All Resorts

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

North Idaho's best-kept mountain secret -- 2,900 acres and a view of Lake Pend Oreille that stops skiers mid-run.

Our Take

Schweitzer Mountain Resort sits in the panhandle of Idaho, 11 miles above Sandpoint, overlooking Lake Pend Oreille -- one of the deepest lakes in North America and a visual backdrop that makes skiers stop mid-run to take photos they later can't believe are real. The 2,900-acre resort has grown substantially over the last decade, adding the Stella terrain expansion (opening in phases) that ultimately takes the mountain to over 3,200 acres of inbounds terrain. Schweitzer's snow climate sits at the intersection of Pacific maritime and continental systems. The Inland Northwest gets drier, colder air than the coast but more precipitation than the Rockies, producing a mid-range that delivers excellent powder days and decent settled base conditions. The terrain has good variety -- the north-facing Bowl area holds cold smoke powder long after front-facing runs have consolidated, and the Outback and Lakeview areas balance long groomers with technical challenge. Schweitzer remains independently owned and operated, which means decision-making is local and the lift ticket pricing hasn't been normalized upward to match Vail or Alterra properties. For serious North Idaho skiing, this is the mountain.

North Idaho explorationLake views obsessivesIndependent mountain seekersPowder huntersNon-I-70 crowd avoiders

Nerd Stats

Skiable Acres

2,900

Avg Annual Snowfall

300"

Summit Elevation

6,400'

Vertical Drop

2,400'

Fun Facts

  • Lake Pend Oreille is the 5th deepest lake in the US at 1,158 feet -- the Navy operated a submarine research facility there during the Cold War.
  • Schweitzer's planned Stella expansion adds 800+ new acres, eventually making it one of the largest resorts in the Pacific Northwest.
  • The mountain gets 300 inches of average annual snowfall, split between Pacific maritime dumps and cold continental powder cycles.
  • Sandpoint, Idaho below the mountain has been consistently rated one of the best small mountain towns in the US by outdoor recreation publications.