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    Idaho, USA

    Lookout Pass

    540 acres, 38 runs on the Idaho-Montana border. Idaho's snowiest resort, right off I-90.

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    Live Lookout Pass conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

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    Live Lookout Pass conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

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    Season 2026 - 2027
    Opens
    27 Nov 2026
    Closes
    18 Apr 2027
    Days open
    142
    Annual snow
    424in
    Snow record
    17in
    Last winter · 2026-27
    19% of a typical winter86in
    Explore 2 winters of snowfall→
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Lookout Pass straddles the Idaho-Montana border, with a summit at 5,650 feet dropping 1,148 vertical feet to a base at 4,502 feet across 38 runs spread over 540 acres. Terrain splits 47 per cent intermediate, 32 per cent advanced, 13 per cent beginner and 8 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 424 inches, among the highest totals of any Idaho ski area. Four lifts, including two double chairs, one quad and one triple chair, serve the mountain, which carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation.

    Lookout Pass is one of only a handful of ski areas in the country where skiers can cross a state line on the mountain itself, a novelty tied directly to its position on the historic pass. The resort's substantial snowfall total, well above most of Idaho, has built its reputation as a reliable deep-snow destination despite its comparatively modest acreage. Its lodge and facilities carry genuine historic character rather than modern resort styling.

    Scandinavian skiers first used the pass in the early twentieth century, riding Northern Pacific freight cars to reach the terrain, before the area was officially established as an alpine ski area in 1935. A tow rope built the following year from car parts salvaged off an abandoned wreck on the old Yellowstone Highway, now Interstate 90, and on 24 February 1938 the Idaho Ski Club officially opened Lookout Pass Ski Area to the public. Its lodge, built in 1941, is the second-oldest ski lodge in the Pacific Northwest.

    The resort's free ski school for children, founded in 1942, has introduced more than 60,000 kids to skiing and snowboarding and is recognised as the longest-running program of its kind. Lookout Pass became a commercial venture in 1991 under Lookout Associates LLC, which has operated and expanded the resort since. Adult daily tickets range from 60 to 75 US dollars, with season passes from 399 dollars, reflecting a historic, community-rooted mountain rather than a high-priced destination resort.

    1,148ft
    Vertical
    38
    Runs
    540 acres
    Skiable
    424in
    Annual snow
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    The Terrain

    38 runs across 540 acres skiable

    Lookout Pass straddles the Idaho-Montana border on the Interstate 90 corridor, with 38 runs across about 540 acres (219 hectares). The summit reaches 5,650 feet (1,722 m) and the base is at 4,500 feet (1,372 m), for a vertical of roughly 1,150 feet (350 m). Intermediates hold 47% of the terrain, advanced skiers 32%, beginners 13% and experts 8%. Four lifts serve it: two doubles, a triple and a quad. The area is small by acreage, but it picks up around 424 inches of snow a year, so conditions often outdo what the numbers suggest.

    The Eagle Peak chair opened higher terrain in 2022, with runs more than a mile long, some groomed and some left natural, and the peak itself sits close to the state line. Bigfoot Glades is the gentler tree zone, while Thunder Glades steps up to black diamond skiing among the trees. The original front side carries the classic cruisers and the beginner slopes. Lookout Pass suits intermediates and advanced skiers chasing deep snow without a long road trip, and it offers an easy day for families who prefer a small, friendly mountain.

    Terrain split
    38
    runs
    38 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner5 runs · 13%
    Intermediate18 runs · 47%
    Advanced12 runs · 32%
    Expert3 runs · 8%
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    Time it right

    When to visit Lookout Pass

    The 2025-26 season at Lookout Pass ran from 28 November 2025 to 20 April 2026, a roughly twenty-week season supported by average annual snowfall of approximately 424 inches, among the highest totals in Idaho. This substantial snowfall gives Lookout Pass a longer and more reliable natural season than many nearby resorts. Season dates can shift slightly depending on early and late-season storm activity.

    Midwinter, from December through February, typically delivers the deepest and most consistent snowpack, with the resort's straddling of the Idaho-Montana border adding storm exposure from both sides of the pass. Weekday visits tend to be considerably quieter than weekends, and the resort's location directly off Interstate 90 makes it accessible for both regional day-trippers and travellers passing through.

    The resort's free ski school for children, running since 1942, remains a defining part of its seasonal programming, having introduced more than 60,000 kids to the sport over more than eight decades. This long-running educational focus shapes much of the resort's midwinter and holiday-period activity. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the program's prominence.

    Late-season conditions into April typically benefit from the area's exceptional snowfall total, often extending good coverage later than lower-snowfall Idaho resorts. Specific event programming beyond standard operations and the long-running ski school is not confirmed in available resort information. The mountain's historic character, including its 1941 lodge, continues to shape the atmosphere of the season for visitors.

    Season 2026 - 2027
    27 Nov 2026
    Opens
    18 Apr 2027
    Closes
    142
    Days open
    424 in
    Annual snow
    The record

    Historical snowfall at Lookout Pass

    Daily snow reports at Lookout Pass go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.

    18 in
    Snowiest day
    5 Jan 2026
    17 in
    This winter · 2026-27
    so far
    86 in
    Typical winter
    average of complete seasons
    Explore historical snowfall →
    Winter totals
    in
    Past wintersThis winter
    Getting there

    Getting to Lookout Pass, and where to stay

    Lookout Pass sits directly on the Idaho-Montana border, with a base elevation of 4,502 feet and a summit at 5,650 feet across a 1,148-foot vertical drop over 540 acres. The resort's position on Interstate 90 places it in the Silver Valley region of northern Idaho, within a landscape shaped by the area's mining and railroad history.

    The nearby towns of Mullan and Wallace, Idaho, offer lodging and dining options for visitors, with the broader Silver Valley providing additional services along the I-90 corridor. Spokane, Washington lies within a comfortable driving distance to the west, extending Lookout Pass's practical catchment area beyond Idaho into the Inland Northwest. The resort's direct highway access makes it a convenient stop for travellers moving between Idaho and Montana.

    Interstate 90 runs directly past the resort, providing straightforward access from both directions without need for secondary roads. This direct highway location is a significant advantage over more remote Idaho ski areas, though winter driving conditions on I-90 through the pass can still include snow and ice during storms. There is no direct public transport service to the resort itself.

    Spokane International Airport, roughly 90 minutes to the west, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service. This makes Lookout Pass reasonably accessible for fly-in visitors despite its remote mountain-pass setting. Most visitors, however, arrive by car along Interstate 90 from either the Idaho or Montana side of the border.

    Where to stay

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    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

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    1 Nov 2026

    Lookout Pass Lift System

    Lookout Pass runs four lifts: two double chairs, one quad chair and one triple chair, serving 38 runs across 540 acres straddling the Idaho-Montana border. This compact lift network reflects the resort's modest scale relative to its exceptionally high snowfall total, with capacity concentrated on efficiently covering the mountain's advanced and intermediate-weighted terrain.

    The lift network has evolved gradually since the resort's 1938 opening under the Idaho Ski Club, with the tow-rope-era infrastructure long since replaced by the current mix of double, quad and triple chairs. Since becoming a commercial venture under Lookout Associates LLC in 1991, ownership has directed steady reinvestment into lift and facility upgrades. The mountain's straddling of the state border adds a novel geographic dimension to lift-served terrain access.

    The quad and triple chairs provide the bulk of uphill capacity for the mountain's advanced and intermediate terrain, while the two double chairs serve additional zones including beginner-friendly areas used by the resort's long-running free ski school. There is no gondola or high-speed six-pack chair, consistent with the resort's compact, community-scale identity.

    Specific recent lift replacement or expansion projects beyond the current four-lift network are not confirmed in available resort information. Given the area's exceptional average snowfall of roughly 424 inches, lift and grooming operations must contend with substantial and frequent snow loading each season. The resort's historic lodge, built in 1941, remains in active use alongside the modern lift infrastructure.

    4lifts across 3 types

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    Live Lookout Pass conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

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    Open in the app

    Live Lookout Pass conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
    1
    Quad Chair
    1
    Triple Chair
    2
    Double Chairs
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    Lookout Pass lift system

    Lookout Pass is served by 4 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.

    More Lookout Pass intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.