The snow has been taking it’s time this year, but there are a couple storms rolling in tonight and next week. You know what that means? That’s right! The mountains are getting dumped on. We’re pretty excited to the ski resorts to open, so we decided to share some of our favorite local Spokane ski destinations with you. Here are 6 mountains within 3 hours of Spokane.
Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park
We figured the first mountain we’d share should be the most local. So, without further ado…we bring you Mt. Spokane. Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard park is one of the easiest mountains to get to. Depending on where you live, you can get to the mountain in under 45 minutes. In addition, Mt. Spokane probably offers the widest variety of winter activities. Whether you want to spend a quiet afternoon exploring the mountain on snow shoes or hit the slopes hard on skis, Mt. Spokane is sure to satisfy.
The mountain offers numerous winter activities including tubing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and more. If you like the outdoors, Mt. Spokane is the place for you this winter!
49° North Ski Resort – Local Spokane ski Destinations
The second Mountain on our list is 49° North. 49° North, situated on Flowery Trail Rd betweeen Chewelah and Usk, is only an hour and twenty minutes from Spokane. In addition to the shorter drive, 49° North also offers some of the most varied terrain of the local mountains. You’ll find green runs for beginners, exciting terrain parks, steep double blacks and more. The lifts at 49° North also service a lot of territory. That means that if you can’t find good conditions on one side of the mountain, you’re pretty likely to find it in another area.
49° North, like Mt. Spokane, also offers extensive Nordic skiing and snowshoe trails. This year, the mountain is offering combo passes in conjunction with Silver Mountain. 49° North typically hosts fundraisers and has several discounted days, so be sure to check their events Calendar.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Another local favorite is Schweitzer mountain. Schweitzer Mt. Resort, is one of the biggest resorts on the list. So far, it’s also the only one open yet. Schweitzer is nestled high in the mountains above the Lake Pend’Orielle. Just under half an hour from Sandpoint, Schweitzer village is a popular winter destination.
Unlike most of the other mountains in the area, the Schweitzer village offers the feel of a mountain ski town. Many locals have vacation homes on the mountain. For adventure seekers, Schweitzer boasts some of the most advanced terrain in the area. Another reason Schweitzer is a local favorite, is because of its higher potential for early season snow. Most years, Schweitzer opens the weekend of Thanksgiving.
Tomorrow, Schweitzer is holding their annual community fundraiser. They are offering lift tickets for $10 in order to benefit a local charity. If you want a chance to ski Schweitzer for a screaming deal, this is it! They are also set to open most of the mountain this weekend. If you’re planning to ski this weekend, you should probably consider heading to Schweitzer.
Silver Mountain – Local Spokane Ski Destinations
Silver Mountain resort is next on the list. This mountain is unique for the Gondola ride up to the main lodge. You park at the base of the mountain, so no need to worry about icy mountain roads. The parking lot is just minutes of I-90 in Kellogg Idaho.
At 3.1 miles long, Silver’s Gondola is the longest single stage gondola in the world. Once you park and get your lift ticket, you can hop in the gondola for a swift ride to the top. From the main lodge you can access tons of terrain. Silver offers tons of beginner runs. They also have lots of advanced terrain with numerous double blacks like the infamous “Corkscrew”. Whether you’re looking to plunge straight down a steep mogul run or you want to get your ski legs under you on “Dawdler”, Silver Mt. is a great choice.
The Gondola ride is so beautiful that some visitors come just for that. The mountain also offers tubing, lodging, and a water-park. They offer numerous deals for family getaways. Silver is rivals Mt. Spokane as the most family friendly of the local mountains. It’s especially great for beginners as it not only has a magic carpet, but also 2 lifts that access mostly beginner terrain.
Lookout Pass
Just beyond Silver Mt., Lookout pass is also easily accessed from I-90. Lookout pass is a smaller ski hill, but still a favorite. Lookout is situated right on the Idaho-Montana border. In fact, half of the lodge is in Idaho and half is in Montana. There are three ski lifts including a quad that was added just this year.
Lookout has one of the best terrain parks and some intense mogul runs as well. You can also hit some pretty high speeds, on some of their steeper runs. The lodge has an old-timey feel to it. The mountain is also very family friendly.
Throughout the season, Lookout hosts special events including Media Ski Free day, Teacher’s Ski Free day, and First Responder days. The season passes for Lookout, are also the most affordable of all the mountains. Another advantage of Lookout pass is the ski season often lasts longer due to more accumulated snow.
Red Mountain, BC – Local Spokane Ski Destinations
The final mountain on the list, is a little further away, but definitely worth the trip. Red Mountain, situated just north of the Canadian border in Rossland, BC is the biggest mountain in the area. The mountain has an incredible variety of terrain in addition to a long vertical drop. This makes for very long runs and fewer rides on the lift.
Another benefit to skiing at Red, is the conversion rate from USD to Canadian. The resort boasts 8 lifts, 3 lodges, 119 runs, and lots of glades. The best time to go to Red is usually a little later in the season as they usually get tons of powder in February and March.
What mountains will you be hitting up this season? We love the wide variety of local Spokane ski destinations in our area. Hopefully you’ll get lots of opportunities to enjoy them this season.
