Schweitzer Trip
Columbia Ski Club • January 30 – February 6, 2027
Let’s talk about the name.
Schweitzer. Sounds like it belongs in the Alps, right? That’s because it does. The mountain is named after a Swiss hermit who lived in a cabin on its slopes over a hundred years ago. “Schweitzer” literally means “the Swiss guy.” So, the mountain was European before it was even a ski resort. It just happens to be in Idaho.
Now let’s talk about the mountain.
Schweitzer is the largest ski resort in Idaho, tucked into the Selkirk Mountains in the top corner of the panhandle, about 80 miles from Spokane.
- 2,900 skiable acres — bigger than a lot of the mountains this club has skied.
- 92 named runs, plus wide-open bowls.
- 2,400 feet of vertical.
- 300 inches of snow in an average winter. Three hundred. That’s 25 feet. That’s a two-story building made of powder.
- 10 lifts, including a high-speed six-pack named Stella. Yes, the lift has a name. You will be shouting it by Wednesday.
The terrain breaks down to 10 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, 35 percent advanced, 15 percent expert. In other words, the cruisers get all-day groomers, the tree-huggers get glades, and the people who like to live on the edge get chutes!
Schweitzer has two sides. The front side faces the village. The back side — the Outback Bowl — is actually bigger than the front. When you stand on the summit, you’re looking out Lake Pend Oreille — one of the biggest lakes in the West — with mountains rolling off toward Canada.
Right at the top is a restaurant called Sky House. Picture a mountain hut in Switzerland: warm food, a glass of wine, and a 360-degree view of lake and mountains. Ilana and I are planning a group lunch here. So yes — we’re planning on having lunch on top of a mountain, with a view of Canada, as a group. That’s the trip!
The village.
Schweitzer’s village is small and walkable. Lodging, restaurants, bars, rentals, lifts — all within a couple of minutes on foot. We’re staying at the Selkirk Lodge — right in the village, slopeside, ski-in ski-out. Breakfast is included each day so after your morning coffee, you walk out the door, and you’re on snow! And when the lifts close, après-ski is planned at Pucci’s Pub.
What the week looks like.
We arrive Saturday, January 30th, and fly home Saturday, February 6th. Six full ski days, Sunday through Friday, right in the sweet spot of Schweitzer’s season — January and February are their snowiest months.
Ilana and I are setting up the whole week for you to simply enjoy yourself:
- Group lunches on the mountain.
- Après-ski gatherings every afternoon.
- Dinner options every night.
- One club-subsidized group dinner for everybody — we’re aiming for Thursday.
- Lunch at the summit - The Sky House.
- And a night in Sandpoint.
Schweitzer 2027 Flyer
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