Ririe, Idaho — With how bad the ski season has been out West, you’d have to imagine that snowmaking is going to be a major focus of capital projects for ski resorts across the region. One Idaho ski resort demonstrated this snowmaking focus with a recent announcement.
Yesterday, Kelly Canyon announced plans to expand snowmaking coverage to the top of Chair 2. Bringing snowmaking to the top of Goldrush will allow Kelly Canyon to open more terrain earlier and keep terrain open during rough stretches.
Unfortunately, the loss for this appears to be mountain biking. The summer activity won’t be offered this summer due to the extensive construction across the mountain. The plan is to bring it back in the future. Other offseason projects are expected to be announced soon.
About Kelly Canyon
Situated thirty minutes away from Idaho Falls, Kelly Canyon describes itself as “the biggest little ski hill in the USA.” The ski resort features over 740 acres of skiable terrain. The ski resort is also home to an 88-year-old ski instructor. Interestingly, the summit of Kelly Canyon offers trails for Nordic skiers and snowshoers.
Some of the upgrades for the 2025-26 season include new trails, adding a rope tow to the terrain park, and opening a hamburger restaurant (Big Jud’s) at the base lodge. Prior to the rope tow, the most recent lift addition was the Goldrush chairlift. This SkyTrac triple chairlift was installed in 2021.
For those making a trip to the Tetons, Kelly Canyon is a close option for those planning to visit Grand Targhee as well.
Image/Video Credits: Kelly Canyon
