Good morning from the hill above Schweitzer's ski village. Thursday arrives quietly on the mountain: the resort is between seasons, with no published ski report yet and opening day set for November 27. Sandpoint woke to a crisp 40 degrees under fair skies; expect a pleasant, partly cloudy day near 71, with tonight dipping to 44. This morning's radar sweep showed a quiet panhandle — no precipitation on the map.
But don't get too comfortable: a cold front rolls in Friday, and independent mountain forecasts suggest the first flakes could dust the 6,398-foot summit Friday into Saturday (per skiresort.com's mountain forecast; the resort itself hasn't published a snow report). No terrain will open — the lifts are still — but it will be the mountain's first real taste of winter. Did you know Schweitzer's summit, at 6,398 feet, is among the highest ski-area peaks in Idaho?
One deadline lands today: the Schweitzer Corporate Season Pass is on sale at its lowest rate of the year — $2,300 per pass, about $2,523 with taxes and fees — but only through today, October 8 (per the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce). If your crew plays at Schweitzer, today is the day to lock it in.
And tonight is the night to get stoked for winter. The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center hosts its Sandpoint Movie Night Fundraiser — the Quality Ski Time Film Tour — at The Hive, 207 N. First Avenue. Doors open at 5, movies start at 6, and admission is $10 at the door, with kids 6 and under free. Expect food and drinks, the IPAC team on hand to talk winter education and memberships, and a raffle for a brand-new pair of Salomon skis. Proceeds support your local avalanche center — the folks who keep backcountry travelers informed all winter. The evening is sponsored locally by Alpine Shop and MickDuff's Brewing Co., with Salomon presenting the tour.
Looking ahead: the Chamber's Coffee and Connect gathers Friday morning at 8:30 at the Chamber office on Fifth Avenue, and Saturday brings the Teascarlet South grand opening at 1 p.m. on North First Avenue.
October on the mountain is one of the year's sweet spots — golden larches, quiet trails, and the first snow dusting the high peaks while the village stays cozy. The Village Overlook sits right above it all, a hotel-style studio on the hill overlooking Schweitzer's ski village — a warm home base for fall color drives, a night at the movies in Sandpoint, and, before you know it, first tracks of the season. Come see the mountain before winter arrives.