BOISE, Idaho — Many of Idaho's ski resorts closed their doors early this spring to help limit the spread of coronavirus, cutting short the skiing and snowboarding season.
But as restrictions ease around the state and Idaho moves through the phased reopening plan, ski mountains and resorts are turning their attention to summer activities like zip-lining, live music, mountain biking, and more.
According to Ski Idaho, some ski areas will open to the public as early as Memorial Day weekend, while others are eyeing dates later in the summer. Below is what resorts and ski areas are planning:
Bogus Basin will officially open for the summer June 27. The ski area offers mountain bike and hiking trails, summer tubing, scenic chairlift rides, gold panning and the popular Glade Runner Mountain Coaster.
In addition to the mountain's 23 mountain bike trails, Bogus Basin is also working on a bike park that will be accessible off the Morning Star chairlift. The park, developed by Alpine Bike Parks out of Canada, will showcase four new downhill trails and is set to be finished later in the summer.
Bogus' summertime Music on the Mountain series has been suspended this year as a precaution, however, and the climbing wall and bungee trampoline will not be in operation, at least during the early summer.
Bogus Basin will be open seven days a week through Aug,. 16, then Fridays through Sundays until Labor Day. The ski area will be open Saturday and Sunday through the first weekend in October, weather permitting.
Brundage Mountain, located near McCall, is aiming to open for the summer on June 20.
Brundage is working to improve and expand trails in its existing 26-mile bike park, which features downhill and cross-country options. The improvements include a new crosscountry trail connecting Thorn Creek to a new downhill trail named Wildcat. Crews will also work on a new stretch of trail that links Lakeview Vista with Grouse, traversing the entire bike park area.
For non-bike riders, the mountain also offers hiking, scenic chairlift rides, and nine-hole disc golf course in the base area.
Grand Targhee is technically located across the state border in Alta, Wyoming, but is only accessible from Driggs, Idaho. The resort plans to open for mountain biking on June 19, if conditions permit.
Grand Targhee has more than 2,200 vertical feet of lift-serviced downhill and more than 60 miles of multi-use trails. The ski resort's summer operations also include chairlift rides, disc golf, a nature center, and horseback riding.
Summer music festivals at the resort have been canceled, including Targhee Fest, Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival, and Targhee Music Camp. All other events and group functions have been canceled through July 13.
Targhee is still working to determine whether its summer kids camp, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, or gold panning will take place this year.
Vacation rentals at the resort will open June 1, and RV, vehicle and tent camping will be offered.
Kelly Canyon, located northeast of Idaho Falls, will open for Thursday to Sunday operations on May 29.
This will mark only the second year the ski area has held summer operations. Since 2020 is the first full summer season, Kelly Canyon is planning a grand opening event to be held later this summer.
The resort is working to refine its 18 miles of mountain bike trails served by the lift, and plan to add additional trails and features this year. Kelly Canyon is also building a four-mile loop designed for National Interscholastic Cycling Association teams practice when the chairlifts are not running.
The resort is also designing overnight lodging facilities, which could be open as early as late summer.
Lookout Pass, located near Wallace in the Idaho Panhandle, will open its Route of the Hiawatha bike trail May 22 in time for Memorial Day weekend.
The popular route feature's 15 miles of gentle downhill riding through 10 tunnels and over seven train trestles. The Route of the Hiawatha is part of the U.S. rails-to-trails initiative, and drew more than 60,000 riders last year.
The biking route will be open through Sept. 20. Full-moon night rides will be offered June 5, July 5, Aug. 3, and Sept. 2 by reservation only.
Scenic chairlift rides will begin at Lookout Pass on June 12, and the lifts will open to mountain bikers June 19. The chairlifts will run Fridays through Sundays, and on all holidays until early October.
The resort has plans to add additional mountain biking trails this year, but construction cannot begin until the area melts out.
Pomerelle Mountain Resort is currently closed, and has not yet decided on an opening date or what summer operations will be in place this year, according to Ski Idaho.
In a typical summer, the resort offers lift-served mountain biking as well as an 18-hole disc golf course, scenic chairlift rides, volleyball and hiking and running trails.
An announcement about Pomerelle's Summer 2020 offerings is coming soon.
Schweitzer will open lift access to their more than 40 miles of mountain bike trails on Jun2 26. The North Idaho resort will be open daily through Sept. 7.
Summer operations include 700-foot zip lines, scenic chairlift rides to the summit with views of Lake Pend Oreille and an 18-hole disc golf course.
The resort also offers hiking and running trails, geocaching, bungee trampolines, a 25-foot climbing wall, gold panning, huckleberry picking, and horseback riding.
Plans to host the Northwest Winefest July 18-19, the Huckleberry Color Fun Run Aug. 9, and Fall Fest over Labor Day weekend at Schweitzer are still in place, although the events are subject to change.
Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho will open weekends for mountain biking and gondola rides on Memorial Day weekend, then switch to daily operations June 26.
Opening weekend will be reserved for experienced bikers only. Silver Mountain has almost 40 singletrack trails, and made improvements last year to improve flow and add larger berms and jumps on the advanced trails.
Silver Mountain also holds the state's largest indoor waterpark, Silver Rapids, which will also open Memorial Day weekend. The waterpark is currently limited to Silver Mountain lodging guests only due to COVID-19 concerns.
Visitors can also enjoy hiking, running, and the Galena Ridge Golf Course during the resort's summer operations.
Although some summer events have been canceled, the Northwest Cup mountain bike race on July 17-19, Brewsfest on Aug. 15, and the Silveroxx mountain bike celebration on Sept. 25-27 are all still slated to go forward. Silver Mountain will also still be holding its Friday night Ride & Dine events featuring BBQ and live music on the mountain.
Sun Valley has not yet announced when it will begin running the lifts for mountain biking, but the resort opened its three golf courses and most driving ranges on May 16. Lodging at the resort is expected to pick back up May 30.
Sun Valley has hundreds of miles of singletrack and more than 3,000 vertical feet of descent, as well as access to paved bike paths around the Wood River Valley. The resort also has scenic gondola rides, a shooting range, bowling, fly fishing, tennis, paddle boats, fishing, beach volleyball, and three outdoor swimming pools.
Tamarack Resort in Donnelly reopened for dining, lodging, hiking and biking on May 16. although chairlifts will not run for mountain biking until May 28.
Scenic chairlift rides will be available starting May 21, and boat rentals will start May 22.
Tamarack is also aiming at launching zipline canopy tours on June 6, depending on how much snow has melted mid-mountain. The tour has eight different ziplines, two suspension bridges, and a 105-foot-high treehouse.
Guided whitewater rafting is set to begin mid-June. Chairlifts will run Thursdays through Sundays until Sept. 13.
