An Idaho ski resort is giving groups a new way to keep skiing after regular lift operations have ended.
Schweitzer is introducing Private Night Skiing for the 2026-27 season, offering groups exclusive after-hours access to terrain served by the Basin Express chairlift. The experience can also be paired with an outdoor snow bar, private dining, an après-ski reception or lodging, according to Schweitzer’s announcement of its new winter offerings.
Schweitzer already offers Twilight Skiing on Fridays, Saturdays and select holidays, with Basin Express, Creekside Express and the Musical Carpet scheduled to operate from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Private Night Skiing takes the concept a step further by giving a group exclusive access to Basin Express terrain after normal operations.
Schweitzer has not yet publicly listed the price, maximum group size, operating dates or exact hours for the private experience. The resort is directing the new offering toward groups and lists it alongside several new private dining and event options for the coming winter.
A Chairlift To Yourself After Hours
Basin Express is one of four high-speed quad chairlifts at Schweitzer and rises directly out of the resort’s main village. During public Twilight Skiing, the lift provides access to skiing and snowboarding around Midway and the Stomping Grounds Terrain Park. Schweitzer’s public night operation also includes Creekside Express and beginner terrain accessed by the Musical Carpet.
The new private program is specifically built around Basin Express, giving participating groups access to their own lift-served terrain after public operations have ended. Schweitzer has a long history with night skiing. According to the resort’s history of mountain development, night operations were expanded around the terrain park in the late 1990s. Today, Twilight Skiing remains a regular part of the mountain’s winter schedule.
Idaho’s Largest Ski Resort
Located above Sandpoint in northern Idaho, Schweitzer is the state’s largest ski resort. The mountain has 2,900 skiable acres, 92 trails and 2,400 feet of vertical, with a summit elevation of 6,400 feet.
Schweitzer has undergone significant changes in recent years. Alterra Mountain Company completed its acquisition of the Idaho resort in 2023, bringing Schweitzer directly into the portfolio behind the Ikon Pass.
One of the mountain’s largest ongoing projects is the creation of Schweitzer Creek Village. Construction continued this summer on roads and a future parking area that are eventually expected to form a second major base area. Schweitzer provided an update on that project in July, with the new road and roughly 1,400-space parking area currently targeted for the 2027-28 season.
The private night-skiing program is much smaller in scale, but it represents another way Schweitzer is expanding what guests can do without adding another chairlift or trail.
More New Experiences For 2026-27
Private Night Skiing is one of several new experiences Schweitzer is introducing this winter.
The resort’s new Learn to Ski in 3 package gives first-time skiers and snowboarders three group lessons with lift access and rental equipment. Participants who complete all three sessions receive a Grad Pass providing unlimited skiing from March through closing day.
Schweitzer is also introducing a six-week Women’s Wednesdays instructional program and two additional private group experiences. A Crow’s Bench Cellar Dinner will offer a six-course meal with wine selections, while the Rowdy Grouse Elopement Package creates an on-mountain wedding option for groups of up to 10 people.
The mountain is tentatively scheduled to begin its 2026-27 ski season on Nov. 27, conditions permitting.
