In line with our commitment to continuously improving your home mountain, we completed multiple huge capital projects over the summer, including a major chairlift installation project – replacing the Coach and Bitterroot chairlifts with two brand-new fixed-grip quad chairs, adding two new winter runs to the mountain, updating the J.R. Simplot Lodge, and much more!
As a non-profit mountain recreation area, we reinvest all profits back into mountain operations and upgrades for the Treasure Valley community to enjoy.
Keep reading to check out what’s new this winter season!
Introducing Two Brand-New Chairlifts
Last spring, we announced our plans to replace the historic Bitterroot and Coach Chairlifts with adjusted alignments to improve the guest experience. The new four-person chairlifts double uphill capacity, decreasing wait times in line so you can spend more time shredding the snow with your friends and family.
After a very busy summer, we’re excited to announce that the chairlifts are nearly complete and will be ready by opening day, slated for November 23rd, 2024 – weather permitting.
Coach Chairlift
For 43 years, countless Treasure Valley residents took their first rides on the iconic YAN two-person chairlift — some may even recall when it was originally the Deer Point chairlift! This year, we’ve replaced the historic lift with a brand-new fixed-grip quad chair, doubled its vertical drop with an updated alignment, and expanded its beginner-friendly green and blue runs.
Our mission is to make outdoor recreation accessible for the Treasure Valley community, which means lowering the barriers to entry and encouraging everyone to try new sports year-round. The new Coach lift is a key investment in improving the first-time and beginner experience, a big step forward from 1980 when the double Coach YAN chair was first relocated to Coach’s Corner.
Bitterroot Chairlift
Since 1973, Bitterroot Basin has been a beloved fun zone on weekends and holidays. Additionally, Bitterroot played a central role in the School Race Program, proudly celebrating its 65th season this year. Generations of young rippers have developed their skills in the Bitterroot Basin, creating lifelong memories on these slopes.
With the newly aligned Bitterroot four-person chairlift, guests are now conveniently dropped off at the northeast corner of Pioneer Lodge, making it easier than ever to take a break or warm up. Gone are the days of skating the kids over to the lodge for hot chocolate!
Thanks to the larger chairlift and improved accessibility, we’re thrilled to add Bitterroot Basin to our long list of accessible terrain seven days a week this season.
Terrain Expansion
With the introduction of two brand-new chairlifts, we thought we’d introduce some new terrain! In past seasons, we’ve recognized a need for more low-intermediate terrain—those runs that bridge the gap between the easier greens and more challenging blues. Runs slightly more advanced than Coach’s Corner but more approachable than Bonanza off the Superior Express. These new runs are designed with low-intermediate snowboarders and skiers in mind, making them ideal for family-friendly adventures on the mountain!
Fun fact: Almost all ski and snowboard runs at Bogus Basin are named after Idaho mines!
Coach Zone
The Coach Zone is known by the Bogus Basin community as the place for beginners to embark on their journey into a new life sport. Named in honor of local legend Bill ‘Coach’ Everts, who was known for doing everything possible to get kids on the mountain, this area embodies his can-do spirit. Bill Everts played a pivotal role in shaping Bogus Basin, recognizing the mountain’s true potential as a vibrant hub for health, happiness, and community connection.
Learn more about the history of Coach’s Corner and Bill ‘Coach’ Everts, the man who helped make Bogus Basin what it is today!
The brand-new Coach chairlift drops you off at the final breakover of Sourdough and the top of the newly extended Coach’s Corner run. We’ve also added a new run, Ida-Belle, which offers a similar challenge to Sourdough — perfect for a diverse family experience.
Coach’s Corner
Coach’s Corner run might look and feel a little different this season. It’s 3.5 times different, to be exact! Your spectacular mountain operations crew spent much of the summer blasting, leveling, and digging to build a longer low-grade run perfect for any beginner. The newly extended Coaches Corner clocks in at 3,781 feet long with a vertical drop of 327.
With this extension, the crew added more light fixtures and snowmaking infrastructure to ensure early season and night access to its wonderful terrain.
Ida Belle
Looking for a more difficult run while someone in your group is not quite ready to leave the Coach chairlift? Ida Belle is the brand-new low-intermediate run located off of the Coach Chairlift. Ida Belle allows your family or group to briefly separate for a slightly more challenging experience but still meet back up and ride the chairlift together.
Ida Belle is named after an old Idaho Mine outside of Silver City. Miners extracted silver, zinc, lead, and copper from the Ida Belle mine.
Bitterroot Zone
In Bitterroot Basin, we’ve carried out extensive brush cutting and thinning to develop family-friendly off-piste skiing options for low-intermediate to upper-intermediate skiers. These efforts not only enhance the skiing experience in this area of the mountain but also expand the acreage available to our guests.
Wake Up Jim
Wake Up Jim, a new blue run in the Bitterroot Basin, sits just left of Smuggler Run. Like the other new trails this season, it’s wide and welcoming, featuring a steep initial pitch that transitions smoothly across a gentle ridgeline. Snoozer, an existing intermediate run, merges with Wake Up Jim at the ridgeline before Wake Up Jim veers left, leading to a return run back to the new Bitterroot lift. This addition enhances the area’s appeal for families and novice to intermediate skiers, offering a more accessible and enjoyable experience.
Wake Up Jim is a historically significant mine located near Murray, Idaho. Wake Up Jim mine is known for pulling Gold, Silver, Copper, and Lead from the mine.
Last summer, we tackled an extensive brush-cutting project on over 15 runs, added new lights to the Alpine and Showcase runs, updated our grooming fleet, added snowmaking equipment, and much more.
Bogus Basin’s School Race Program Moves
This year is the 65th season of the Bogus Basin School Race Program, which gives thousands of middle school and high school students the opportunity to represent their schools in their choice of Slalom, Freestyle, and Nordic events.
- Races
- 7
- Racers
- 1,600
- Schools
- 70+
Shifting the races out of Bitterroot Basin helps ease crowding from students and families in the area and around Pioneer Lodge on weekends and holidays, allowing Bitterroot Basin to become a more family-friendly zone for everyone to enjoy.
This season, the School Race Program has moved to the front side of the mountain, where students will utilize some of our low-traffic runs, including Cascade, Claim Jumper, Mike’s Mambo, Sunshine, and Sourdough.
Simplot Lodge Updates
In 2022, we installed new, nonslip flooring on the first floor of the Simplot and Pioneer Lodge. Last summer, we upgraded both bathrooms in the Pioneer Lodge and the men’s bathrooms on the first floor of the Simplot Lodge.
This summer, we extended the nonslip flooring to the third floor of the Simplot Lodge. The new flooring is more suitable to handle high traffic, and enhances the lodge’s overall comfort.
New Axess RFID Gates
In 2021, we introduced RFID Gates on Morning Star Express (2), Superior Express (3), Deer Point Express (1), and the Coach Chairlift (7). We finalized the project this summer, installing Axess RFID gates on Pine Creek Express (6), Showcase Chairlift (4), and the new Bitterroot Chairlift (5). This upgrade provides guests with a more seamless and efficient lift-loading experience and ensure that we are capturing every visit throughout the season.
Rental Skis
We’re thrilled to update our rental fleet this summer with a $67,000 investment in new rental skis, reinforcing our commitment to providing quality rental and lease equipment that reduces barriers to entry for families and new users. Many households choose to rent or lease from our shop, as children quickly outgrow expensive gear.
This season, we’ve added $57,000 worth of new kids’ rental skis and $10,000 in Nordic rental skis to our inventory, making outdoor recreation more accessible and encouraging a love for outdoor recreation.
Sustainability & Stewardship
From hosting fun trivia game nights in the Simplot Lodge to organizing community volunteer events, The Environmental Education & Stewardship teams have implemented year-round sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental impact over the past year. This winter, we’re excited to ramp up our composting and recycling efforts, aiming to minimize waste while educating the community through enjoyable events.
Composting and Recycling
In addition to our existing recycling program, we’re thrilled to partner with Timber Creek Recycling and EcoProducts to launch a composting initiative. This initiative aims to reduce the amount of waste we send to the landfill by up to 25%. To support this effort, we are installing new waste-diversion stations in each lodge, enabling guests to easily sort their waste into the appropriate bins: Landfill, Recycling, and Compost. Additionally, we are phasing out single-use plastics, replacing all pint cups and cutlery to further our commitment to sustainability.
Winter Sustainability Events
We’ll be hosting monthly sustainability events both on the mountain and in town throughout the season. These events will feature various activities, including free gear repair workshops, gear repurposing clinics, climate education presentations, carpooling incentives, and more!
Check out our Events Calendar and keep up with our social media for more information on Winter Sustainability Events.
Environmental Education
The education piece of our mission goes beyond recreational education. Our Environmental Education team welcomes people of all ages to learn about the natural environment, wilderness survival, and more! Look for opportunities to attend one or more of our Environmental Education programs, such as Guided Nature Tours and Snowschool, on our website and social media.
Check out some statistics from last winter’s (2023/24) Environmental Education program! You can find more in our 2023/24 Annual Report!
- Programs
- 198
- Participants
- 4,493
- Hours
- 21,490
SnowSchool
This winter, we expect to break last year’s record by hosting over 3,500 students in grades 3 through 12. This season also marks the 20th anniversary of SnowSchool, a program we started here at Bogus Basin that is now offered nationwide in partnership with Winter Wildlands Alliance.
SnowSchool STEM Spring Break Camp is open to 10 more students than last year. There are now 40 spaces available!
Sagebrush-Steppe Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalist Program
Bogus Basin is now a host site for the Sagebrush-Steppe Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalist Program, which trains volunteers in conservation and natural resource stewardship. We will facilitate educational programs and volunteer opportunities in partnership with Idaho Fish and Game, MK Nature Center, and Golden Eagle Audubon. The program aims to increase public knowledge of ecology, enhance conservation efforts in Idaho, and foster partnerships between organizations and the community.
About Bogus Basin Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is a 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to engaging the community to provide accessible, affordable, and fun year-round mountain recreation and education. Opened in 1942, Bogus Basin offers 2,600 acres of daytime skiable terrain and 200 acres for night skiing, seven chairlifts and three people-mover carpets, and an 800-foot tubing hill. The Nordic Center offers 37 kilometers of groomed trails for skiing and snowshoeing. Environmental education and community outreach programs, primarily youth, serve over 20,000 individuals annually. Summer activities include The Glade Runner Mountain Coaster, The Mine Shaft Challenge Course, mountain biking, events, hiking and chairlift service for hike and bike transport. Bogus Basin is located 16.5 miles north of Boise, Idaho, and operates under a special use permit with the Boise National Forest. www.bogusbasin.org
