Soldier Mountain Ski Area

Soldier Mountain is located in the remote Sawtooth National Forest in central Idaho, about 11.8 miles north of Fairfield. This is a sparsely populated mountain with a clear "locals" feel, where skiing is at the center and you avoid the feeling of a large resort. The highest point is at 2,616.8 feet and vertical dropen is 1423.9 feet.

The ski system consists of two chairlifts in series on east-facing slopes, plus a beginner's area at the base. In total, there are around 465 hectares of skiable terrain and the biggest benefit is the variety: bowls, forest skiing and areas where you can find natural, playful skiing when the visibility and snow are there. There is also a park, but Soldier is above all a place for those who like to ski "real" terrain without stress and crowds. Artificial snow is available, but has not been in operation since 1996, so the season depends more on natural conditions.

History is a big part of the charm. The Soldier was built by hand after the founders were inspired by the Olympic trials in Sun Valley in 1948, with rope pulls and simple solutions as the first step. The facility has had a motley journey – among other things, it was owned by Bruce Willis in the 90s, the base lodge burned down in 2009 and was rebuilt until 2010. Also in 2020, the area was hit by a fire after a lightning strike, but Soldier managed to repair enough to keep skiing going. For those who want to go outside the lift system, there is also snowcat-serviced skiing towards nearby peaks, which means that the mountain can feel larger than the piste map suggests.