As America turns 250 years old this year and many are reflecting on our country’s past, we wanted to take a closer look at Idaho’s history, which reflects the breadth of the American experience. Discovering more about the places we see and touch in our daily lives can create deeper connections with our home and our community. So we’re taking a deep dive into the history of Boise, one small piece at a time with our America 250: Short Histories of Boise Project. Each Monday on Idaho Matters, we’ll bring you a snapshot of a small corner of our Capital City and its unique past.
Today we’ll explore Bogus Basin.
On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Nampa high school student, David Edmark, drove up to Bogus Basin with his brother Bill and a group of friends. This was before any rope tow or chairlift had been built, so they hiked for their turns skiing that day.
Edmark’s story, as relayed in Eve Chandler’s book, Building Bogus Basin, describes the group’s ski trip that day. The teenagers returned to the parking lot at lunchtime to eat and listen to the radio. Then, the first reports of the attack on Pearl Harbor crackled through the speakers, which found the young skiers picnicking in the Idaho mountains a world away from the carnage. It must have been one of those moments you never forget. Before the end of World War II, all of them had enlisted in the service.
Democracy, liberty, self-determination, and freedom from tyranny: these were the ideals David Edmark and his friends fought to defend. And in a quiet way, Bogus Basin embodied many of those same American values. Named after a group of 19th-century scammers who once manufactured “bogus” gold dust in the area, the mountain took shape in the late 1930s. Bogus Basin recreation area became a reality with the help of various government agencies, volunteers, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Bogus grew in popularity through the 1940s and 50s alongside the rise of skiing nationwide. That growth was fueled in part by veterans of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, who helped establish ski areas across the country and skied at Bogus Basin on numerous occasions.
For many skiers, carving down a mountain slope represents the ultimate freedom. Bogus Basin has made this feeling accessible to the Treasure Valley by keeping prices relatively affordable. That’s because it is one of the few independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit ski areas in an industry that has been increasingly consolidated.
Olympians like Sandy Shellworth and Paralympians like Willie Stewart have called Bogus Basin their home mountain. In 2009, the area even hosted alpine skiing events for the Special Olympics World Winter Games, welcoming more than 2,000 international athletes to Idaho.
Over its 80- plus -year history, Bogus Basin has offered the Treasure Valley a beloved winter gathering place, bringing community and excitement to people of all ages. From the uncertainties of wartime America in the 1940s to the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have driven up Bogus Basin Road in search of fresh air, fresh turns, and perhaps something deeper too.
The America 250: Short Histories of Boise Project is brought to you in collaboration with the City of Boise’s Department of Arts & History; with support from Boise State University’s History 502 class; and music provided by the City of Boise’s Cultural Ambassador, the Boise Philharmonic. The music, John Williams' "Liberty Fanfare," was recorded by the Boise Phil in 2025.
For a full schedule of city-sponsored America 250 events, visit City of Boise America 250 and for events and programs across the state, visit America 250 in Idaho.
References:
“Basin Inaugurates 1942 Ski Season.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), December 16, 1941: 11. NewsBank.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. “Staying One Turn Ahead.” Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://bogusbasin.org/about-bogus/donate/non-profit-all-good/financials-and-impact/.
“Bogus Basin Tow Is Ready; Snow Needed. Skiers Advised to Drive Carefully On Road to Site.” Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), December 5, 1941: 13. NewsBank.
“Bogus Basin Tow Operates Today.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), December 27, 1941: 7. NewsBank.
“Boise Committee Launches Move To Prepare Bogus Basin For Winter Sports Next Season.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), March 28, 1941: 6. NewsBank.
“Boise WPA Project Promises Bogus Basin Road.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), September 22, 1938: 1. NewsBank.
Chandler, Eve. Building Bogus Basin. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company Publishers, 2009.
“Crew of CCC’s To Begin Work In Bogus Basin.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), May 24, 1941: 12. NewsBank.
“First Shovel Of Dirt Turned For New Route To Bogus Basin Resort.” Idaho Statesman, (Boise, ID), November 29, 1938: 1. NewsBank.
Living New Deal. “Boise Sites.” Living New Deal. Accessed December 14, 2026. https://livingnewdeal.org/us/id/boise-id/.
