Resort Review

Old School Skiing, Low Pricing at Idaho’s Soldier Mountain

By Gina Knudson, 12-27-10

	This run did not actually lead to the Salmon. Photo by Jeff Knudson.

Skiing Soldier Mountain near Fairfield, Idaho, feels sort of like a guilty pleasure. The economy in the tank, it’s no doubt wrong to celebrate parking next to the lodge and zero lift-line wait time. But great snow, meticulously groomed runs and bright sunshine are reasons to celebrate any ski experience, and Soldier delivers in spades.

Situated less than an hour southwest of Sun Valley, Soldier has all of the famous resort’s Central Idaho scenery, but none of Sun Valley’s shi-shi-la-la. No reason to hurt yourself rubber-necking at glamorous movie stars – the Humvee limos don’t bother traveling through the countryside to get to this modest resort.

Instead, the mountain that opened in 1948 draws mainly from the small surrounding agricultural communities and residents of nearby Mountain Home and Mountain Home Air Force Base, thanks to a deep discount for military members.

Even without a military discount, Peggy Freisinger is gripping her credit card receipt with a big grin. A resident of Albuquerque, Freisinger is visiting Idaho relatives for the holidays. “I just bought lift tickets for all three kids for 57 bucks,” she beams, marveling at the half-day youth prices. The Freisingers typically ski at Taos, where the bill for the family tops $400, she says.

The lodge, rebuilt after a fire last year, is nicer than ever. Photo by Jeff Knudson.

Peg Freisinger relaxed in the small, clean lodge, newly built after an electrical fire destroyed the old one last year. With only two chairlifts, tracking the kids down is easy.

Tom Baldwin, the ski area’s multi-tasking ski patrol director, volunteer patrol director and ski school director, said, “Soldier is a mom-and-pop ski area. You can turn your kids loose and not have to worry about them.”

Part of that security he attributes to the mountain’s attentive ski patrol, which earned the honor of most Outstanding Small Ski Patrol in the Nation in 2010.

Todd Floyd of Mountain Home braves a ski day with his 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old twins even though his wife couldn’t get the day off, a feat he said he would never attempt at a larger resort. “We probably got 20 runs in today,” he reported.

Most of the designated runs on Soldier’s 1,147 acres are accessible for all abilities. The black diamond runs are more difficult in a relative sense. “Don’t come here expecting technical runs,” advised Bennett McCullough, a former ski instructor from California conspicuously dressed in a Santa suit.

The family-friendly mountain would probably be wildly popular if the snow had been more cooperative in the past few decades. Some years, Central Idaho’s weather patterns have left Soldier high and dry while dumping to the east and south on ski areas like Grand Targhee and Pomerelle. Unlike Sun Valley, Soldier doesn’t make snow to fill in the gaps during lean years.

Baldwin has his fingers crossed this year. Being open for Christmas break is a boon, and a big powder day earlier in the week may have created some new devotees of the tiny resort.

Soldier is open daily through Jan. 2. After the break, its Thursday through Sunday schedule resumes. Lift tickets run $36 for adults and $25 for youth ages 7 to 17. Kids 6 and under ski for free.

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