While ski areas across the West wait for colder temperatures and natural snowfall, one Idaho ski area already has a substantial amount of snow ready to go. Bogus Basin, the nonprofit ski area outside Boise, has uncovered an enormous pile of snow that has been sitting beneath insulated panels since March.
Bogus Basin says approximately 60% of the snow survived the summer, despite temperatures on the exterior of the insulation reaching 118 degrees. The preserved snow will now be used to help prepare the mountain for winter operations, which are tentatively scheduled to begin Saturday, November 21.
Saving Snow Through the Summer
This marks the second year Bogus Basin has used Snow Secure, a Finnish snow-storage system designed to preserve large quantities of snow through the warmer months. The technology uses insulated, weather-resistant panels to protect snow from melting, allowing resorts to reuse it when winter returns.
Despite receiving record-low snowfall during the 2025-26 season, Bogus Basin managed to store even more snow than it did the previous year. When crews covered the pile in late March, it measured approximately 35 feet high, 80 feet wide and 330 feet long.
Throughout the summer, temperatures beneath the panels averaged just 34.7 degrees, allowing roughly three-fifths of the original snow pile to survive until November.
Bogus Basin first experimented with the technology in 2025, becoming the first ski area in the United States to pilot Snow Secure. That initial experiment demonstrated the potential of storing snow through the summer and helped the mountain open limited terrain over Thanksgiving weekend, despite unusually warm conditions.
The approach has since attracted interest from other North American ski areas. According to Bogus Basin, Snowmass, Buttermilk, Big Sky, Powder Mountain, Soldier Hollow and Proctor Academy have all invested in the same technology.
Bogus Basin Targets November 21 Opening
Bogus Basin’s mountain operations team removed the insulated panels from the lower section of Coach’s Corner on Tuesday, November 10. With colder weather and favorable snowmaking conditions expected, crews can begin using the preserved snow to establish a base for early-season operations.
“With a change in the weather coming this weekend, the timing was ideal for removing the insulated panels.” -Bogus Basin Snowmaking Manager Jonathan Ostrow
The ski area hopes to eventually expand its snow-storage program enough to reduce its dependence on natural snowfall and narrow snowmaking windows. Preserving snow from the previous winter could also reduce the water and energy required to produce enough snow for early-season operations.
For now, Bogus Basin is targeting November 21 to begin winter operations, although the date remains dependent on weather and snow conditions. The resort has not yet confirmed exactly which lifts or trails will be available.
The ability to uncover a substantial supply of snow before winter even begins gives Bogus Basin a head start as it prepares to welcome skiers and snowboarders back to the mountain.
