Brundage Mountain
Encyclopedia
Brundage Mountain Resort is an alpine
ski area in west central Idaho
, in the Payette National Forest
. Brundage first opened in November 1961 and is 8 miles (13 km) northwest of McCall
, a twenty minute drive in average winter conditions.
The summit elevation
of Brundage is 7640 feet (2328 m) above sea level, with an overall vertical drop of 1800 feet (548 m). Five chairlifts serve the 1500 acres (6.1 km²) of primarily west-facing terrain, overlooking New Meadows
, Adams County
, and onto eastern Oregon
. The area's annual snowfall is 300-350 inches (762–889 cm). The summit of Brundage Mountain straddles the county line with Valley County
to the east, in which McCall lies.
Brundage also offers backcountry powder skiing
on 19000 acres (76.9 km²) of terrain north of the lift-served ski area, serviced by snow cats
. Half-day, full-day, and two-day trips are available to areas including Granite Mountain at 8478 feet (2584 m) and Slab Mountain at 8225 feet (2507 m). The two-day trip spends the night in a mountain yurt
. These areas are among the highest average snowfalls in the state.
Brundage is accessed from State Highway 55
via the turnoff to Goose Lake Road, four miles (6.4 km) west of central McCall. Goose Lake Road climbs slightly over 1000 vertical feet (305 m) in four miles (6.4 km) when it diverts to the ski area's parking lot, at an elevation of just over 6000 feet (1830 m).
During the summer months, Brundage has chairlift-served mountain biking
on over 20 miles (32 km) of specially built single-track trails.
in the McCall
area had just the Little Ski Hill
, with its modest 405 foot (123 m) vertical drop. Bogus Basin
near Boise
was over three hours away (in good conditions) by vehicle, and Sun Valley
was considerably farther. One of these McCall skiers was Boise agribusiness
tycoon J.R. Simplot, who had a vacation home on Payette Lake
.
Financed by Simplot
, the Brundage Mountain project took shape under the guidance of longtime McCall resident, Warren Brown and ski legend Corey Engen
. A former Olympian and instructor at the Little Ski Hill
, Engen laid out the trails on the mountain during the summer of 1961. Favorable snowfall allowed Brundage to open on Thanksgiving
on November 23, with a double chairlift
, T-bar
, and a rope tow
. The lift tickets were priced at a then-lofty five dollars, similar to Sun Valley's rates; Engen would stay on as resort manager until 1970.
A second chairlift was added in the mid 1970s, a double in parallel with the first. In 1990, the Centennial triple chairlift was added to the southern edge of the terrain, which increased the area's terrain by 30% and added 200 feet (61 m) of vertical drop by lowering the base. The Easy Street chairlift was installed at the beginner area in 1994, adding a lower parking lot at its base. The parallel double chairlifts (Brundage Creek & Pioneer) were replaced in the summer of 1997 by a single high-speed detachable quad
, the Blue Bird Express, which ascended to the summit in a rapid 7 minutes.
In April 2006, the J.R. Simplot Company
sold its 50% interest in Brundage Mountain to the ski area's long-time co-owner, the DeBoer family.
That August, a long-anticipated land trade with U.S. Forest Service
was completed. It gave Brundage Mountain the ownership of 388 acres (1.6 km²) around its base area, allowing the opportunity for future resort development. In return, the USFS
gained important private in-holdings in the Payette National Forest
.
In 2007, Brundage invested more than $3 million to install two new fixed-grip triple chairlifts, Lakeview and The Bear. The Lakeview lift opened up 160 acres (0.6 km²) of south-facing terrain, with sweeping views of Payette Lake, McCall, and Valley County. The Bear connects the Centennial base area to a ridge above the main base area. A platter lift
which served the expert Race Course and easier runs was removed. A small lodge, The Bear Den, was added at the top of the lift. Excluding the Easy Street chair, total uphill capacity for the area was increased from 3100 to 6700 riders per hour.
Future expansion plans at Brundage Mountain include a chairlift to the north, serving the 7803 foot (2738 m) summit of Sargent's Mountain (formerly known as "Brundage Mountain"). The new chair will open new expert terrain and reach 163 feet (50 m) higher than the present summit, served by the Blue Bird Express quad.
The owners of Brundage Mountain have also received approval from Adams County for a PUD on the private land in the base area. That will allow for future construction of ski-in/ski-out lodging and expanded base area facilities.
> Lift Information
Chairlift
Type
Vertical
Time
Hourly
Capacity
Installed
Replaced
Blue Bird Express
hi-speed quad
1556 ft (474.3 m)
7 min
1800
1997
two doubles
Centennial
triple
1638 ft (499.3 m)
13 min
1300
1990
new line
Lakeview
triple
816 ft (248.7 m)
8 min
1800
2007
new line
The Bear
triple
622 ft (189.6 m)
6 min
1800
2007
new line
Easy Street
triple
90 ft (27.4 m)
3 min
1200
1994
new line
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
ski area in west central Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, in the Payette National Forest
Payette National Forest
The Payette National Forest, is a U.S. National Forest located in central western Idaho, in parts of Valley, Idaho, Adams, and Washington counties. The land area consists of approximately 2.3 million acres of federally managed lands...
. Brundage first opened in November 1961 and is 8 miles (13 km) northwest of McCall
McCall, Idaho
McCall is a resort town on the western edge of Valley County, Idaho, United States. Named after its founder, Tom McCall, it is situated on the southern shore of Payette Lake, near the center of the Payette National Forest...
, a twenty minute drive in average winter conditions.
The summit elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of Brundage is 7640 feet (2328 m) above sea level, with an overall vertical drop of 1800 feet (548 m). Five chairlifts serve the 1500 acres (6.1 km²) of primarily west-facing terrain, overlooking New Meadows
New Meadows, Idaho
New Meadows is a rural city in Adams County, Idaho, United States, at the southern and upper end of the Meadows Valley, on the Little Salmon River. Located in the west central part of the state, just south of the 45th parallel north, the population was 496 at the 2010 census. New Meadows is...
, Adams County
Adams County, Idaho
Adams County is a rural county located in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the county had a population of 3,976. The county seat and largest city is Council.Adams County was established in 1911 and was named in honor of President John Adams...
, and onto eastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The area's annual snowfall is 300-350 inches (762–889 cm). The summit of Brundage Mountain straddles the county line with Valley County
Valley County, Idaho
Valley County is a rural county located in west central Idaho in the United States. Established in 1917, it was named after the Long Valley of the North Fork of the Payette River, which extends over 30 miles from Payette Lake at McCall south to Cascade to Round Valley.The valley was formerly a...
to the east, in which McCall lies.
Brundage also offers backcountry powder skiing
Backcountry skiing
Backcountry skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes, including skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees , usually in pursuit of fresh fallen powder...
on 19000 acres (76.9 km²) of terrain north of the lift-served ski area, serviced by snow cats
Snowcat
A snowcat is an enclosed-cab, truck sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to move on snow. Snowcats are often referred to as 'trail groomers' because of their use for grooming ski trails or snowmobile trails...
. Half-day, full-day, and two-day trips are available to areas including Granite Mountain at 8478 feet (2584 m) and Slab Mountain at 8225 feet (2507 m). The two-day trip spends the night in a mountain yurt
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
. These areas are among the highest average snowfalls in the state.
Brundage is accessed from State Highway 55
Idaho State Highway 55
State Highway 55 is an Idaho highway from Marsing to New Meadows, connecting with US-95 at both ends.From Marsing it travels east to Nampa, Meridian, and Eagle, then north to Horseshoe Bend. SH-55 then climbs the Payette River to Banks, then its north fork to the Long Valley, through the towns of...
via the turnoff to Goose Lake Road, four miles (6.4 km) west of central McCall. Goose Lake Road climbs slightly over 1000 vertical feet (305 m) in four miles (6.4 km) when it diverts to the ski area's parking lot, at an elevation of just over 6000 feet (1830 m).
During the summer months, Brundage has chairlift-served mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
on over 20 miles (32 km) of specially built single-track trails.
History
In the late 1950s, alpine skiersAlpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
in the McCall
McCall, Idaho
McCall is a resort town on the western edge of Valley County, Idaho, United States. Named after its founder, Tom McCall, it is situated on the southern shore of Payette Lake, near the center of the Payette National Forest...
area had just the Little Ski Hill
Little Ski Hill
The Little Ski Hill is a modest ski area in west central Idaho, two miles west of McCall. Located on Highway 55, immediately west of the county line in Adams County, it was formerly known as the "Payette Lakes Ski Area."...
, with its modest 405 foot (123 m) vertical drop. Bogus Basin
Bogus Basin
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is a ski area located in southwest Idaho in Boise County, 16 miles north-northeast of the city of Boise....
near Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
was over three hours away (in good conditions) by vehicle, and Sun Valley
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
was considerably farther. One of these McCall skiers was Boise agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
tycoon J.R. Simplot, who had a vacation home on Payette Lake
Payette
Payette is the name of a town, county, river system, three lakes, mountain, and a national forest in the U.S. state of Idaho.They are named for Francois Payette *Payette, Idaho*Payette County, Idaho...
.
Financed by Simplot
Simplot
The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot near the small agricultural community of Declo in south central Idaho. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II...
, the Brundage Mountain project took shape under the guidance of longtime McCall resident, Warren Brown and ski legend Corey Engen
Corey Engen
Corey Engen was the captain of the U.S. Nordic ski team at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He was the youngest of the three Engen brothers that pioneered and popularized alpine skiing in the intermountain west, primarily in Utah and Idaho.-Biography:Corey was a ski jumper...
. A former Olympian and instructor at the Little Ski Hill
Little Ski Hill
The Little Ski Hill is a modest ski area in west central Idaho, two miles west of McCall. Located on Highway 55, immediately west of the county line in Adams County, it was formerly known as the "Payette Lakes Ski Area."...
, Engen laid out the trails on the mountain during the summer of 1961. Favorable snowfall allowed Brundage to open on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
on November 23, with a double chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
, T-bar
T-bar lift
A T-bar lift, also called T-bar, is a mechanised system for transporting skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope...
, and a rope tow
Ski tow
thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....
. The lift tickets were priced at a then-lofty five dollars, similar to Sun Valley's rates; Engen would stay on as resort manager until 1970.
A second chairlift was added in the mid 1970s, a double in parallel with the first. In 1990, the Centennial triple chairlift was added to the southern edge of the terrain, which increased the area's terrain by 30% and added 200 feet (61 m) of vertical drop by lowering the base. The Easy Street chairlift was installed at the beginner area in 1994, adding a lower parking lot at its base. The parallel double chairlifts (Brundage Creek & Pioneer) were replaced in the summer of 1997 by a single high-speed detachable quad
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
, the Blue Bird Express, which ascended to the summit in a rapid 7 minutes.
In April 2006, the J.R. Simplot Company
Simplot
The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot near the small agricultural community of Declo in south central Idaho. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II...
sold its 50% interest in Brundage Mountain to the ski area's long-time co-owner, the DeBoer family.
That August, a long-anticipated land trade with U.S. Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
was completed. It gave Brundage Mountain the ownership of 388 acres (1.6 km²) around its base area, allowing the opportunity for future resort development. In return, the USFS
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
gained important private in-holdings in the Payette National Forest
Payette National Forest
The Payette National Forest, is a U.S. National Forest located in central western Idaho, in parts of Valley, Idaho, Adams, and Washington counties. The land area consists of approximately 2.3 million acres of federally managed lands...
.
In 2007, Brundage invested more than $3 million to install two new fixed-grip triple chairlifts, Lakeview and The Bear. The Lakeview lift opened up 160 acres (0.6 km²) of south-facing terrain, with sweeping views of Payette Lake, McCall, and Valley County. The Bear connects the Centennial base area to a ridge above the main base area. A platter lift
Ski tow
thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....
which served the expert Race Course and easier runs was removed. A small lodge, The Bear Den, was added at the top of the lift. Excluding the Easy Street chair, total uphill capacity for the area was increased from 3100 to 6700 riders per hour.
Future expansion plans at Brundage Mountain include a chairlift to the north, serving the 7803 foot (2738 m) summit of Sargent's Mountain (formerly known as "Brundage Mountain"). The new chair will open new expert terrain and reach 163 feet (50 m) higher than the present summit, served by the Blue Bird Express quad.
The owners of Brundage Mountain have also received approval from Adams County for a PUD on the private land in the base area. That will allow for future construction of ski-in/ski-out lodging and expanded base area facilities.
>
Capacity
- The Mountain BluebirdMountain BluebirdThe Mountain Bluebird is a medium-sized bird weighing about 2-5 ounces, with a length from 15–20 cm . They have light underbellies and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills are bright turquoise-blue and somewhat lighter beneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast,...
is the state birdState birdA state bird is the insignia of a state .See also:* List of Australian bird emblems* List of Brazilian state birds* List of Canadian provincial birds* List of Chinese provincial birds* List of Indian state birds...
of Idaho - Idaho celebrated its centennial of statehood in 1990
External links
- Brundage.com - official site
- Ski Lifts.org - photos of Brundage Mountain's lifts
- Idaho Ski resorts.com - Brundage Mountain
- Idaho Winter.org - official state tourism site
- MSR Maps - USGS topo map & aerial photo