Schweitzer Mountain is considered one of the best family-friendly ski resorts in the Pacific Northwest and offers amazing views of the surrounding town (Sandpoint) as well as of Canada and Lake Pend Oreille.
Besides its many trails, it also offers 32 kilometers of Nordic trails, which can be used for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter, or mountain biking in the summer. After you’re done playing on the mountain, take advantage of the shopping, dining and available spa experiences available to you.
The nearest airport to the resort is Spokane International Airport, which is serviced by most major carriers, including United, Southwest, Alaska and American Airlines. From there, you can take a shuttle or drive yourself. Driving times from Spokane is 1.5 hours, Coeur d’Alene 45 minutes and Missoula and the Tri-Cities area 6 hours. Amtrak also offers services to Sandpoint from Seattle/Portland and Chicago/St. Paul/Minneapolis.
Nestled in a basin at the base of the foothills of the Selkirk Mountains overlooking Lake Pend Oreille, Schweitzer Mountain offers 2,900 acres of lift accessible in-bounds terrain. Averaging an annual snowfall of 300 inches, Schweitzer’s 92 designated trails include two open bowls - Schweitzer Bowl and Outback Bowl. The breakout of the mountain is as follows: 20% of the terrain is beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% advanced and 5% is expert. All trails are serviced by nine chairlifts, of which two are available for night skiing.
Accommodating every level of skier and rider, Schweitzer also has an open gate policy for access to out-of-bounds terrain that spans over 200 additional miles of the Selkirk Mountains. Skier/Rider danger exists - beware: the limitless sidecountry and backcountry terrain spans across the Idaho panhandle, eastern Washington and southeastern British Columbia.
The longest run is 2.1 miles (Little Blue Ridge). Snowmaking covers 200 acres. The base elevation for the main village is 4,700 feet and 3,960 feet for the lowest chair. Top elevation is 6,400 feet with 2,440 feet of vertical.
Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort offers visitors a lot of potential activities: a variety of restaurants, cafeteria, lounges, daycare, deli/grocery, retail shop, gift shop, ski shop, children's programs and spectacular views. If you need any services, ski and snowboard rental as well as ski repair is available on the mountain.
Schweitzer is known for tree skiing. Head to Headwall and Siberia for great snow. If the snow is plentiful, head to the North and South Bowls for steeper terrain.
You can also take advantage of ski and snowboard lessons and special instruction in powder, telemark, cross country and children snowboarding. Ski lessons for kids are available for children ages 4 to 12. Both multi-day and beginner lessons for kids are available at the Snowsports School. There’s also an Adventure Camp that offers everything from chairlift rides to a climbing wall to swimming and more.
10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Road
83864 Sandpoint, Idaho
United States