For eight years, 93-year-old Sylvester VanOort has packed his truck, left South Dakota behind, and driven “straight down I-90” to Kellogg, Idaho, to ski Silver Mountain and Lookout Pass. “I’m the only WWII veteran left at both mountains, and I’m the only one left in Oacoma and Chamberlain, South Dakota, who is active, playing golf, […]
WWII Veteran Still Skis at 90+ Read More »
March is always a mixed bag of weather on the mountain. This can be especially challenging for skiers to negotiate when Mother Nature dumps a half-foot of snow in one hour, and then flips the switch to sunny and warm for the rest of the day. The constant traffic from skiers and riders on busy
How to Ski in Mixed Conditions Read More »
Where Did Everybody Go? If I could only ski one month of the year, it would be March. The crowds thin, the weather improves, and my two favorite snow conditions, powder and spring corn, can dominate the slopes. There are also some excellent deals, like free skiing and snowboarding for the rest of the season
Set back from the scrum of the ski school corral at the base of Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park sits a tiny chalet—a diminutive twin of the Ski Patrol building nearby. It’s easy to miss in the controlled chaos of ski lessons, but for its guests, the building is the departure point for a
Adaptive Ski & Snowboard Program at Mt. Spokane Read More »
All five of Spokane’s local resorts have multiple terrain parks that suit different levels of riders—thanks to behind-the-scenes “park crews” who hustle to make it happen. Park crews dedicate many hours to planning, building, shaping, and constant maintaining of these features. While others are off slashing fresh powder in the early mornings, the park crews
Local Resort Terrain Park Shake Down Read More »
Why would anyone climb into a cramped bus, awkwardly carrying objects with sharpened edges, unwieldy poles, helmets, and goggles while walking in big, clunky boots? On the ski bus, more often than not, you end up sitting next to the park rat, who may not have washed his jersey in the last few weeks—only to
Long Live the Ski Bus Read More »
The December 2017 issue of “Powder Magazine” recently reported that five ski resorts are “all within 70 miles [of Spokane] and the average season pass price to ski them is $421, and just $58 for an adult full-day lift ticket.” In a nutshell, the Inland Northwest is among the most affordable places to ski in
Powder Magazine Lists Spokane as an Emerging Ski Town Read More »
A folded-up newspaper on top of a blue lunch bag in Mount Spokane’s patrol lodge lets me know that Tom MacLeod is already skiing first tracks. Over six feet tall and fit, charming, and friendly, MacLeod—who turns 67 this January—is a regular at Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park. He has been a season pass
Linebacker in the Lift Line at Mt. Spokane Read More »
Does this sound familiar? It snowed all week, with storm after storm pounding the local mountains and dumping well over a foot of fresh snow. Come Saturday morning, there will be little in the way of groomed runs, and you are still a relative rookie when it comes to skiing in new snow. But, you
