WeatherWhys: These Idaho ski resorts will have fresh snow for a Presidents Day getaway
Boise has had little snowfall since the first week of January. That trend has extended to some of the Treasure Valley’s closest ski resorts, which typically get more snowfall this time of year.
But Idahoans still have one more chance to hit the slopes and experience some fresh snow this winter season before temperatures warm up. And that last chance is this holiday weekend.
Idaho News 6 Chief Meteorologist Scott Dorval told the Idaho Statesman that a couple of Boise’s nearest ski resorts, including Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort and Brundage Mountain, could see several inches of snow this weekend.
Specifically, Dorval expects a storm to blow through the state on Sunday evening, setting up a fresh layer of snow for Presidents Day on Monday. He also expects Saturday’s temperatures to be above 40 degrees in the higher altitudes before dropping back into the 30s on Monday.
The snow storm comes from a system sitting over Alaska that will drop into Idaho on Sunday evening. A low-pressure system will follow right behind the storm, bringing further moisture that will extend snow showers into Monday and potentially Tuesday.
“The best day for skiing on fresh snow is probably going to be Monday,” Dorval said.
Resort snow reports and forecasts
Bogus Basin: Bogus Basin has suffered from the lack of snowfall. The resort has reported less than an inch of snow in the past 48 hours, and just like the Treasure Valley, it’s struggled for snow since early January.
“Bogus Basin hasn’t gotten pretty much anything,” Dorval said. “They’ve just got snow showers, so their snow is getting kind of skied off a bit.”
Fortunately for the resort, Dorval expects Bogus Basin to receive a couple inches of snow from Sunday’s storm.
Brundage Mountain: Brundage Mountain Resort is the northern-most ski resort in relation to the Boise area before hitting the Salmon River, which Dorval sees as the cutoff point between two drastically different weather conditions in Idaho.
Brundage has received 5 inches of snow in the last 72 hours, and Dorval expects it to pick up around another 6 inches of snow this weekend. This would be the best location for those in Southwest Idaho looking for several inches of fresh snow for the holiday weekend.
Soldier Mountain: Soldier Mountain Ski Area, which is a 112-mile drive east of Boise, will reopen Saturday after closing down on Feb. 10 for repairs on the ski lift. Soldier Mountain hasn’t recorded any measurable snow recently but is expecting about 1 inch of fresh snow this weekend.
“We’re not without some dirt showing,” Soldier Mountain General Manager Paul Alden said in a press release, “but there’s still very good skiing.”
Tamarack: Tamarack, about 30 miles south of Brundage, received about 3 inches of snow this past week but not much in the past 48 hours, according to the resort’s snow report. But those 3 inches will still provide a fresh snow experience for those at the resort this weekend.
Why skiers prefer fresh snow
For about 24 hours after a snowfall event, much of the snow on the ground will remain powdery and good for skiing and snowboarding.
This is especially useful for slopes that aren’t maintained by a snow groomer, a vehicle used on popular slopes to compact the snow and create better skiing and snowboarding conditions.
But as we head into the spring, skiing conditions can become worse as less snow comes down and surfaces become hard and bumpy.
“When it starts to get warm, then you get a little melting, and then it refreezes that night so you get icy spots,” Dorval said.
Those icy spots can not only lead to painful falls but also create more difficult conditions for recreation.
Down in the Treasure Valley, Boise residents can expect a very pleasant Saturday with a high of 56 before the snow showers providing snow to the ski resorts come through the area Sunday night through Tuesday.
