Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area
Encyclopedia
Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area is a ski area at Lookout Pass
in northern Idaho
on the Montana
border, 4 miles (7 km) east of Mullan
on Interstate 90
. It has a summit elevation
of 5650 feet (1722 m) on Runt Mountain with a vertical drop of 1150 feet (350 m) on the northeast-facing slopes. Lookout Pass operates five days per week (closed Tuesday & Wednesday) during the ski season, and daily during the Christmas vacation break.
The area has tripled in size since 2003; new terrain was opened to the southeast-facing slopes on the Montana side of the border in December 2003, and on the northwest-facing North Side (in Idaho) in 2006. There are three double chairlifts and a rope tow
at Lookout Pass, whose average annual snowfall exceeds 350 inches (889 cm).
The elevation
of the highway pass on I-90
is a moderate 4720 feet (1438 m). The historic Mullan Pass
, constructed as a wagon road by the U.S. Army
in 1860, is about 3 miles (5 km) east-northeast as the crow flies
, at 5168 feet (1575 m). Lookout Pass is considered the eastern boundary of Idaho's Silver Valley mining region.
Opened in 1935, the Lookout Pass ski area operates under a special-use permit of the U.S. Forest Service
, in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest
s (formerly the Coeur d'Alene National Forest).
A new portion of the ski area opened on December 26, 2003 on the Montana
side of the border (which is irregular in this area, following mountains, and is actually due south, see topo map). The new Timber Wolf double chair and five new runs increased the vertical drop (by lowering the base to 4500 ft), and the longest new run 1.2 miles (2 km) in length. Two of the new runs are rated advanced and three are rated intermediate, with views of the St. Regis
and Copper Basins. Additional expansion in 2006 with a chairlift on the Idaho "North Side" opened additional intermediate and expert terrain.
Lookout Pass has two freestyle terrain parks, and a quarter pipe that is 1111 ft. (339 m) in length.
rail trail
, which begins in Montana
and runs downhill through tunnels and over trestles to the North Fork of the St. Joe River, 15 miles (24 km) away.
It is named for the Olympian Hiawatha
passenger trains (1947–61) of the Milwaukee Road railroad, on whose abandoned rights of way
, trestles, and tunnels the gravel trail rests. One of the tunnels is over 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length.
Now completed, the Route of the Hiawatha Trail stretches from St. Regis
, Montana, to Pearson, Idaho, elevation 3150 feet (960 m) several miles north of Avery
, (equidistantly south of Mullan
).
The Route of the Hiawatha Trail now includes the tunnel at St. Paul Pass, which is 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length. Bus service is available to take bicycle riders back to the start of the trail. A fee is charged for riding the trail, and during the winter months the trail is closed. Plenty of parking and unimproved camping spots are available at the trail's start, as well as at the end of the trail. Several other trails are nearby the area for further exploration; one of these follows the old road along the North Fork of the St. Joe River to Avery and has an improved campground at its start.
Lookout Pass
Lookout Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern United States. The pass, in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains of the Bitterroot Range, is on the border between Idaho and Montana, traversed by Interstate 90 at an elevation of 4710 feet above sea level.Lookout Pass is the...
in northern Idaho
Idaho Panhandle
The Idaho Panhandle is the northern region of the U.S. State of Idaho that encompasses the ten northernmost counties of Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, Shoshone. Residents of the panhandle refer to the region as North Idaho...
on the Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
border, 4 miles (7 km) east of Mullan
Mullan, Idaho
Mullan is a city located in a sheltered canyon of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains in Shoshone County in the northern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 840 at the 2000 census and decreased to 692 at the 2010 census. The city is in the east end of the Silver Valley mining district; the...
on Interstate 90
Interstate 90 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 90 has a small routing in the panhandle, just under 74 miles . Traveling east from Spokane, Washington, I-90 passes through Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, over Fourth of July Summit, and through the Silver Valley before entering Montana at Lookout Pass.I-90 is...
. It has a 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 5650 feet (1722 m) on Runt Mountain with a vertical drop of 1150 feet (350 m) on the northeast-facing slopes. Lookout Pass operates five days per week (closed Tuesday & Wednesday) during the ski season, and daily during the Christmas vacation break.
The area has tripled in size since 2003; new terrain was opened to the southeast-facing slopes on the Montana side of the border in December 2003, and on the northwest-facing North Side (in Idaho) in 2006. There are three double chairlifts 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....
at Lookout Pass, whose average annual snowfall exceeds 350 inches (889 cm).
The 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 the highway pass on I-90
Interstate 90 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 90 has a small routing in the panhandle, just under 74 miles . Traveling east from Spokane, Washington, I-90 passes through Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, over Fourth of July Summit, and through the Silver Valley before entering Montana at Lookout Pass.I-90 is...
is a moderate 4720 feet (1438 m). The historic Mullan Pass
Mullan Pass
The Mullan Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the continental divide on the border between Powell County, Montana and Lewis and Clark County, Montana, west of Helena, Montana in Helena National Forest at a height of .The Northern Pacific...
, constructed as a wagon road by the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1860, is about 3 miles (5 km) east-northeast as the crow flies
As the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
, at 5168 feet (1575 m). Lookout Pass is considered the eastern boundary of Idaho's Silver Valley mining region.
Opened in 1935, the Lookout Pass ski area operates under a special-use permit of the 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...
, in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest
Idaho Panhandle National Forest
Idaho Panhandle National Forest is a national forest located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Approximately 22.4% of the forest extends into the states of Montana and Washington . The forest was combined in 2000 from three previous separate National Forests which continue to manage themselves somewhat...
s (formerly the Coeur d'Alene National Forest).
A new portion of the ski area opened on December 26, 2003 on the Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
side of the border (which is irregular in this area, following mountains, and is actually due south, see topo map). The new Timber Wolf double chair and five new runs increased the vertical drop (by lowering the base to 4500 ft), and the longest new run 1.2 miles (2 km) in length. Two of the new runs are rated advanced and three are rated intermediate, with views of the St. Regis
St. Regis, Montana
St. Regis is a census-designated place in Mineral County, Montana, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St...
and Copper Basins. Additional expansion in 2006 with a chairlift on the Idaho "North Side" opened additional intermediate and expert terrain.
Lookout Pass has two freestyle terrain parks, and a quarter pipe that is 1111 ft. (339 m) in length.
Route of the Hiawatha Trail
Lookout Pass is also a primary staging area for the Route of the Hiawatha Trail, a mountain bikeMountain 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...
rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, which begins in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and runs downhill through tunnels and over trestles to the North Fork of the St. Joe River, 15 miles (24 km) away.
It is named for the Olympian Hiawatha
Olympian Hiawatha
The Olympian and its successor, Olympian Hiawatha, was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad as train Nos. 15 and 16 from 1911 to 1961...
passenger trains (1947–61) of the Milwaukee Road railroad, on whose abandoned rights of way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
, trestles, and tunnels the gravel trail rests. One of the tunnels is over 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length.
Now completed, the Route of the Hiawatha Trail stretches from St. Regis
St. Regis, Montana
St. Regis is a census-designated place in Mineral County, Montana, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St...
, Montana, to Pearson, Idaho, elevation 3150 feet (960 m) several miles north of Avery
Avery, Idaho
Avery is a small unincorporated town nestled in the St. Joe River Valley in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States. Avery is located in the middle of the St. Joe District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest...
, (equidistantly south of Mullan
Mullan, Idaho
Mullan is a city located in a sheltered canyon of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains in Shoshone County in the northern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 840 at the 2000 census and decreased to 692 at the 2010 census. The city is in the east end of the Silver Valley mining district; the...
).
The Route of the Hiawatha Trail now includes the tunnel at St. Paul Pass, which is 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length. Bus service is available to take bicycle riders back to the start of the trail. A fee is charged for riding the trail, and during the winter months the trail is closed. Plenty of parking and unimproved camping spots are available at the trail's start, as well as at the end of the trail. Several other trails are nearby the area for further exploration; one of these follows the old road along the North Fork of the St. Joe River to Avery and has an improved campground at its start.
External links
- Lookout Pass Ski Area - official site
- Ski Lifts.org - photos of Lookout Mountain's lifts
- Idaho Winter.org - official state tourism site
- Idaho Ski Resorts.com - Lookout Pass
- U.S. Forest Service - Route of The Hiawatha
- Idaho Panhandle National Forests - official site
- Montana Dept. of Transportation - webcam - Lookout Pass - Interstate 90