IDAHO, USA — As the temperatures get colder, many have their sights set on the slopes.
Skiers and snowboards gearing up to visit Tamarack Resort in Valley County this upcoming season can look forward to some new upgrades and additions.
Tamarack is adding a handful of things to help making skiing more accessible - and more fun - this season, including new places to ski, a new Nordic Center, and a zone for families.
Snow already blankets the ground at Tamarack. Earlier this week, the resort got about eight inches of powder from mid-mountain and up - laying the base for a new ski season.
"We started making snow on Saturday," Wolfe Ashcraft, vice president of resort operations for Tamarack said. "So a little bit of natural, a little bit of homemade."
Ashcraft says its their busiest time of year, as the resort gets ready for its 19th season. With the new season on the slopes in sight, Tamarack touts several new upgrades and additions.
"We're always working to increase the fun factor, and make the resort more accessible for everybody," Ashcraft said.
The resort has added a tertiary drive to their primary chairlift, the Tamarack Express. They are also increasing snowmaking coverage by 30%, and have added more areas for skiers and boarders.
"We added about 65 acres in what we used to call Reasons to Quit, which is a burn area that we had from a few years ago," Ashcraft said. "So that's all been cut and runs put into there."
Families also have a new option when heading to the mountain.
"Lumberjack Land, which is a family-friendly kind of interactive zone with ski-thrus and small features," Ashcraft said.
The resort also has a new Nordic Center, which has moved from Tamarack Outfitters to The Lodge at Osprey Meadows.
"We've now got a much more elaborate and fully built-out Nordic Center," Ashcraft said. "So rentals, lessons, a pro shop right at the start of those trails."
Tamarack will welcome skiers and snowboards by December 9 - and possibly earlier, depending on conditions - for a season full of things to do.
"We've got much more Nordic opportunities. You can go to the spa, you can go to one of our multiple restaurants, you can go alpine skiing, you can go into the family-friendly zone, you can go into some more steep and powder areas," Ashcraft said. "So giving a little bit of something for everybody, and continuing to add to what we have."
Tamarack Resort still has Boundless Passes available, which are on sale until November 1. Season pass and day ticket options for Tamarack can be viewed here.
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