SKIING

At Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort you can stand at the top and stare at three mountain ranges, Canada and three states. Enjoy a variety of terrain from smooth corduroy groomers to wide open bowls and gladed runs. Then return to the top at hair flying speed thanks in part to Stella. Stella, as you will soon discover, is Idaho's only six-person high-speed lift. Acreage: 2900 (400 new acres this winter), 67 trails plus open bowl skiing Terrain: 20% Beginner, 40% Intermediate, 35% Advanced, 5% Expert Longest Continuous Groomed Run: 1.7 miles, the new Little Blue Ridge Run Vertical Drop: 2,400 feet Top Elevation: 6,400 feet Average Annual Snowfall: 300 inches Cross Country Trails: 32 kilometers maintained daily Lifts: One high-speed six-pack named Stella; One high-speed quad; four double chairlifts; 1 handle tow; 1 new T-Bar Total Uphill Capacity: 9,267 per hour Hours of Operation: Lifts open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Night Skiing: Chair 1 to Midway and Chair 2 from 3 to 8 pm. on Fridays & Saturday, January 7 to March 18, 2006 Ski Season: Late November through April 9, 2006 (conditions permitting) CHAIRLIFTS NUMBER NAME TYPE VERTICAL RISE TRIP TIME 1 Chair One Double 1689 12 min 2 Musical Chairs Double 592 6 min 3 Great Escape Quad 1678 5 min 4 Sunnyside Double Double 1280 8 min 5 Stella Six-Pack 1550 5.5 min 6 Snow Ghost Double 1906 13 min 7 Idyl-Our T-Bar 160 4 min Schweitzer Bowl - front side Outback Bowl - back side The Schweitzer Mountain Ski area is just 60 miles south of the Loftus Valley Ranch on Idaho's Hwy 95. The snow is wonderful, the runs are long and varied for differing levels of ability.