and the snow started to cut up quickly. The upper section of the green "Around the World" trail is now open. I tried it but it isn't very interesting. There still isn't anywhere near enough snow to open the Slide Bowl runs. On the bright side, I have to say that the snowmaking here is admirable. For a small resort they have made some good investments and are aggressively making snow whenever they can. While still limited, the current selection of open trails would not otherwise be possible.

Monday December 4 - Tuesday Dec 5. Day 14. Nice weather going well above freezing during the afternoons. Much of the lower mountain is a bit firmy and scrapy in places. I found some ok carving on the short Upper Northwest trail right after you get off the lift. I also spent some time trying to pump turns on the green Galena run but it is hard to get enough speed there. Today a skier at the top of Northwest lift asked me if I know James, then told me a couple of quick James anecdotes. Another guy said "Nice Monoski dude." We need snow. A wind storm with some precip will come tomorrow, but no significant snow is in the forecast.

Hi Russ, come on down! But not soon cuz the resort is barely open. Friday December 1. Day 12. I took Thursday off because I thought it was going to snow, but all hopeful predictions fell apart. There has only been a trace of new. Friday was cold with strong winds. The Northwest Lift opened this morning but the only new terrain is the top of the Kit Carson Traverse which connects to existing trails at the top of Lakeview. Bunker also opened from the top of Lakeview. I rode for the first hour.

Monday November 27 - Wednesday Nov 29. Day 11. Generally cool temperatures with less crowding during the weekdays. On Monday the Lone Tree blue run opened and much of the race training moved there. With a 2nd run open some of the pressure has eased. Snow quality is still good but there hasn't been any natural snow in a while. Some new is in the forecast for the next couple of days but not much.

Sunday November 26. Day 8. It has been cold recently and the resort has been aggressive in making snow. No new terrain has opened, but something should happen soon. There has been no natural snow and none is in the forecast. This morning I rode the first hour before it got too crowded. The steep part of KC Bowl got churned and bumpy early on, but it was fine.

Monday November 20 - Wednesday Nov. 22nd. Day 7. It was snowy last weekend and 7-9" of new fell on Saturday night. This was an improvement but not enough to open any good terrain. It is still basically just one run. I rode the M, Tu, Wed mornings from open for around an hour. By 10 AM more people are streaming in and it gets unpleasant. A UNR ski team has been training on the run before the open so it is a bit rutted up when the public gets on it. These three days have been warmish and sunny. On Tuesday the Wizard beginner lift opened with a green run. I tried it and it is useless. I've met a few good softboot carvers, but no hardbooters yet. An old skier guy asked me if I know James. Another guy thought that I was James and told me how he has seen me carve since forever. I told him that I am new. My pass won't work for the next 3 days. It will be too crowded anyhow.

Friday November 17. Day 4. 1-3" of new fell overnight so I was hoping for a refresh. In some respects it was a little better but things are still firmy. I rode for around an hour until I spotted a rock the size of my fist on the run, then decided to leave before I hit something. Some snow is forecast for Saturday night so I'll be hopeful.

Tuesday November 14. Day 3. I went up and rode for an hour but the Kit Carson Bowl is pretty firm and skitchy in places with loose snow cover in other places. It is pretty uneven and I am taking more superficial scratches from floating rocks. Even though not that many people are up there and there is no lift line, the run is uncomfortable with people going too fast, too slow, too whatever. I might stop going until conditions improve.

Monday November 13. Day 2. I skipped the weekend but I understand that it wasn't super crowded as I expected. I was at home on Saturday watching the web cam and there seemed to be no lift line. So I went up Monday morning at open on a mostly sunny day. Recent weather has been warmish with the hill going well above freezing during the day time. The nights have also been warm and I'm not sure if any new snowmaking has taken place. Today the attendance is light and there is no lift line. The snow is a little firm and skitchy in places from thaw-freeze. The man-made coverage is pretty good and there are no exposed bedrocks on the main part of the runs. However, I have taken some superficial scratches to my base from a few floaters. I saw 3 monoskis today, two of them Codas. Not surprising since I am now in the home territory of The Chad. Still haven't seen another hardbooter. One guy correctly identified my board as a Skwal, so there is still hope for humanity. We need more snow, or at least more snowmaking. Rode from 9-11.

Friday November 10. Day 1 A sunny opening day with typical WROD conditions. The resort is able to make snow on Kit Carson Traverse, Kit Carson Bowl and Ponderosa which all amounts to one run back to the Lakeview lift. I was in the line at the 9 AM open and it was pretty crowded. The snow is firm underneath in places with gritty-chunky stuff on top. I did 3 runs and bailed out. I'm on the off-peak pass which is non-holiday weekdays and some weekends in Nov, Dec, Mar and Apr. I could go this weekend but I think I will pass since the crowds on one run are not enjoyable or safe.

This can't be good. Schweitzer Resort in Idaho is now offering unlimited days with no blackouts for Ikon Pass holders (Ikon Base Pass access remains unchanged at 5 days).

Alterra closes on purchase, news from GearJunkie. SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 22, 2023—Alterra Mountain Company closed on the purchase of Schweitzer in Idaho, bringing the company’s total year-round mountain destinations to 17 properties throughout North America. “With the acquisition of Schweitzer, we are excited to expand our presence within the Pacific Northwest skier market,” said Jared Smith, president and CEO of Alterra. “The destination has been a valued partner on the Ikon Pass for several seasons, and we are excited to officially welcome the team to the Alterra family.” As previously reported, Tom Chasse will stay on as president and COO of Schweitzer and will oversee daily operations and the resort’s extensive future capital improvement plans. “Today, Schweitzer begins a new chapter as part of the Alterra family, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Chasse. “Looking ahead, we will continue to evolve and provide the best family-friendly mountain experience in the region, while upholding the unique values and culture that we’re known for.” Current 2023-24 Schweitzer passholders will be contacted in October 2023 to discuss pass options. Ikon Pass access will be expanded for the coming season to include unlimited days at Schweitzer, while Ikon Base Pass holders will continue to have five-day access to the resort. Schweitzer, located in the Selkirk Mountains, 10 miles from the city of Sandpoint, is the largest ski area in Idaho with 2,900 skiable acres. MKM Trust, which has been the owner and developer of Schweitzer for the past 18 years, will retain non-ski operations and real estate holdings, and will continue to lead future real estate development projects at the resort.

What's up with this? By Thomas Clouse tomc@spokesman.com (509) 459-5495 The owners of Schweitzer Mountain Resort have sold its operations assets to Colorado-based Alterra Mountain Company, which operates 16 other ski destinations including Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado, and Crystal Mountain in Washington. The resort, located northwest of Sandpoint, has been owned by the MKM Trust since 2005. According to a news release, Tom Chasse, president and CEO of Schweitzer, will continue to oversee daily operations. In 2021, the ski resort joined the Ikon Pass network that connects skiers to resorts all across the U.S. and the world. That service is operated by Alterra. “Since becoming an Ikon Pass partner in 2021, we’ve had the good fortune of learning how Alterra Mountain Company has quickly evolved into an industry leader,” Chasse said in the news release. “The company’s commitment to preserving the authenticity of their mountain communities while investing in the overall mountain experience is what we’re most looking forward to as the newest member of the Alterra family.” The MKM Trust became sole owner of Schweitzer in 2005 after a split with joint-owner Harbor Properties. At the time of the split, Harbor Properties became the sole owner of Stevens Pass near Leavenworth. The MKM Trust represented the estate of Keith McCaw, who died in 2003. He had made his fortune as a stock holder in the McCaw Cellular Communications, a company that was built by his brother Craig McCaw. AT&T purchased McCaw cellular in 1995 for $11.5 billion, according to newspaper archives. Since 2005, the owners pumped more than $100 million into Schweitzer, including five new lifts, the Sky House day lodge and Humbird, a 31-unit boutique hotel, and a wellness spa. “With an incredible mountain in one of the most beautiful settings in the country and a world-class operating team, Schweitzer has everything we look for in a destination,” Jared Smith, president and CEO of Alterra, said in the news release. “The mountain has been a valued partner on the Ikon Pass for several seasons so we’ve been able to see the exceptional team, community, and opportunities for continued investment up close.” Headquartered in Denver, Alterra operates Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Valley in California; Stratton Mountain and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; Crystal Mountain in Washington; Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia. The transfer of ownership is expected to close later in 2023, and is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The companies indicated that more details will be released once the transaction has closed. Schweitzer has 92 ski trails and 40 miles of mountain trails. According to the company website, the 6,400-foot mountain receives 300 inches of snow every year. A daily ski pass for an adult in 2022-23 cost $100-110. An adult season pass for 2023-24 costs $999 to $1,049

This is an interesting history of how Idaho got its current geographic borders. I found it at the local library. Here is an excerpt from the author.

Easter Sunday April 9, 2023. Day 79. Closing Day. No new. I went up maybe a half-hour late. Temps are above freezing at the base, below freezing at the summit. First run on Engen is very good on top but it gets firmer and firmer towards the bottom. I went over to Main Street and did a half-dozen runs on good AM groom with fine grip. There are tiller-pulverized small chunky things on top but the carving is nice. I went back to Engen for my last run on the way out. Things were starting to warm up and the cat track was getting sticky. What an excellent season of good fortune. Brundage is a smallish resort with some good carving. It isn't crowded and is located a convenient 10 mile drive from McCall. The primary runs are Engen, Main Street, Alpine and 45th. These runs are average blues. Nothing here is really steep and there is no regular winch-catting. Brundage is better than Tamarack for carving.

Lower Engen, looking out over the snow-covered pastures of the Meadows Valley and the town of New Meadows. The 16-minute fixed-grip Challenger lift was installed in 1990 and work to replace it with a new detachable starts tomorrow.

Friday April 8. Day 78. 1-2" of new. The mountain was completely socked in at open so I waited and didn't get on snow until 11. Temps were warmish and Engen was soft and uncarveable. Main Street was ok but soft and starting to get cut up. No serious carving could be done and the resort is slightly crowded for some closing weekend events. Eventually clouds turned vis bad again and I bailed pretty early.

Friday April 7. Day 77. No new. It must have been brutally warm and sunny on the hill late yesterday afternoon. PM groomed Engen has stripes of firmed-up groomer tread rips that make it a little unpleasant. Combined with dark skies and flat light, conditions on this run are not optimum. AM groomed Main Street has the best carving, although it gets firmer towards the bottom. Low-lying Bear is the firmest I've ever seen so far this season and it almost qualifies as unpleasant. Windy this morning as a weather system comes in that should bring a little snow.