Silver Mountain (Idaho)

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Location of Wardner, Idaho

Silver Mountain Resort is a ski area in the Silver Valley region in the Idaho Panhandle, just south of Kellogg and Interstate 90 in Shoshone County. Originally opened as "Jackass Ski Bowl" in January 1968 on Wardner Peak, the name was changed to "Silverhorn" in 1973. Following major improvements in 1990, most notably the gondola from the city of Kellogg and expansion on Kellogg Peak, the name was changed to "Silver Mountain."

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[edit] History

Jackass Ski Bowl, near Wardner, was constructed in the summer of 1967 on lands leased from the Bunker Hill Mining Company. Named for Noah Kellogg's borrowed ore-discovering donkey (Jenny) of 1885, the ski area began operations in January 1968, but several years of poor skiing weather caused the operation to discontinue. Assets were liquidated in a foreclosure sale by the SBA in August 1973, and were purchased by Bunker Hill for $100,000. The ski facility was reorganized as Silverhorn ski area under the ownership of Shoshone Recreation, Inc.; it was acquired by the City of Kellogg in 1984.[1] [2]

In 1980 falling metal prices, combined with environmental problems, forced many of the mines to curtail production. The century-old Bunker Hill mine and smelter operations, which had experienced a turbulent early history of labor disputes, finally closed in 1981. ASARCO, Hecla, and Sunshine soon followed, resulting in the direct loss of thousands of high-wage jobs, and the indirect loss of many others, with serious economic hardship to the Silver Valley area of Shoshone County.

Kellogg and the Silver Valley is the site of one of the largest EPA Superfund sites. The legacy of toxic metal waste contaminating the community is well known but hidden from the public knowledge base by vested interests in tourism.

To diversify and expand the local economy, an increased focus was placed on recreation and tourism, primarily through the existing ski area. Silverhorn had one lift, a double chair (later renamed # 4, then Jackass) with a vertical drop of 1875 feet (571 m), and a mid-mountain loading/unloading area at the parking lot & day lodge. Silverhorn was accessed by vehicle via a difficult and dangerous twisting mountain road, which climbed over 2700 feet (823 m) in just 7 miles (11 km), an average grade of over 7%. The road approached from the northwest and terminated in the parking lot at 5040 feet (1536 m), the mid-mountain base area of Wardner Peak. If the ski area was to attract more visitors, a better way of reaching the mountain was definitely needed.

In December 1987, the U.S. Congress approved an appropriation bill for the U.S. Forest Service which included $6.4 million of matching funds to assist in the construction of a new gondola from the city of Kellogg to Silverhorn. The bill was greatly assisted by the members of Idaho's congressional delegation.

In September 1988, tiny and economically depressed Kellogg voted to tax itself $2 million ($100,000 per year for 20 years), approved by over 87%, and Von Roll Tramways, a Swiss lift manufacturing company, was impressed enough to agree to guarantee the much of the remaining funds needed to construct the improved resort. The State of Idaho and the local electric utility (Washington Water Power) also assisted.

On April 25, 1989, ground was broken for the construction of the gondola and base village, additional chairlifts, and other resort improvements. The newly renamed Silver Mountain opened for summer operations in June 1990 and for skiing that November.

Gondola and chairlift rides, mountain biking, hiking, and concerts at the high-mountain outdoor amphitheather (capacity: 2500) are the primary summer activities at Silver Mountain.

In June 1996, Silver Mountain was acquired by Eagle Crest Partners, a subsidiary of JELD-WEN Corporation.

[edit] Mountain statistics

Silver Mountain is actually two mountains: Kellogg Peak, to the east, with a summit of 6297 feet (1919 m) and the original Wardner Peak at 6205 feet (1891 m). The ski area has a vertical drop of 2200 feet (670 m) on its north-facing slopes. There are 67 named trails on its 1,590 acres (6 km²) skiable plus extensive off-piste areas; the terrain is rated at 20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced, and 10% expert.

Silver Mountain has 7 lifts: 1 gondola (service to the base village and parking lot in Kellogg), five chairlifts (1 quad, 2 triples, 2 doubles), and a surface tow. The average annual snowfall is 300 inches (760 cm) and there is limited snowmaking on 35 acres (140,000 sq m).

[edit] Gondola

The gondola loads at the Gondola Village in the city of Kellogg an elevation of 2300 feet (701 m), a quarter mile (400 m) from exit 49 on Interstate 90. The lift crosses over the village of Wardner, and climbs 3400 vertical feet (1036 m) to an elevation of 5700 feet (1737 m) at the Mountain Haus terminal, above mid-mountain on Kellogg Peak.

There are 112 gondola cabins (8 passengers) and 45 towers along the 3.1 mile (5.0 km) trip, the longest single stage people carrier in the world. (Others are longer, but have angle stations with two drive terminals or they do not carry people.) Its current capacity is 1600 passengers per hour (200 cabins) at 1,000 feet (300 m) per minute (11.3 mph, 18.3 km/h), and a one-way trip takes about 18 minutes.

Fourteen months after ground-breaking, the gondola opened to the public for summer rides on June 30, 1990. Finishing touches to the resort's chairlifts, lodges, and base area were accomplished in time for skiing on Thanksgiving Day on November 22, 1990.

[edit] The future

The master plan of Silver Mountain proposes:

• An expanded Gondola Village with new shops, meeting facilities, restaurants, entertainment plaza, and Morning Star Lodge -- a luxury condominium lodge.

• New high-speed chairlifts and snowmaking system and new trails with increased vertical drop (by lowering the base).

• An indoor water park (Silver Rapids) is scheduled to open in late May 2008. [3]

• A snow tubing park was constructed in the fall of 2006 at the site of the mountain amphitheater. The amphitheater will be relocated and likely expanded.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Ski Silverhorn 1988-89, ski area brochure
  • The Kellogg Yodel, Winter 1996-97, Shoshone County supplement to The Spokesman Review.
  • North Idaho Travel Planner, 1998