White Pine Lodge @ Schweitzer

Nice mountain the rooms were nice the problem was the towels they never had any at the place I was staying at and when I called the front to ask about them they just hung up.

Great day on the mountain. Excellent bloody Mary. Great food too... All the staff are incredible and NICE!!!! I have never meet so many nice and helpful people. Everyone in the ski rental shop and the ski instructors were so helpful and patient....was a great day for the whole family. Skiing and snowboarding and lessons for all..

Stayed here during the off season, just passing through for the night. Wonderful accommodation for the money in September. View is outstanding and with zero light pollution at night the stars are fantastic. Very clean and easy to get to, though that mountain is a curvy climb at night. I'd hate to try it in winter.

My dad and I recently came to Schweitzer for a 5 day ski trip. We stayed in White Pine unit 502. I’ll start by saying we were very impressed with Schweitzer as a ski mountain. We usually ski together in Utah, but wanted to change it up this year. We weren’t expecting Schweitzer to be as big as something like Park City, but we were pleasantly surprised at the amount of skiable terrain. The mountain has a lot to offer all levels of skiers! And their claim that you won’t wait in long lift lines is absolutely true. It’s definitely still a “best kept secret” mountain. Unfortunately, we were very disappointed in the accommodations. We paid what I would consider a pretty hefty sum for the opportunity to stay right in the village and I do not think we got our money’s worth. I would not recommend staying in White Pine. First and foremost, we had wifi issues the entire trip. They claim they have high speed internet, but at one point I did an internet speed test and we were getting 3 MBps. This isn’t enough to watch Netflix or even load basic websites. Normally, when we ski for a week, I work for a day or two; luckily I didn’t plan to work this trip because the wifi could not have supported video calling. To make the wifi issue even more annoying, it became abundantly clear when we reported the issue, that Schweitzer’s staff is not prepared to manage the property appropriately. From my understanding the White Pine lodge is a bit unique in that all of the units are privately owned, but if the owner wants to rent their unit, it’s managed through Schweitzer. This model would be fine if Schweitzer’s staff was trained and prepared to support the units, but that was not the case. To be clear, the staff was wonderful and did everything they could to try to troubleshoot. Kelly in particular was extremely helpful, so I don’t fault the staff at all. I do fault Schweitzer’s management, because it was clear that the staff isn’t trained to troubleshoot issues in the owned units. We had two people come to our room to try to troubleshoot and once they saw the owners had a different box than what they were familiar with, they couldn’t help. If Schweitzer is selling the properties on their website they need to be prepared to manage and support them when a guest has an issue. In addition to the wifi issues, I was very disappointed in the quality of the hideaway bed in the living room. It was clearly very old and the mattress pad was pretty gross. The blinds on the balcony door in our unit were also completely broken and unable to be lowered, so the person sleeping in the living room couldn’t close the blinds for privacy or light reduction. It’s also worth noting that I called Schweitzer the week before our arrival to see if our unit or building had a washer/dryer. The woman at the desk told me no, White Pine does not have laundry, but we could access coin machines in the building across from us. Based on this, it was quite surprising to find that there was a shared building washer/dryer literally right outside of our door in White Pine. In my mind all of these issues point back to the model Schweitzer has adopted where they “manage” the owned units as rentals. If we had booked through Airbnb I could have seen other people’s reviews on our specific unit and may not have booked. I also would have had direct access to the owner to try to troubleshoot wifi/technology issues or ask questions about things like the washer/dryer. I think the “managed” model can work, but if Schweitzer is going to manage these units they need to train their staff to troubleshoot or answer questions correctly. They also need to set a standard for quality so renters don’t deal with low quality beds or broken blinds. Overall not worth the money. I’ll definitely come back to Schweitzer to ski, but I will also definitely opt to stay in an Airbnb in standpoint.

Having a separate king size bedroom is really nice. The room has a great view and the live Christmas tree my husband arranged to put in the living room was beautiful. The kitchen is fairly well stocked if you feel like cooking instead of going out. The only reasons the room didn’t receive 5 stars is there isn’t a mirror in the bedroom which makes it difficult for 3 people to get ready with only one mirror in the bathroom; the tvs randomly decide to turn off and the tv in the bedroom is about 2 decades old. My laptop has a bigger screen than the tv.

Honestly, this lodge provided exactly what you needed at the beginning and end of the day on the slopes. You are about 100 yards from the lifts so you can just go right from the front to the lifts, and then they have nice rooms and hot tubs for you to wind down at the end. It also isn't too expensive to stay here, so you should consider it for the convenience sake. Especially as the road going down from Schweitzer can be horrible if it is snowing.

Updated, clean and comfortable rooms with great views! Amenities include full kitchens, hot tubs and ski lockers. Restricted access to the hotel so it feels very safe and quiet!

Fantastic location, so wonderful to be able to wake up and head straight to the lifts. Extremely quiet at night.

I went here once in March for a day and it was spectacular with great views. The area you're able to ski is massive and there is a lot of tree skiing options. I tried to hit up just about every hill throughout the day but missed a few Because the place is so massive. This is one of my favorite ski Mountains because of the tree skiing options and how many Black Diamonds are groomed (it's so fun bombing down the hill just on the edge of being out of control). I did wipe out on the second to last run losing a ski in the process and sliding down the mountain, but was able to recover the ski after a short hike up for about 40 yards). If I had to pick a ski place where I came closest to dying it would probably be here when I came flying around a sharp groomed corner onto a moguled hill, but was able to gain some control before I became one with some pine trees. About a month before I came here I read that a woman got nipped by a coyote when she was tree skiing and they had a sign warning about a coyote there at the top of one of the runs, so that was kind of funny. I stopped in for some chili at one of the small hole in the wall places they have at the base of the Eastern side of the mountain and that was a really cool place with good food.

Just finished a very enjoyable week skiing Schweitzer with my ski group. We had all conditions from bluebird skies to fog & snow making visibility terrible. There is plenty of terrain for every level of skiing/riding except first time skiers. The AM/PM grooming keeps snow conditions good. On foggy days, I recommend staying on the backside near Cedar Tree & Stella lifts. Outback is best place to stop for a break. Note: some lifts only run on weekends, so place your runs accordingly. TAPS is good for Apres Ski. Chimney Rock & Crow's Bench are good for dinner. Selkirk has the best hot tubs/pool to relax after a day on the slopes. If you are spending a leisurely afternoon in the village chill at Gorumandie for soup & sandwiches and a nice selection of wines. My only complaint is if you are staying at the Village, the last bus from/to Sandpoint is at 5pm. So, you are stuck if you have no car. Uber / Taxi isn't really an option. And only 4 places are open after 5 in the Village during the week. Mostly do to staffing issues. Major growth is occurring at Schweitzer, new hotel just opened Humbird. So the next few years will be interesting for this northern Idaho resort.

Schweiter is a great place to ski. Our house was awesome. The mountain is great. The negative was something interesting. We bought ski insurance and when my son came in they charged him for a repair. I went in and asked how that is possible. It wasn't the money, the principal ($40). They then told me that demo skis can't be insured?? They charged us for the insurance when we rented the skis but??.... From a legal stance, they acted as an insurance agent but then refused their own representation. I told that that was BS and instead of agreeing, they told me I was no longer welcome instead of admitting the mistake or that this is maybe an insurance scam? I don't know. It doesn't really matter but when the tech guy told me I was no longer welcome I laughed. He actually told me they didn't need me at the resort. The place is empty so I am questioning his ownership P&L functionality. Put down your screwdriver, respect your customers and when you sell ski insurance, honor it.

Pro: Weekdays nicely empty with short lines and great skiing. Resort is fine and attractive Cons: Customer service is horrible. Had majhor problems 2 years in row to receive my season pass. Prices go up every year, but opposite does the service goes down the same amount. If you do not purchase a season pass, the prices are way overpriced!!! I can ski better and much cheaper in Switzerland (which is already quite expensive) than. In Sandpoint. Pretty shocking, considering the service you receive.

So disappointed that there is nearly zero effort to enforce mask wearing policy. Many skiers flagrantly go without a mask in front of staff and the staff don't even challenge them. Definitely don't feel safe in the lift line. Try harder Schweitzer.

What a great place to hang for a few days. I don't want to rave too much lol because the crowds are so small at this ski resort I don't want to jinx it. We stayed for three nights in a two bedroom apartment in White Pine Lodge. Very nicely appointed with everything you could ask for. Full kitchen with everything supplied. Good gym and outdoor spas. A handful of shops and restaurants/bars. Breakfast was included in rate but we didn't use it. The big draw is being able to walk out of your room and right to the ski lifts, or uncrowded rental shop. Beautiful snow and uncrowded runs. Lift tickets and rentals are significantly less than in California! Could have had a nicer stay!

We love this mountain. My children all skied here (all adults now) and my husband grew up skiing here. We are lucky to have a place on the mountain. My only complaint is the lack of grooming AND YOU CANT TRUST THE GROOMING REPORT. I appreciate that many folks love powder and ungroomed runs....that's great but not for this lady. There is no way the run I was on today had been groomed the "pm" before. The heavy snow in 2 ft piles is beyond my abilities...grabbing my skis that release...I go flying...and then sink in snow ....trying to get my skis back on.....beyond frustrating....it took me forever to ski down. FFS Schweitzer..if you don't groom it fine... don't say it is. Many folks don't have the skills and some are testing knee, back or other issues and need to only ski runs that are actually groomed. Get it together.

Small potatoes Idaho. Local favorite cause, well, they're local. Skiing can be great - when they care to open 1/2 the mountain... it's a crap shoot. Mountain Operations frequently closed many lifts during the 21/22 ski season, including running no lifts or insufficient lifts to feasibly use the Outback/North Bowl. Schweitzer has jacked up the season pass and day ticket rates, meanwhile continues to plod along and no idea how to design proper lift circulation. Sadly the pool of talent in the area is very limited and they have no idea how to run this on par with any big time resort.

I have been here 3 days and there are still no ski lockers available. I guess they are waiting until the last to make one available. The front is no help to do anything. Ski are stored willy nilly in the baggage room. Access to the baggage room very loose. I am vary concerned someone else could pick up expensive skis. Our room is very nice but hot water for showers is hit or miss. Many times it is luke are at best. Information on home amenities and where they are is nonexistent. The only way to find out anything you have to ask someone.

Have stayed here twice, both times Schweitzer lodging- once Selkirk and once a condo. The condo was great because we were still able to use everything at the lodge. Yummy food here and an adorable village atmosphere particularly at Christmas time. Our Selkirk stay was good with a baby because it was very cold outside. We had all the restaurants and lifts at our doorstep. My complaint is we stayed a Sunday night to save money and NOTHING was going on. No Monday tubing, no night skiing, no pizza delivered to the room. Absolutely nothing going on after 4 PM. And we couldn't even pay for late check out, strange because when I checked of our room type was available for booking the next day it was.

COMPLETELY UNETHICAL Started off being a great experience. Then 6 months later , Ended up getting ghost charges to my credit card with no consent from me to run it for Almost $700. This resort had chosen to charge my credit card for another customers expenses. NO explanation and a barely got an apology, on top of them asking me to do all the chasing up and having to provide full proof of bank Statements that I had paid everything for my room and family at check out 6 months ago! DONT GO HERE if you want your financial information to be PROTECTED !!!!. I spent well over $1000 during my stay. Never going back . If I hadn't kept an eye on my credit card and challenged them , they would have kept my money !Better customer service and some kind of compensation would have been nice .Now I have to get a new credit card because of this one resort . Left a very bad taste for me.

Kirk at Schweitzer Mountain Bike rentals saved the day, and perhaps my family vacay. I try to ride alongside my special needs son while he jogs (he often falls, due to brain damage balance issues, but he is too blessedly stubborn to quit). When I couldn't keep up with my boy on mountain paths, Kirk prioritized my fam. He humbly got me situated on a safe, reliable bike. As I rode away from his building, I felt the stress in my shoulders unhinge. My interactions with Kirk and the people at the rental counter--who gently pointed out the safest trails--lasted just a few minutes in time, but their impact stretched across three days.

Until this season, I have always loved coming to Schweitzer, and always had great experiences. I live right in Sandpoint and come up for night skiing and discount days a few times a year. I am writing out of concern over your mask enforcement. I have a medical exemption, but still wear my ski mask a lot in the lift lines as it's much easier to breath outdoors. In the rental place, oh man. It was extremely upsetting to see the mistreatment of those without masks. You go in Costo or wherever and at least they treat you with dignity when they ask you to put on a mask, instead of yelling at you. But you guys seem to care more about mask Enforcement than customer service. The whole environment was off. A fair amount of people were walking in without masks, but an employee would just yell at them across the room most of the time. We even specifically called before going and asked if you honor exemptions. We got a yes. I was refused service in your rental center by one employee even after kindly stating that I had a medical exemption. The other guy didn't even give me a chance, he just yelled at me to put my mask on if I want served. I just waited until someone else was kind enough to serve me. You have some really great employees in there that actually care. I'd always had great experiences. But to a lot of them, you might as well not be human. It might be a good idea to train them to not make snarky and Passive-aggressive comments. The lift lines were not as bad but I definitely saw specific people getting picked out of the crowd and get picked on while the majority of people were unmasked anyway. My suggestion is you either stop taking exemptions entirely, or kindly serve those that have exemptions and treat them like everyone else instead of discriminating. That's the main thing I ask because you can't have it both ways. I will most definitely not be back until I hear things have changed.

This is specifically for the ski school. I'm a bit torn because our son did improve in his two days there, but they delivered the instruction with a MASSIVE dose of condescension and a side of mommy guilt - the people who run it need a sizable training in tact. It started day one when we dropped him off (first of all, no instructions were sent, maybe because all their booking systems were down), but then they treated us like imbeciles that we didn't know the check in procedures. The day seemed to go fine, but who knows because the instructors just use superlatives to explain the day "he had a good day". Day two was what has left me steaming. The lady with the clipboard came over and said "we have a problem" and accused me about lying about my kids age because he "keeps telling us he is three". Umm, he tells me he is a dinosaur but that doesn't make it true - kids who turned four a month ago dont always get their age right. And then another guy chimed in and was like "you don't even have the right size boots for your kid" Okay, well thanks for the massive helping of mommy guilt. There are so many better ways to approach the situation ("hey, we noticed you said he was 4, it's so funny he keeps saying he's 3" "perhaps he would do better with smaller boots - have you had those fitted?"). They have enormous age ranges in a class (children 4-7 in a single group) and were complaining that my 4 year old isn't at the maturity level of the first graders they paired him with. We have had him at ski schools at two other resorts and haven't ever been made to feel this way (plus those felt so much better organized) I felt terrible all day after this interaction and it really tarnished my view of the resort at large. Not sure if we'll be back.

I love Schweitzer. But I learned to ski here as a kid, so I'm a bit biased. Much has been improved over the years. I really appreciate that they have added an ADA ramp into the "day lodge" -it would be nice if they could add another ramp out to the deck, and an elevator to access the three floors. Some would say necessary, but I have seen so many variations of what is believed to be necessary to comply with ADA. The staff have been helpful and friendly to compensate for lack of structural compliance with ADA.

The resort does not like the disabled. Handicapped parking is a joke. 2 days ago on my birthday handicapped parking was full. So they parked me a 1/4 mile away when I could have parked 10 feet away. I wish them the same may you be born disabled.

My typical ski day was rudely interrupted by a broken ankle, but the first aid staff at Schweitzer still managed to give me a great day on the mountain. All of the staff did an amazing job in their response time, but in particular the snow patrol officer, John, and the first aid nurse, Jennie. The two of them worked so hard to keep me calm and as comfortable as possible. Jennie checked on me every time she got the chance, was so understanding of my pain and is just an amazing human being overall! I am very thankful for the first aid staff at Schweitzer and the amazing job they did at caring for me.

Beautiful mountain and great staff!! I don't ski but I do love to take advantage of their summer activities, biking, hiking, horseback riding, zip line, disk golf and so much more I really suggest that anyone who hasn't been up the mountain does soon you will not regret it. My only suggestion would be pack your own food it is way to expensive to eat at any of their restaurants.

Came here for wine fest! The view is breathtakingly beautiful. All the staff was friendly. Excellent variety of food vendors! The music was a little loud, and one band was not so great. There were over 20 NE wineries represented. Very clean. pet friendly! Definitely will be back next year!

Horse Back This afternoon's ride with Charity was by far, the best I have ever been on. I have done trail rides all over the country and she is the most patient wrangler/ guide, my horse (Ro) was a perfect fit for me, hubby did pretty good (better than I expected) and my grand daughter's horse(Selly) was good for her. Breeanna has some developmental delays and Charity was so patient, she did a great job teaching and guiding her without making either her or me feel bad. Although I am not a candidate for skiing, I will be bringing my friend back for riding and on my bucket list yet (I am 60), is ziplining and riding a ski lift up, then having a hot toddy in front of a roaring fireplace in the ski lodge and I believe I will be able to check those 2 things off my list. Charity is a wonderful ambassador for Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Thank you and please thank Charity again for us.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort and the Selkirk Powder Company are simply amazing. My wife and I travel routinely and had a taste of Canada not long ago. It's a feat to have found something as beautiful in the states. Well, Schweitzer Mountain has won our love! The activities and lodging was great. The staff and guides are friendly and don't forget the snowmobiling experience! I plan to be back during the spring time to experience the mountain biking process at this beautiful mountain. We'll be back!

Alway a great time! We have visited in the summer twice and the family had an awesome time both trips. The staff is helpful and there is a ton to do. Plus, the views are great and that doesn't hurt! We found that the pub was the best place to eat up there. It had a great selection of regional brews and had really good food. We had our 9-year-old with us and he really liked the food as well.

We loved Schweitzer and all it had to offer. Our family of 3 did skiing, snow tubing, and snowmobiling. My wife and our 5 year old son took ski lessons while I enjoyed the full range of skiing. All of us had lots of fun!!! The staff at Schweitzer is incredibly friendly and very helpful! The most courteous ski resort I have been to!!! We had to travel 8 hours to get here and we will definitely be back!!!What a great place!!!

It's 2021 and you don't take card for purchases? Market place is closed and this is the only place to get medicine on the mountain, way to treat your customers like crap.

We just had a wonderful family vacation here! Our 5 year old loved his ski instructors, and our 2 year old couldn't have been happier at the daycare center. The ladies there were just awesome. We were at Schweitzer at the right time, the powder conditions were amazing! The number of runs and lifts was staggering. We will definitely be back!

We stayed here over 4th of July, it was a GREAT deal so I was willing to drive that (my god, I forgot how long) switchback road up and down each day we needed to go into town for our activities. The rooms are nice, those beds are sooo comfy, but wait... THOSE PILLOWS. MUST HAVE. I actually bought 4 of them, I loved them so. Yup, crazy lady alert, I bought the pillows from the hotel. The weird thing though, was we had a room with a spa tub, but... the tub is in the room, not the bathroom. i.e., right next to one of the beds. A little weird. The pool area was fantastic, it was great to swim even though there was still snow a few feet away. The ride up and down the mountain is gorgeous but it's deer central there, you will see so many that it became like a little game, but sadly, a game that the deer and the hood of my car could lose badly at if I wasn't really careful.

Tough to write a decent review of a ski resort based upon a stay during the Summer, but here goes: The rooms were clean, roomy (enough) and well appointed. The beds were of excellent quality and had no extra wildlife in them (big plus these days!). The staff was friendly (genuinely friendly...not that condescending friendly you get so much at some places) and very helpful. The resort area had a few shops and places to eat and the coffee shop (Mojo's) was open promptly at 7:30 am every morning. The view was awesome on a sunny day as well and the drive up and down from/into town wasn't very long at all. Beyond that, we happened along during their End of Summer Festival...cheap beer, good food and music that didn't suck (depending on your taste, ymmv). We weren't there for the Fest, but we enjoyed a bit of it nonetheless. Oh yeah...if any of these other reviews are to be believed (as well as conversations with family/friends who have gone), I hear they have a little skiing up that way as well... :-)

I've been to Schweitzer a few times over the past few years, and I seem to have a tumultuous relationship with the place. I came here for races a couple of times in high school and I have fond memories of schlepping b-nets across the ridiculously long cat-track back to the front side in the freezing fog. If it wasn't for the perpetual cloud that seems to consume the top of this ski area, it would definitely get 5 stars from me. The mountain has lots of terrain, from beginner lifts on the lower part of the front side, to a steep triple lift at the top, to a couple lifts on the backside that are perfect for shreddin pow (including a 6-pack chairlift!). I will say I've had some fun times nukin' groomers on the Lakeview lift on a bluebird day, but those days are few and far between. If you do luck out and get a sunny day, the view of Lake Pend Oreille is absolutely breathtaking! Like I said, I love the variety of terrain the mountain offers, it's just a matter of being able to see to enjoy it. That being said I've had some seriously sweet skiing here, and the conditions will tend to change drastically in a single day (my most recent trip here included a morning of epic tree skiing in the freezing fog followed by some serious groomer cruising during what turned out to be a beautiful sunny afternoon). Schweitzer has a classic local Idaho ski area feel similar to the likes of Brundage and Bogus, although in recent years it's been making efforts toward becoming more of a destination resort similar to Sun Valley or Whistler. Not sure how I feel about this, but I understand what they're going for. Fine by me if they continue to build ski in-ski out condos galore, as long as they leave lift ticket prices alone! It's pretty lame that you have to pay for parking in the upper lot though, even most 5-star resorts don't do that!

Schweitzer Mountain was my first non-Tahoe snowboarding experience and it was fantastic. Getting to the mountain from our place in Hope was fairly easy. We were able to park either right next to the first lift or the village every day, so we had a quick ride/walk to and from the mountain instead of being stuck on one of those resort shuttle deathmobiles. Like Nikki said, great snow and the backside of the mountain had some great terrain too. I can also vouch for the lessons here- I took my first ski lesson from Tina and think I might have fallen in love with skiing! Tina was a great instructor. Even though I signed up for a group lesson, I was the only student, so I got personal one on one instruction and didn't feel silly doing the "pizza french fry" combo down the bunny slope at all. Also, a nice bar for apres-ski beers (Black Butte and Alaksan Amber on tap) and breadsticks before heading back into town. If you're a student, don't forget your ID for the lift ticket discount which was a nice bonus, as we were there all week.

We had an absolute great time here on January 8th. The skiing is great and the facility is good. The staff was super friendly. I like the easy flow of buying tickets, renting equipment and getting into the slopes with no wasted time. We took a lesson from Terry and he was exceptional. We chose to drive up the mountain. The road does have a lot of curves, but is completely easy drive. However, a shuttle Bus runs every 30 minutes. Locals told us this is the best skiing in the area and we were not disappointed.

As you may already know from my Walmart and Jalapenos review, I decided to take a quickie vaca and see my friend in Spokane. We drove to Schweitzer mtn resort and stayed in the hotel off season in May. OFF season, really. No restaurants were open but that is okay - we used their awesome outdoor jacuzzi and boy, does it get COLD in the mountains in May. The people downstairs were awesome, sweet and helpful and the room was comfortable and spacious and the wifi was free. The view was breathtaking - they are located almost on top of the mountain or half way up, what do I know? It was so high and gorgeous and so picturesque that I forgot a lot of my problems. The fresh air really agreed with me. Things that could have been better: their insistent housekeeping service. We were literally the only ones in the hotel and the service kept coming even though we attempted to lock them out. My friend decided to dead bolt the door eventually. Also, there was no fridge or microwave in the room which is not cool when everything around you is closed and you have to go into town for food/etc. It was so cold tho that we stored the food on the balcony.

I (heart) Schweitzer Mountain! Truly one of the best skiing experiences around. Primarily its about the snow , but with over 67 runs with high speed lifts chairs its also about the ease of getting in a lot of runs on the over 3000 acres of ski/board territory. When your at the top with a view of Spirit Lake on a clear day, you think why would you go anywhere else. A little reggae in the bar after wards and a few drinks you'll be dancing in your ski boots. More people are discovering this delicious mountain resort and it is becoming more and more developed. However, Schweitzer still has a laid back vibe. Like everyone else - wish I would have invested way back when.

I love this mountain, and last weekend I had an amazing vacation here. My partner and I had our very first snowboarding experience, enjoyed many pints of good beer, and made priceless memories with our family. A big thank you to Christopher Schwartz an employee who was off, but helped us learn how to snowboard on the bunny hill, then showed us the great bar and good beer. We stopped at several bars, all which had a wonderful staff and great prices. We will be back ... Thank you Schweitzer for a wonderful day in Northern Idaho.

I really, really, love skiing here. The mountain is just big enough that you're not bored after a week of skiing, the staff is friendly, and the snow is fantastic. There is a great mix of runs, and a lot of lifts around the mountain. I also think the tickets are very fairly prices for what you get. Sometimes they close off long, good runs for the ski team, but I'll allow it. When can I go back?

Wow if today's conditions were crappy, I can't wait for new snow. I heard a lot of talk about schweitzer. I was debating on where to buy a season pass for skiing and chose it even though it is 2 hours away. I must say I wish they had more beginner terrain. I know this is Northern Idaho and people here were born on snow, but we aren't all from snow country. Today I was daring enough to try the blues and I was quite happy. They are friendly happy blues with no scary mogles. Though there were some icy patches (it hasnt snowed in 2 weeks) The lifts are fast and comfy, the people are very helpful and friendly, and the pizza is warm and tasty. 1st aid is very nice and helpful, though ironically hard to get to (in ski boots). This mountain is ski and board friendly, they have a tubing hill, and bountiful parking areas. All in all, the mountain is a little pricey ($48 a day for students) but you can find deals. The snow got a little crunchy toward the afternoon, but the sun kept is smooth and the grooming worked like a charm. Very easy to ski on.

The best Ski resort in northern Idaho, more extensive runs, and services than any of the other options. From Spokane Washington it is only 1.5 maybe 2 hours away. In the summer the resort remains open for downhill biking, and other sports. Bottom line is that it is a nice resort with some of the best skiing in the area. You will pay more to ski here though, so not like it is a free lunch, but they run many specials, and annual passes can pay for themselves quickly.

I have been skiing Schweitzer since about 1999. Coming from Southern California I had never experienced the kind of cold that can exist on this mountain. 17F can be considered a nice day. This mountain is absolutely the best! I ski into the chair on most runs. People of varying degrees of skill can all travel to the top together on the high speed quad and make their way down the mountain on a groomer or through some steep and deep. This mountain is huge and even sports a six chair lift with animatronics in the round house. I must admit it can get foggy and I've ended my day early because I was feeling nauseous. This is a world class resort that is visited mostly by locals from Sandpoint, Couer d' Alene and Spokane.

This is definitely a hidden gem among ski resorts, with as much terrain as a place like Steamboat and far fewer people. For instance, I have skiied here during Christmas week and had an entire run to myself more than once during those trips. There's a good variety of terrain, including quite excellent tree skiing. People come here to ride the mountain and have fun, not to model the latest in ski fashion and give attitude to other guests. Reason it's not five stars: The stores in the small village area close very early, so if you ski until the lifts stop, you don't have much time to browse for souvenirs. The way the mountain is situated in relation to prevailing winds means there are days when the backside is closed because the lift used to access the area is on wind hold (a hazard of an outdoor sport, I suppose, and I have experienced the same sort of issues at other resorts, too). Very limited indoor seating at the food outlet on the backside.

Went snowboarding for the first time here. Took a lesson and the staff were great! Helpful and seemed like they loved what they were doing which made my experience enjoyable and fun.

I love this resort. It is relatively uncrowded considering the scenic village and I think half a dozen lifts (mostly high speed?) I'm a beginner and I had a blast cruising down the numerous and easy to navigate blue square runs. Coming from Eastern Washington I found the weather and the snow exceptionally accommodating (sunnier, drier) with plenty of fresh powder days over the 2012 holiday season. Stayed at White Pine and brought the dogs -- dog friendly village makes it SO easy to walk them. Poo bag stations all around White Pine. They can also enjoy the snow shoeing to the top of the mountain. I highly recommend Powder Hound Pizza after a day on the slopes or hit up Gourmandie for a some wine tasting if that's your thing.

Went up here to visit a friend late January and had the pleasure of riding Schweitzer for 4 days in a row! Wow this place is a diamond that you would never expect in Idaho. About 2 hours from Spokane Airport, this mountain is lower in elevation, yet apparently still gets a decent amount of snow. I believe their vertical drop was around 2000 feet. Most of the lifts are detachable and take you up the mountain quickly. A wide array of terrain depending on what you are looking for. If you are wanting powder, you can hike up blue for some turns. If you want tree runs, they have lots of 'em. Feel like taking it easy on some long blue runs? Try riding up to the top and riding down to Stella - a long, mellow, but fast run that was one of my favorites. The crowds were light even on the weekends. Midweek the place is like a ghost town. Apparently they are just breaking even. I think that is the best draw of the place; it lacks the big resort feel with bright lights and fancy restaurants. It truly is a place to go if you really want to ski/ride. The view from the top of the mountain is beautiful. The downfall is that apparently most of the time you are right in the middle of the cloudline and can't see much at all. I was lucky to have two party cloudy days. You will be riding up in the sunlight and all of a sudden you can't see 50 feet ahead of you. Probably my biggest complaint about the place is the lack of visibility at times. The locals say they have got used to this and it is not a big deal to them. The T-Bar which takes you to a sweet part of the mountain is only open on the weekends which was a disappointment for me midweek. I understand the lack of volume doesn't make sense for them to keep it open, but it still was disappointing. They offer a shuttle bus that will take you from the base to the lift lines for $3 each way. Convenient if you don't want to waste gas going the 9 miles up the mountain or if it is snowy and you don't have AWD. I hope to make another trip there next season and I'll keep my fingers crossed that they actually get some snow this time while I'm there. I hear powder days here are EPIC!

We just came here for the first time for a family ski vacation. It was snowing really hard most of our trip, but we still managed to get some skiing in, and it was a great experience! Everything is so organized and easy - from the equipment rentals to the ski lessons for our kids. Also there are some great long runs - so you don't feel like you constantly need to ride the chairlift. And they do a good job keeping the runs clear from all the heavy snow - as it can get too powdery which isn't easy to ski in. My husband's family owns a cabin right on the mountain, so it was convenient that we could just ski right home when we needed to- and then back onto the mountain to catch the chairlift when ready to go back again. Look forward to going back next year!

Steeps, Trees, Chutes & Stashes! Immaculate Corduroy, Rad Lifties Amazing View & Ample Parking! Perfect place to Pparty! Make sure you brink your powder skirt! And a beer for each pocket! Man, I Love Schweitz! ISKI7B

Terrific terrain, reasonable prices and friendly staff. It will be nice when transportation connects Schweitzer to Sandpoint.

Grew up skiing this mountain and it's still a blast to tear down the runs. They did a great job hiring Disney engineers to make the base of their 6 pack lift look like an operating saw mill. Very creative. They have very divers terrain so there is something for every level of skier. Also, keep in mind that this does not get the same weather as Sun Valley so blue bird conditions are far a few between, but they do get some deep pow days. I highly recommend staying at the Selkirk Lodge. Gotta love the convenience of a ski in ski out hotel. Not to mention their outdoor heated pool and hot tubs feel oh so good on a skied out body. Also during the Christmas holidays this place is decked out to the nines and there is always a nice roaring fireplace welcoming you when you first walk into the lobby.

We had a fantastic family vacation between Christmas and New Year's on Schweitzer Mountain. Our accommodations were roomy and luxurious, the staff was friendly and the food was delicious! We were mostly novice ski-ers and everyone we encountered was very patient with us! Highly recommend!

There is no better ski resort within 300 miles Cortolane Idaho. We went skiing in squaw Valley for $169 a day. I have $69 a day here again weather skiing. Highly recommend it

This is an amazing resort. My wife and I drove up for the day for some outdoor activities. Wow, chairlift runs 7 days a week, Mt Bike rentals and pretty much anything else a person may need. We had a beer at the local pub. Very friendly people throughout the entire village area. What a beautiful view of the lake. We will be back and highly recommend to anyone who hasn't experienced this Mt.

This resort is kept clean, it's easy to get around. The staff is helpful and pleasant, we will definitely recommend to others. The slopes are well kept, and worth the cost of the tickets! Snowed last night, and sunshine this morning made for a powdery gorgeous trip down the mountain!