Mountain snow? Idaho ski area wants to be first to open Thanksgiving weekend
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- Bogus Basin plans Thanksgiving weekend opening as Idaho’s likely first ski area in 2025.
- Dropping temps and snowmaking prepared terrain for opening despite unfavorable conditions.
- Weather forecasts show possible weekend mountain snow; officials warn drivers of hazards.
A near-record warm November in Boise is nearing its close, and across the state, ski areas have yet to fire up their chair lifts and pass-scanners and open their runs. But dropping temperatures and hopes of mountain snow over Thanksgiving weekend could mean that ski season is finally here..
And this year’s first tracks in the state could be at Bogus Basin, according to a news release from the Boise nonprofit.
“After a successful 17 hours of snowmaking early this week, and light snowfall on Wednesday morning, Bogus Basin announced their plans to be the first recreation area in Idaho to open for the 2025-26 winter season,” the release said Wednesday.
Boise-area skiers had hoped to hit the slopes on Thanksgiving Day, but Bogus Basin, like many other areas in the state, had to hold off opening, the Idaho Statesman reported. Now it plans to open Saturday and Sunday with limited terrain.
The nonprofit expects to run the Easy Rider Conveyor, located on the lower Coach’s Corner run, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The conveyor provides access to beginner terrain and a terrain park with nine features, the release said.
The Bogus Creek Lodge will open half an hour earlier, at 9:30 a.m. Day tickets will cost $15.
Nate Shake, Bogus Basin director of operations, said in a statement that a pilot program this summer preserved enough snow from last winter to help cover the terrain that is set to open. The program, called Snow Secure, involves placing polystyrene panels over large snow piles in the summer. The panels, invented and manufactured by a Finnish company, reflect the sun.
“We look forward to our use of this technology in the future, especially in seasons like this one, when winter weather arrives later than we’d hoped for,” said Shake.
The technology, combined with temperatures finally low enough for snowmaking plus 2 inches of natural snowfall in the past week, helped Bogus prepare to claim Idaho’s first ski-area opening, according to the release.
In an email to the Statesman on Wednesday, Bogus Basin spokesperson Bridgette Johnson noted that, “Our team did a thorough review of other resorts in Idaho — websites and social media — and at this time, no one else has set an opening date.”
Johnson said Bogus plans to monitor other resorts’ websites and social media posts leading up to the planned opening.
Mountain snow expected heading into weekend
Snow headed for some Idaho mountains this weekend may give more skiers a little extra to be thankful for.
According to the National Weather Service in Boise, a cold front Thursday could have made way for some precipitation Friday and the weekend.
“We are looking at the potential for several inches of snow up in the West Central and Boise mountains beginning Friday morning,” said Stephanie Henry with the Boise office. “That’s what we’re keeping an eye on.”
That was expected to affect mountains in McCall as early as Friday morning, Henry told the Statesman by phone, though she said if Bogus Basin also saw any snow, it would likely stay, as temperatures are expected to continue to drop into the weekend.
Brundage Mountain in McCall had an 80% chance of snow early Friday, while further south in Donnelly, Tamarack Resort had a 65% chance, according to a Facebook post from the weather service. Snow is less likely Saturday morning, with all three ski areas looking at a 30% chance of snow.
A spokesperson from Tamarack previously told the Statesman that a planned Friday, Nov. 28, opening had been delayed to Friday, Dec. 5, depending on conditions. A Brundage spokesperson said the area had also been hoping to open Friday but did not have enough snow. It did not appear Friday that an updated opening date had been set.
Back in the Boise area, Henry warned drivers traveling over the holiday weekend, including to recreation areas in McCall, of road hazards as temperatures finally drop after the unseasonably warm month.
“The two hazards are going to be mountain snow and potential for fog,” she said.
A weather service post Friday indicated that the Treasure Valley is expected to get its first “dusting” of snow on Saturday night.
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 11:34 AM.
