Brundage Ski Resort In McCall, Idaho
Brundage is the type of resort that doesn’t have to try to be big to be cool it just naturally is a cool resort. It’s humble, quaint and quite honestly some of the funnest terrain I’ve ever skied. There isn’t a lot of vertical with its main base lift Bluebird Express sits on top of 7630 feet in the sawtooth mountain range near McCall, ID. I think what makes it great is the tree skiing found off the main runs.
The two main areas I spent time on are the Bluebird lift and Lake View lift. Lake view is the sorter of the two but honestly has some of the funnest terrain around. Right down the middle of the lift is where you’ll find great skiing and for some really fun powder you’ll want to jump off the backside of lake view. Be warned it’s easy to get lost on the back side of Lake view so please go with someone that knows this area so you can get back safely.
Bluebird Lift
Bluebird is the high speed quad and gets you from the base to the top. The views are breathtaking from this area so make sure to take your time and take it all in. Usually the ski patrol builds a really awesome snow sculpture mid-season which can be a crowd’s favorite.
From bluebird are some amazing tree runs inside the northwest passage and sidewinder is honestly great most of the time. You’ll catch some really great jumps right down the face of bluebird from the local shredders.
Centennial lift
Centennial lift is the longest lift that takes you between bluebird and lake view. Dixie a a tree filled run that I had a blast with and became my favorite section of the mountain in the area. Dixie has some steep sections and wide open tree area which made for some really fun and safe conditions. It’s not commonly skied by most and we found powder days after the storm which was a great surprise
Lake View Lift
Lake View is the shorter lift but really is unique with it’s pristine views of the Payette Lake in the heart of McCall area. The backside of Lake View is steep but short, the nice thing about this area is the powder lasted the whole time I was there (1 week) because it’s considered out of bounds and requires someone who I knows the area to get back to the trails safely. Hotshot run is one of the best of this area but my favorite is right down the face. It has some steep areas and gets natural bumps after a half day of skiing. This area is a bit harder for kids because of the kickback run is pretty steep and scary for new riders.
Overall Brundage Rocks
The food selection at brundage is second to none – it’s always packed with happy people that love skiing which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to be in. The ski shop crew is awesome and if you get your gear tuned or waxed they’ll give you a free beer coupon. How cool is that!
I look forward to my days at Brundage for all the reasons above, the people are friendly, the vibe is cool and everyone is there to just have a great time. Even on a busy day it never feels crowded. I live in Utah but I buy a season pass there every year.
