SNOW!!! THE SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!
TRAILS OPEN: 0; LIFTS OPEN: 0; NEW SNOW: YES!
As I was driving up Schweitzer Mountain this morning, heading to my office in the Village, I noticed at about the 3,000 foot elevation the rain that has been invading the Sandpoint Valley below was turning a little slushy. This phenomenon happens each Fall, of course, and my corresponding reaction is also the same each Fall. OH MY GOD, THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN! There is going to be snow in the Village!
The first thing to do? …crank up KPND (the local eclectic and wonderful fm station) and ride it in! I’m not the only one in Sandpoint who gets excited about snow. SANDPOINT is a ski town, after all. The next 10 minutes of the drive was consumed with AC/DC and the frenzied sounds so closely associated with ripping through the powder of the Schweitzer back bowls. (Trust me, I'm no "head-banger" but I can certainly relate when thinking about making turns in the powder)
(The picture to the right is the "RIDE 7B" cap. The local license plates have 7B on them which designates the owner as a Bonner County resident ...home of Schweitzer Mountain.)
This year, SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT has added a 4 million gallon holding pond near the top of the mountain to feed the snowmaking system which, we hope, will insure a Thanksgiving opening. Schweitzer is rarely in need of natural snow (average snowfall is over 300” per season) but, Thanksgiving openings are a rarity.
Investing in Real Estate at a ski area is an act of PASSION. It certainly can be a wise financial move and, given market conditions today, it appears that is currently the case. Prices are low (especially here at Schweitzer compared to other major resorts) and interest rates remain very favorable. Actually pulling the trigger to make an offer, however, is about PASSION. People who own at Schweitzer are here because they love and NEED the North Idaho mountain experience. The three seasons leading up to winter are electrifying with natural beauty and wonder. The hiking, mountain biking, berry picking, animal watching, people watching, music festivals, tennis tournaments and "LIVING" are what gives our lives purpose up here. But let’s face it… the skiing is “to die for.” (#3 BEST TREE SKIING IN NORTH AMERICA • #1 SKI AREA IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST • LABELED THE #1 MOST EXTREME TOWN BY THE BANFF FILM FESTIVAL U.S. TOUR (I’m not exactly sure what “most extreme” refers to ...but I like it).
My AR friend Russel Ray likes to chastise me about the impending onslaught of winter from his San Diego “paradise”. Well, Russel, the winter onslaught has begun and with each snowflake the excitement level crescendos. The beauty of working up here on the mountain is that my clients ALL share the PASSION. We live and breathe this stuff and it really is a joy to help customers find the perfect ski-home. The snow is falling…now is the time to make that leap of faith…life only gets better as you imbed yourself in the Schweitzer experience.
…8 WEEKS AND COUNTING…
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