Terrain

The geography of the Selkirk Mountains creates superb skiing conditions through a combination of their location relative to Pacific moisture flow, significant vertical relief, and glaciated alpine terrain.

The Selkirk Mountains are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains, extending from northeastern Washington and northern Idaho into British Columbia, Canada. Key geographical features include:

Location: They are situated in the interior of the Pacific Northwest, east of the Cascade and Coast Ranges.

Elevation: The peaks in the Idaho portion top out around 7,700 feet, but rise abruptly from low valley floors (as low as 1,700 feet), creating impressive local vertical relief.

Glacial Carving: The landscape is a premier example of glacially carved terrain in Idaho, featuring u-shaped valleys, sharp ridges (arêtes), and steep-sided, bowl-shaped cirques that provide natural ski runs.

Lakes and Rivers: The range is bounded by significant bodies of water like the Columbia River, Kootenay Lake, Lake Pend Oreille and the Priest Lakes, which contribute to local weather patterns.

The weather in the Selkirk Mountains is driven by a unique position in the Pacific Northwest interior, leading to a "magic mix" of weather patterns.

Pacific Moisture Flow: Storms from the Pacific Ocean are the primary source of precipitation. As the moisture moves inland and hits the Selkirk Range, it is forced upward (orographic lift), creating significant snowfall.

"Rain Shadow" Effect: The Coast and Cascade mountains to the west wring out much of the heaviest, wettest moisture. By the time the storms reach the Selkirks, the snow quality is lighter and drier than coastal snow, but still substantial in quantity, resulting in a desirable "powder" snowpack.

Temperature Ranges: The winter season generally runs from November to April, with average daily temperatures consistently below 40°F (4°C) at ski elevations, ensuring that precipitation falls as snow rather than rain. Minimum temperatures in the high country can drop to 0°F or -15°F on some nights.

The location allows storms originating in the Pacific Ocean to pass over several mountain ranges, which wrings out the heaviest moisture. By the time the air reaches the Selkirks, it has lost some moisture but is still saturated enough to produce significant snowfall. This results in a unique snow quality that is a cross between the denser coastal snow and the very light continental snow, providing a deep, stable, yet light, powder base.

High Annual Snowfall: The mountains act as the first major barrier to this incoming, relatively uninterrupted moisture, forcing the air upward (orographic lift) and resulting in high annual snowfall totals, often over 400 inches (10 meters) per year in the high country.

Consistent Powder: Prevailing southwesterly winds hit the range perpendicularly, maximizing orographic lift and making heavy, consistent snowfall a regular occurrence. The interior location and elevation also help keep the snow cold and dry, preserving the quality for longer periods with minimal wind effect.

Terrain Maps of Atlasta-Casey Phase 1

Size and Scope: The new zone encompasses 6,250 acres of state-owned land, significantly larger than our previous operating area.

Location: It is situated north of their former location, with operations based out of a new site a few miles south of Priest Lake.

Terrain Details: The Atlasta–Casey area is described as more diverse, steeper, and at a higher altitude than the Schweitzer-based terrain.

Peaks reaching up to 6,700 feet.

Multiple aspects, including steep, north-facing shots and prominent rock features.

Runs can offer up to 2,025 vertical feet.

The map images above illustrate our Atlasta-Casey skiing aspects and its relative location to Coolin and Schweitzer.