Thanksgiving is nearly here, and that means ski season is coming up. The Treasure Valley hasn’t seen much in the way of precipitation this fall, but the chilly nights are making for ideal snow making conditions.
When Bogus Basin opens on Thanksgiving, it’s a special occasion.
“A Thanksgiving opening is about a once in a 10 year event,” says Brad Wilson, the general manager of Bogus Basin. He says this is not one of those lucky seasons.
Earlier this year, the recreation area invested millions in a state of the art new snowmaking system hoping it would be ready in time for that holiday opening. Wilson says initial tests of the system won’t be happening until the week after Thanksgiving.
“No, nothing is broken,” Wilson says. “It’s on track. The electricians are tightening things up and then we have to bring in the manufacturing reps for all the huge pumps and everything, and when it works, we’ll be ready to start making snow.”
According to Wilson, Bogus is planning to open on December 8, weather permitting.
In the Wood River Valley, the famed Sun Valley Resort is planning to continue its traditional turkey day opening of the slopes.
“We’ll start rolling the lifts at 9 a.m., and we for sure will have the Lookout Express and the River Run lifts going,” says Sun Valley’s public relations manager Kelly Lusk. She says conditions in the region have been ideal for making snow with mild days and cold nights.
The Tamarack ski resort south of McCall is projecting a December 14 opening.
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