Silver Mountain
North America’s longest ski lift
The longest (Single Stage) gondola ride in North America
Silver Mountain is a medium sized ski area in Northern Idaho’s panhandle between Montana and Washington and is home to North America’s longest (single stage) gondola. Single stage means that at no point does the lift pass through an intermediate point that dislodges the cabins from the haul rope, thus opening the doors for a midway entry or exit. Single stage means it’s just one long ride from top to bottom, with no stops in between. 19 minutes long to be exact, so you better get comfy and enjoy the views! While the gondola is a detachable high speed lift, it takes this long because it is traveling a whopping 16,350 feet in distance from the town of Kellogg at 2,300 feet to Kellogg Peak at 5,700 feet.
Silver Mountain, once called Jackass Ski Bowl, broke ground on the 8 million dollar gondola in 1989 on approval from the city. Silver Mountain is usually open for skiing and snowboarding from late November to Mid April, then re-opens in the Summer for downhill mountain biking and sightseeing.
The Mountain Haus Gondola Terminal is a full service lodge equipped with a bar/restaurant, food court, lockers, bathrooms, pro shop, and rental facility, along with some great mountain top views!
Silver Mountain has great terrain and a friendly vibe and is a must visit resort!
Longest gondola ski lift
Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho boasts North America’s longest gondola.
The ride starts in the village of Kellogg, Idaho at the base of Silver Mountain at an elevation of 2,300 feet. Once aboard, a 19 minute, 3.1 mile ride gets you 3,400 vertical feet higher, to an elevation of 5,700 feet at the Mountain Haus terminal on Kellogg Peak. The gondola cars seat 8 people each.
Lift TIckets
Lift tickets at Silver Mountain run from $61-$70 for adults depending on the time of season and $46-$55 for youths.
Silver Mountain is also a member of the Powder Alliance, which rewards season pass holders with 3 days of free access.
Transportation
Silver Mountain and the town of Kellogg are about 75 miles East of Spokane International Airport. Kellogg is a decent sized town and has tons of lodging options within easy walking distance of the base gondola house.
Amenities
Silver Mountain has a large Summit Lodge called the Mountain Haus Terminal with a bar / restaurant and full rental facilities, restrooms and changing room. At the base terminal, a water park is open for guests to have some fun off the slopes, and Silver Mountain offers a downhill mountain bike park on the slopes during Summer.
Lift Ticket & Lodging Deals
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Annual Snowfall
Silver Mt. benefits from an average of 300″ of snowfall annually, and they normally maintain a solid snow pack all the way through closing in April.
Vertical Drop
Silver Mt. has a base elevation of 4,100ft and a summit elevation of 6,297ft for a total vertical drop of 2,197 vertical feet for skiing and snowboarding.
Season length
A normal ski season at Silver Mountain runs from Late November through early April, and occasionally they have been known to reopen for bonus weekends into May if conditions allow.
Trails & Acreage
Silver Mountain has a total of 66 named trails spread over 1,600+ acres and has the following lifts: 1 gondola, 1 quad chairlift, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 2 surface tows
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History of Silver Mountain:
Silver Mt. Resort was originally opened as “Jackass Ski Bowl” in January 1968 on Wardner Peak, which exists as one of the resorts two peaks used for skiing now. The ski area was renamed “Silverhorn” in 1973 following an ownership change. With planned improvements, most notably the gondola from the city of Kellogg and expansion on Kellogg Peak, the name was changed to “Silver Mountain” in the summer of 1989.
Historically, Silverhorn was accessed by vehicle via a difficult and dangerous twisting mountain road, which climbed over 2,700 feet in just seven miles, an average grade of over seven percent. The road approached from the northwest and terminated in the parking lot at 5,040 ft, the mid-mountain base area of Wardner Peak.
In December 1987, the U.S. Congress approved an appropriation bill for the U.S. Forest Service which included $6.4 million of matching funds to assist in the construction of a new gondola from the city of Kellogg to Silverhorn. The bill was greatly assisted by the members of Idaho’s congressional delegation.
In September 1988, tiny and economically depressed Kellogg voted to tax itself $2 million ($100,000 per year for 20 years), approved by over 82%, and Von Roll Tramways, a Swiss lift manufacturing company, was impressed enough to agree to guarantee much of the remaining funds needed to construct the improved resort. The state government of Idaho and the local electric utility (Washington Water Power, now Avista Corp.) also assisted.
~ History source: Spokesman Review
~ Logo Copyright Silver Mountain, ID.
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Location and Hours
Listed below is the address and Summer normal Summer operating schedule for Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho.
610 Bunker Ave, Kellogg, ID. 83837
Winter Schedule: Daily from Late November to Early April
Winter Hours: Weekdays 3pm-10pm, Weekends 10am-11pm
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