BOISE -- Camp Rainbow Gold is planning to purchase the 150-acre Soldier Mountain Ranch and Resort as a site for the nonprofit's permanent camp for children fighting cancer and their families.
The $1.3 million purchase is contingent on the findings of a 90-day inspection of the property to make sure it is a good investment and would be safe for campers.
The resort, which previously functioned as a country club, is not affiliated with the Soldier Mountain Ski Area. The land Camp Rainbow Gold hopes to purchase is at the base of the Soldier Mountains in Fairfield, about a 14-mile drive from the ski area.
The ranch comes with 21 cabins and five other buildings, along with a golf course. The resort is currently owned by Smokey Dome LLC, a Washington state company.
“Camp Rainbow Gold is optimistically exploring this property and considering every detail to ensure it’s the right fit for us,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Lizberg. “This opportunity changes our need to build a camp from the ground up, which would be an immense cost-savings and will allow us to run a smaller capital campaign.”
Camp Rainbow Gold had previously fought to place their permanent camp in the Sawtooth Mountains near Sun Valley. But the organization faced fierce opposition from residents in nearby Triumph, who complained that the camp would increase traffic and disrupt wildlife. Ultimately, Blaine County Commissioners denied a conditional use permit for the camp, a move Lizberg called a disappointment.
But the new site could be the right solution, according to the nonprofit. The Soldier Mountain resort is 101 miles from Boise, 89 miles from Twin Falls and 49 miles from Hailey, a central location for the areas from which Camp Rainbow Gold draws its base.
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“We are excited to have found a potential solution that allows us to remain in an area where we have a long-established history with families, supporters and volunteers,” Lizberg said.
For more information about Camp Rainbow Gold or to donate, click here.