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Nearby Airports Offer The Best Access Options

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2007

SUN VALLEY, Idaho - Sun Valley is reached by flying into nearby Hailey or Boise, then taking the two- to three-hour ride by car or shuttle.

Boise, the state capital and a vibrant, historical and high-tech city, is worth a visit. It has 15 museums. including the fascinating World Center for Birds of Prey.

Couer d'Alene resorts are best accessed from Spokane Airport in Washington state.

There are good shuttle services from Boise Airport to Sun Valley and Tamarack. You can get by quite well without a car at these two areas. I would recommend a rental car when visiting the northern Idaho resorts of Schweitzer and Silver Mountain because of the flexibility and good access roads to Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint.

Make sure to check the resorts' Web sites for early and regular-season deals for skiing and lodging. If you are considering driving between ski areas, inquire about driving conditions. Some routes may look a lot shorter, but travel in winter in Idaho is highly weather-dependent, especially on secondary roads.
Schweitzer Mountain has a variety of slope-side accommodations, including lodges, condos and rental homes. Also, at most Idaho ski resorts, you can park your RV in the lot, relax with a brew, get a good night's sleep and be ready for first tracks in the morning.

Itching for a go at some deep Idaho fluff? The Selkirk Powder Co., at the Schweitzer summit, takes skiers on a snowcat adventure to untracked powder wonderlands of open bowls, steeps and tree runs. Operating under an exclusive Forest Service permit in the Selkirk mountains (home to nine heli-ski companies), the snowcat guides access terrain and runs usually open only to a lucky few heli-skiers and backcountry ski enthusiasts.

For $325, you get six to nine runs on about 12,000 vertical feet and a nice lunch, and you're back in the hot tub by 4:30 p.m. It's an incredible experience that every skier should try at least once.

Dino Vournas

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