The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Silver Mountain's summit reaches 6,299 feet, dropping 2,198 vertical feet to a base at 4,101 feet across 80 runs spread over 1,600 acres above Kellogg, Idaho. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent advanced, 20 per cent beginner and 10 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 300 inches. The resort carries Indy Pass and Powder Alliance affiliation. Six lifts, including a gondola, one quad chair and two triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside two double chairs.
Silver Mountain's defining feature is its gondola, which climbs 3.1 miles directly from the town of Kellogg to the mountain base, the world's longest single-stage gondola ride at close to twenty minutes each way. This unusual base-to-mountain link was built specifically to revive a Silver Valley economy devastated by the decline of mining and logging. The resort's terrain and lift network sit above the gondola's upper terminal at Mountain House.
The ski area first opened in January 1968 as Jackass Ski Bowl on Wardner Peak, later renamed Silverhorn in 1973 following an ownership change. In the mid-1980s, Kellogg city councilman Wayne Ross conceived the idea of a gondola linking the depressed valley floor town directly to an expanded resort, aiming to stimulate the local economy. In December 1987, the US Congress approved 6.4 million US dollars in matching funds toward construction.
In September 1988, the economically struggling town of Kellogg voted by more than 82 per cent to tax itself two million US dollars over twenty years, and Swiss lift manufacturer Von Roll Tramways agreed to guarantee much of the remaining funding. Ground broke for the gondola and base village on 25 April 1989, and the resort was renamed Silver Mountain that summer. Adult daily tickets run from 79 to 99 US dollars, with season passes from 349 dollars, reflecting the resort's role as both a ski destination and a community revival project.
2,198ft
Vertical
80
Runs
1,600 acres
Skiable
25ft
Annual snow
Indy / Powder Alliance
Pass
The Terrain
80 runs across 1,600 acres skiable
Silver Mountain spreads 80 runs across 1,600 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 16 beginner runs to find your feet and 32 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
80
runs
80 runs across 4 grades
Beginner16 runs · 20%
Intermediate32 runs · 40%
Advanced24 runs · 30%
Expert8 runs · 10%
Time it right
When to visit Silver Mountain
The 2025-26 season at Silver Mountain ran from 21 November 2025 to 19 April 2026, a roughly twenty-one-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 300 inches. This substantial snowfall, combined with the resort's Silver Valley location, gives Silver Mountain a reliable natural season relative to many Idaho resorts of similar size. Season dates can shift slightly depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the mountain's varied terrain. The gondola ride itself is a year-round draw for visitors, meaning the resort sees traffic even from those not necessarily skiing, though winter operations centre on the lift-served terrain above Mountain House. Weekday visits tend to be quieter than weekends.
As an Indy Pass and Powder Alliance resort, Silver Mountain draws visiting skiers holding those multi-resort passes in addition to its regional Silver Valley base. The historic mining-town setting of Kellogg adds a distinct cultural dimension to the resort experience beyond the slopes themselves. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation, supported by the resort's indoor waterpark as a non-ski amenity.
Specific event programming beyond standard lift and gondola operations is not confirmed in available resort information. The combination of substantial snowfall and the novelty of the world's longest single-stage gondola ride continues to define the Silver Mountain visitor experience through the season. Kellogg's ongoing economic reliance on the resort, dating to its founding purpose in the late 1980s, remains a backdrop to its operations.
Season 2025 - 2026
21 Nov 2025
Opens
19 Apr 2026
Closes
149
Days open
25 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Silver Mountain, and where to stay
Silver Mountain rises above the town of Kellogg in the Silver Valley of northern Idaho, with a base elevation of 4,101 feet and a summit at 6,299 feet across a 2,198-foot vertical drop over 1,600 acres. The resort sits just south of Interstate 90 in Shoshone County, a region historically built on mining and logging.
Kellogg itself is the resort's gateway town, connected directly to the mountain by the 3.1-mile gondola that climbs from the town centre to the ski area's base facilities. This direct link means visitors can begin their mountain experience from downtown Kellogg rather than driving to a separate base area, a distinctive arrangement among Idaho resorts. The town's mining heritage remains visible throughout the Silver Valley.
Interstate 90 runs directly through Kellogg, providing straightforward access from both Idaho and neighbouring Washington and Montana. Winter driving conditions on I-90 can include snow and ice during storms, though the route is well maintained given its role as a major interstate corridor. The gondola itself removes the need for a separate winding mountain access road once visitors reach town.
Spokane International Airport, roughly an hour to the west along I-90, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service. This gives Silver Mountain reasonably convenient access for fly-in visitors from the broader Inland Northwest. Most visitors, however, arrive by car along Interstate 90 from Idaho, Washington or Montana before taking the gondola up from Kellogg.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Silver Mountain, powered by Stay22.
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