Kellogg, Idaho — After a mostly dry winter, Silver Mountain Resort saw some snow over the past week. Unfortunately, this snowpack proved unstable, resulting in a rare inbounds avalanche.
At around 4:30 p.m. on Friday the 13th, two skiers were caught in an avalanche on the Moonshine trail. Three bystanders and a ski patroller were around the area and responded to the scene. The duo was rescued without any notable injuries. Following this, Silver Mountain did an extensive search for any other individuals. Luckily, nobody else was discovered.
Situated in the Chair 4 terrain pod, Moonshine is rated as a double black diamond. Silver Mountain Ski Patrol reportedly did avalanche mitigation on Moonshine earlier in the day.
Following the slide, Silver Mountain conducted more avalanche mitigation across the mountain and gradually opened more terrain as the weekend continued. Unfortunately, wetter weather followed, leading to some terrain closures.
This isn’t the first inbounds avalanche that has occurred at Silver Mountain. In 2020, an inbounds slide on Wardner Peak resulted in the death of three individuals. In response to the slide, a portion of Wardner Peak is now permanently closed.
About Silver Mountain
First opened in 1967, Jackass Ski Bowl was once a hard-to-reach ski resort. Guests had to drive up and down a steep access road. It was also known as Silverhorn for a good chunk of its history before taking the name Silver Mountain Resort. Meanwhile, the town of Kellogg was on the decline due to mine closures and its designation as a Superfund site.
Then the gondola changed everything. Installed in 1990, the Silver Mountain Gondola is the longest in North America. The lift eliminates the need to use the road, creating a safe, less stressful trip up the mountain. Silver Mountain Resort has gradually expanded its infrastructure in Kellogg, including a golf course, hotel, indoor water park, condos, shops, and restaurants.
Image/Video Credits: Silver Mountain Resort, Jon Conti
