Schweitzer Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schweitzer Mountain |
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 Schweitzer Mountain
Location in Idaho
Schweitzer Mountain
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bonner County, Idaho, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Sandpoint 11 miles (18 km) Spokane, Washington 80 miles (130 km) |
| Coordinates | 48°22′01″N 116°37′23″W / 48.367°N 116.623°W |
| Vertical | 2,440 ft (744 m) |
| Top elevation | 6,400 ft (1,951 m) |
| Base elevation | 3,960 ft (1,207 m) lowest chair - Stella 4,700 ft (1,433 m) main village |
| Skiable area | 2,900 acres (11.7 km2) |
| Runs | 92 - 20% beginner - 40% intermediate - 35% advanced - 5% expert |
| Longest run | Little Blue Ridge 2.1 miles (3.4 km) |
| Lift system | 10 chairlifts - 1 high-speed six-pack - 3 high-speed quads - 2 triples - 2 doubles - 2 surface tows |
| Lift capacity | 15,900 / hour |
| Terrain parks | 3 |
| Snowfall | 300 in (760 cm) |
| Snowmaking | 200 acres (0.81 km2) |
| Night skiing | 2 chairlifts |
| Website | schweitzer.com |
Schweitzer Mountain Resort is a popular ski resort located in northern Idaho, in the United States. It's about 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Sandpoint. The resort is found in Bonner County, within the Selkirk Mountains.
From Schweitzer, you can see Lake Pend Oreille and the Bitterroot and Cabinet mountain ranges. The ski area is also about 45 miles (70 km) south of the Canada–US border.
Schweitzer Mountain has a top elevation of 6,400 feet (1,951 m) above sea level. The vertical drop, which is the difference between the top and bottom of the ski area, is 2,440 feet (744 m). There are 92 named ski runs and open areas to explore. The total skiable area is 2,900 acres (11.7 km2).
Ten different lifts help skiers and snowboarders get around the mountain. On average, the mountain gets over 300 inches (760 cm) of snowfall each year. The longest groomed run is called Little Blue Ridge Run, which is 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long. The lifts can carry 15,900 people up the mountain every hour.
Contents
History of Schweitzer Mountain
How Schweitzer Got Its Name
The mountain is named after an old Swiss man who lived nearby. His name was "Schweitzer," which means "Swiss" in German. This is how the mountain got its unique name.
Early Days of Skiing
People started skiing at Schweitzer as early as 1933. However, the official ski area called "Schweitzer Basin" opened much later, in the fall of 1963.
A skier named Dr. Jack Fowler from Spokane loved skiing. He often traveled far to ski in Montana. He noticed the snowy mountain closer to home and decided to create a ski area there. After getting support from the Sandpoint community, the resort opened.
On opening day, December 4, 1963, Schweitzer had a day lodge and a long double chairlift. This lift offered 1,700 feet (518 m) of vertical drop. A T-bar lift was added a month later. Dr. Fowler later wrote a book about the resort's history.
In its first ten years, Schweitzer became very popular. It started as a weekend-only resort but soon opened seven days a week. By its fourth season, 55,000 people had visited. More lifts were added, including three new chairlifts in 1968.
In 1971, the back area of Colburn Basin was opened with two more chairlifts and a small lodge. More buildings were added in 1972, like a restaurant and places to stay overnight. The road to the resort was paved in 1973. Another chairlift was added in 1974 to help more people get up the mountain. Later, the name was shortened to "Schweitzer."
Changes in Ownership
For its first 20 years, the ski area was run by a non-profit group. In the early 1980s, a local sawmill owner named Jim Brown, Jr., took over the resort. In 1986, they started offering chairlift rides in the summer. In 1988, the resort was renamed Schweitzer Mountain Resort. It also began offering hiking trails and mountain bike rentals.
After Jim Brown died in 1989, his daughter, Bobbie Huguenin, took charge. She wanted Schweitzer to become a major vacation spot. Many improvements were made, including a new three-story lodge. A faster detachable quad chairlift was added in 1990, along with lights for night skiing. An 82-room hotel called the Green Gables Lodge was also built.
However, the Brown family eventually faced financial difficulties. In 1996, the resort went into a special legal process, and then filed for bankruptcy the next year.
New Owners and Improvements
On December 31, 1998, a company called Harbor Properties bought Schweitzer Mountain Resort. This company quickly made improvements, like getting better equipment for managing the slopes. The Green Gables lodge was updated and reopened as the Selkirk Lodge.
In 2000, a new six-person chairlift called Stella was installed. This new lift replaced an older, slower one. With Stella, the resort grew to 2,500 acres (10.1 km2) of skiable terrain.
In 2003, a new company called Selkirk Powder Company started offering guided tours. They offered snowmobile tours and later added snowcat skiing in 2007. In 2017, they even started offering helicopter skiing.
McCaw's Time at Schweitzer
In 2005, the resort's ownership changed again. McCaw Investment Group (MIG) became the sole owner. This led to more additions for the 2005-06 season. These included the Idyl-Our T-Bar, the Hermit's Hollow Tubing Center, and a SunKid Magic Carpet. The Idyle-Our T-Bar added 400 acres (1.6 km2) of new terrain, including five new trails.
In 2007, Schweitzer announced big plans for expansion. They invested $6 million to upgrade lifts. The original Chair One was replaced with two new lifts: the faster Basin Express and the Lakeview Triple. These new chairs were installed in the summer of 2007. Other improvements included updating the Lakeview Lodge, increasing snowmaking, and getting new grooming machines.
Schweitzer also started planning for new homes and condos near the resort. They released new ski-in/ski-out lots for sale. However, due to a financial crisis, these plans were put on hold for a while.
In 2009, construction began on a new housing area called Mountainside at Schweitzer. These homes were designed to be environmentally friendly, using local materials and geothermal heating.
More improvements happened in 2012. The Mill Building, one of the oldest buildings, was updated. The Ski & Ride Center was made easier to use for rentals and lessons. The Great Escape Quad lift got a new electrical system to make it more reliable. The Musical Chairs double lift was also rebuilt with new parts and a fresh look.
In 2013, there were talks about adding 20 new units to the White Pine Lodge. Some units were sold, but the project was later put on hold.
What's at Schweitzer Today
Schweitzer's village has two main places to stay: The Selkirk Lodge and The White Pine Lodge. The Selkirk Lodge has hotel-style rooms, some with small kitchens. The White Pine Lodge offers larger units with full kitchens. Many private homes and condos are also available.
The Mill Building is where you can rent skis or snowboards and find a retail shop. The Lakeview Lodge in the village handles ticket sales, season passes, and guest services. It also has a full-service bar, a cafeteria, a coffee shop, ski patrol, and daycare.
There are two more lodges on the mountain. Sky House is at the top of the Great Escape lift. It has ski patrol, restrooms, a counter-service restaurant (Red Hawk Cafe), and a full-service restaurant and bar (The Nest). The Outback Inn, near the Stella lift, has cafeteria service and restrooms.
In 2019, plans for a new 30-room hotel in the village were announced. Construction started that summer. The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, but the hotel is expected to open for the 2021/22 winter season.
Schweitzer Facts and Figures
Mountain Details
- Village Elevation: 4,700 ft (1,433 m) - Main Village
- Summit Elevation: 6,400 ft (1,951 m) - Top of Great Escape Quad
- Bottom Lift Elevation: 3,960 ft (1,207 m) - Outback Inn
- Vertical Feet: 2,440 ft (744 m)
- 2,000–4,400 ft (610–1,341 m) above the surrounding land
Terrain and Snow
- 300 inches (760 cm) of snowfall each year
- 2,900 acres (12 km2) of skiable area
- 10% beginner trails
- 40% intermediate trails
- 35% advanced trails
- 15% expert trails
- 32 km (20 mi) of nordic trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat tire biking in winter
- > 40 km (25 mi) of hiking and biking trails in summer
Current Lifts
- Basin Express - A fast quad chairlift (2007)
- Lakeview Triple - A triple chairlift (2007)
- Musical Chairs - A double chairlift (1968, moved in 1990)
- Great Escape - A fast quad chairlift (1990, updated in 1997)
- Sunnyside - A double chairlift (1968), used on busy days
- Stella - A fast six-person chairlift (2000)
- Cedar Park Express - A fast quad chairlift (2019)
- Colburn Triple - A triple chairlift (2019)
- Idyle Our - A T-Bar lift (2005)
- Musical Carpet - A moving carpet lift (2005)
- Happy Trails - A handle tow lift (1990s), used for tubing
Schweitzer in the News
- Ranked "#21 in the USA" by Skiing Magazine in 2007.
- Named "#3 in the USA for Tree Skiing" by Skiing Magazine in 2007.
- Voted "Best Resort in the Inland Northwest" by The Inlander Reader's Poll for 13 years.
- Described as "Big Slopes and small-town charm at Northern Idaho's up-and-coming resort" by Sunset Magazine in December 2003.
- Ranked "#3 in the USA for Lifts" by SKI Magazine in October 2008.
- Called "Best Place to Ditch the Crowds" by Skiing Magazine in October 2008.
