BOGUS BASIN, Idaho — Bogus Basin is celebrating a major milestone this winter, marking 83 years since the community-built ski area first opened its slopes.
Saturday’s celebration brought skiers and snowboarders to the mountain, where guests joined in singing “Happy Birthday” and enjoying the terrain that's currently available.
WATCH | Bogus Basin turns 83 while waiting on snow for full opening—
Boise resident Moose has been skiing at Bogus Basin for years and says he’s been making the trip up every Saturday this season.
“It’s the place to be, man,” Moose said. “There isn’t snow anywhere else, and the park keeps getting revamped, so we’re getting new features and keeping the spirit and the stoke alive.”
Moose helped celebrate the mountain’s 83rd birthday in the terrain park, while looking ahead to the day more runs open.
“It’s pretty rad to be a part of that and to be here,” he said. “A lot of resorts like this don’t make it that long, so it’s cool to know we’ve been here for 83 years and we’re continuing to spread the spirit of skiing and the joy of it.”
Bogus Basin officials say the mountain’s longevity is rooted in its history as a community-driven destination.
“We like to say Bogus Basin, back in 1942, we were built by the community, for the community,” said Austin Smith, director of innovation and marketing at Bogus Basin. “And we’re the people’s mountain.”
This season, however, snow conditions have limited operations. Currently, only the terrain park and beginner runs are open as crews work to build up snow coverage.
“To get any of this, top to bottom, is about 96 hours of snowmaking,” Smith said. “It’s been a challenging start, but we’re doing everything we can, pulling out all the stops, to open more terrain as soon as possible.”
Snowmakers were running across the mountain Saturday morning, and some natural snowfall is expected in the coming days. Even so, there is still no set timeline for when all trails could open.
“It’s not unusual, when relying on natural snowfall, to see a mid-December or even January opening,” Smith said. “We’re hopeful this push gets us closer, but we’re still quite a ways out and reliant on several days of much colder temperatures and natural snowfall.”
As Bogus Basin continues its push toward a full opening, the mountain is also preparing for a special visitor. Santa Claus is scheduled to visit Bogus Basin on Sunday, greeting skiers and snowboarders starting at 9 a.m.
