Previous Trip Write-Ups

Red Mountain, Whitewater, Schweitzer - 2022

February 5, 2022

On Saturday, January 29, 2022, a group of 24 club members embarked on an eight day adventure, skiing at two resorts in southern British Columbia and one in northern Idaho. Our departure from Lancaster went off without a hitch, other than an enormous snowstorm which marched up the 95 Corridor shutting down Philadelphia Airport the morning of our departure!! Thanks to our resourceful tour operator we were rebooked out of Dulles and even made our original connecting flight from Denver to Spokane.

Leaving Spokane, our three hour charter bus ride to Red Mountain, Rossland, BC, was relatively uneventful. Crossing the border into Canada was not an easy task during COVID but our group had all the necessary credentials and soon we pulled into the Josie Hotel at the base of Red Mountain. The staff quickly took care of our gear and got us settled in for three days of skiing this legendary mountain. Our first day on the mountain included a free guided mountain tour. We learned about this area’s rich mining history as well as the general layout of the slopes on the four named peaks that make up this resort. Red, Granite, Grey, and Mt Kirkup! Although Red had not seen a major snow in a few weeks, we received a few heavy squalls, freshening up the surface and keeping conditions good. There were plenty of stashes in the trees and hidden areas to be found as well! Our group enjoyed a breakfast buffet each morning using this time to connect with others and set plans for the ski day. Many in the group found their way a few miles down the mountain to the town of Rossland to have dinner or do some shopping. There was even a walking path to town, touting two tunnels and cold fresh air all the way down to town.

On Wednesday morning we said farewell to our new friends at Red and The Josie and headed an hour east to Nelson, BC, home of Whitewater Mountain, and our second stop on the famous “Powder Highway”. This raw gem of a resort was blessed with piles of snow and a mountain layout that funnels skiers back to only three chair lifts serving 2,367 acres of epic runs. The staff here was super helpful and our group enjoyed the no-frills day lodge local vibe. This mountain is the real deal, with a great combination of trees, open bowls, and some “rippin” groomers, soft enough to ensure that big smile on your face is even bigger on the next lap!!

At 4pm, after a pilsner toast to good times, our tired group loaded the coach and shoved off for our last ski destination of Sandpoint, ID, home of Schweitzer Mountain, the largest and best kept secret resort in Idaho!! After climbing over the Kootenay Pass (no small task) our bus arrived at the Porthill-Rykert border crossing, and it was closed! No need to panic! With our group cell phones in action, we quickly located another crossing an hour drive further east which was open 24/7. So off we went and arrived at Schweitzer in time for dinner and beverages at Pucci’s Pub, who were kind enough to stay open late for our group. The team at the Selkirk Lodge processed our check-in quickly and efficiently. After an early breakfast on Thursday morning, we hit the slopes of Schweitzer and explored two main areas of the mountain, Schweitzer Bowl and Outback Bowl. Both these areas have plenty of runs for all levels of skiers. The Lakeside Chutes area on the outback bowl was one of my personal favorites! The vibe on this mountain is very special as well and can be experienced throughout the many on-mountain eat or drink stops. Even loading the Stella lift is a trip back in time through the outdoor museum which exhibits some of the history of the mountain and the area.

The skiers on this trip were a special group of adventurers, going with the flow and finding fun in many of the challenges we faced. This camaraderie is what make LSC trips special and I for one cannot wait to see where the next one will take us!!

Whoohooo,

Roger Brubaker

Trip Leader