Schweitzer's tentative opening day for the 2026/27 winter season is Friday, November 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving. The resort invites skiers and snowboarders to break out the skis, wax their boards, and dust off their kit for the season kickoff at Idaho's largest ski resort near Sandpoint. The date is tentative and weather/snow dependent, and the resort notes more details are to come. Lift tickets and Ikon Pass access apply once the mountain opens.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Open to the public with a valid lift ticket or pass.

Schweitzer Tentative Opening Day 2026/27

Santa and Mrs. Claus come to Schweitzer on December 23-24, 2026, joining skiers and riders on the slopes and bringing holiday magic across the Village. This free, family-friendly holiday tradition sees the big guy lead a parade of kids down the mountain. Additional daily details are still to come from the resort.

Ski With Santa at Schweitzer 2026

The Schweitzer Alpine Racing School (SARS) opens its youth Home Series with Race #1 on December 31, 2026, running on the Primetime run at Schweitzer. The Home Series is a developmental youth ski racing program held on the mountain. The specific race announcement (start times, discipline, divisions) is still to come; registration and details are handled through the SARS race portal.

Schweitzer Alpine Racing School (SARS)

Youth alpine racers in the SARS Home Series program.

SARS Home Series Race #1 at Schweitzer 2026

New Year's Eve Night Skiing is Sun Valley Resort's family-friendly ring-in-the-new-year celebration held on Dollar Mountain — the resort's beginner and terrain-park hill, which reopens for the 2026-27 winter season after being closed in 2025-26. On Thursday, December 31, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, skiers and riders take moonlit turns under the lights, with live music under the stars and a dazzling fireworks display at 9:00 PM sharp. Warm up between runs at Carol's Dollar Mountain Lodge, where food and beverage options are available. Registration is required and tickets go on sale in fall 2026. Note that season passes are NOT valid for this event; however, existing Sun Valley Season Pass or Sun Valley Lift Ticket Card holders will have their night-skiing ticket loaded directly onto their card, so there is no need to visit the ticket window — they can head straight to the lift. As of early September 2026 the official event page confirmed the date, 6:00-9:00 PM time, Dollar Mountain / Carol's Dollar Mountain Lodge location, and 9:00 PM fireworks, but ticket pricing had not yet been published.

Sun Valley Resort (Recreation Department)

Family-friendly; open to skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. Dollar Mountain is beginner-friendly terrain.

Not applicable — this is a night-skiing celebration, not a scored competition.

New Year's Eve Night Skiing at Dollar Mountain

Dollar Mountain — Carol's Dollar Mountain Lodge (Sun Valley Resort)

The Schweitzer Alpine Racing School hosts a Northwest Cup alpine race weekend at Schweitzer on January 10-11, 2027, running on the Zip Down race trail. The NW Cup is a regional alpine ski racing series in the Pacific Northwest. Spectators reach the race arena via chairlift. Registration and detailed race information are handled through the SARS race portal.

Alpine ski racers registered in the Northwest Cup series.

Schweitzer Alpine Racing School / Northwest Cup

SARS Northwest Cup Race at Schweitzer 2027

Schweitzer celebrates the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, January 15-18, 2027, with the Deschutes Red Chair Weekend. A Snow Bar in the Village near the Clock Tower serves Deschutes beers from Friday evening through the weekend (weather permitting), and the celebration features a Saturday torchlight parade and fireworks alongside a full weekend of skiing and riding. Specific event times and additional programming are still to come.

MLK Weekend Festivities & Fireworks at Schweitzer 2027

Schweitzer hosts the SARS Western Regional Speed Series, January 24-26, 2027, on the Cathedral and Zip Down race trails. This is a regional alpine speed racing event (speed disciplines such as super-G/downhill); the specific race schedule and disciplines are confirmed through the SARS race portal. Spectators access the race arena via chairlift.

Alpine racers entered in the Western Regional Speed Series.

SARS Western Regional Speed Series at Schweitzer 2027

The Starlight Race Series is Schweitzer's four-week adult (21+) evening race series for skiers, snowboarders, and tele-skiers, held Fridays February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2027 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Teams of five race two timed laps each week, with the top three team scores counting toward weekly and cumulative standings under a custom scoring format. Helmets are required to race. Each night features games and prizes at Taps, and the February 26 finale is a party with a costume contest and live music.

Adults 21 and over; skiers, snowboarders, and tele-skiers all eligible.

Weekly games and prizes at Taps; costume contest at the February 26 finale.

Cumulative team standings across four weeks using a custom scoring format (top three team scores count each week).

Starlight Race Series 2027 at Schweitzer

Schweitzer celebrates Presidents Day weekend, February 12-15, 2027, with a full holiday weekend of skiing and riding plus festivities including fireworks and a "Let It Glow" parade. Specific event times and the complete activity lineup are still to come from the resort.

Presidents Day Weekend at Schweitzer 2027

The Schweitzer Alpine Racing School hosts a SARS EEYSL youth ski race, February 19-20, 2027, on the Loophole run. EEYSL is a youth ski league; this is a developmental youth alpine race. Spectators reach the race arena via chairlift. Registration and race details are handled through the SARS race portal.

Youth alpine racers in the EEYSL youth league.

SARS EEYSL Youth Race at Schweitzer 2027

Schweitzer's MegaDemo Day on March 6, 2027 lets skiers and snowboarders test next year's gear from over 20 brands bringing more than 400 pairs of skis and snowboards. Buy a demo ticket, pick equipment, have certified reps fit your bindings, ski about an hour, then return to swap for something new. The event is a fundraiser supporting the Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE). Full pricing and details are still to come.

Open to the public; skiers and snowboarders who want to try next-season gear.

MegaDemo Day at Schweitzer 2027

Schweitzer's annual IFSA Junior Regional freeride competition, the "Lakeside Chute-Out," returns March 12-14, 2027. Junior freeskiers and snowboarders take on Schweitzer's steep, challenging big-mountain terrain and are judged on line choice, control, fluidity, technique, and style as they compete for podium spots and IFSA ranking points. The event is sanctioned by the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA); registration is through IFSA and requires an IFSA membership.

International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA)

Junior IFSA freeride athletes (ski and snowboard) in eligible age categories.

Podium placings and IFSA regional ranking points.

IFSA-judged big-mountain scoring; results and rankings posted by IFSA.

IFSA Junior Regional "Lakeside Chute-Out" at Schweitzer 2027

On Community Day, March 26, 2027, Schweitzer sells $20 lift tickets with 100% of proceeds going directly to Community Cancer Services in Sandpoint. Skiers and riders come shred the mountain for a cause, and even non-skiers and season passholders can support the community by purchasing a $20 ticket. It is Schweitzer's annual charity ski day.

Open to the public; anyone can buy a $20 ticket to ski or simply to donate.

Community Day at Schweitzer 2027

The Snow Ghost Banked Slalom returns to Schweitzer March 27-28, 2027, a hand-dug banked slalom race for skiers and snowboarders across multiple age and ability divisions, run in partnership with 7B Boardshop. Racers charge a course of banked berms and turns; helmets are mandatory. 100% of proceeds benefit the Bonner County Skatepark Association's Sandpoint skatepark expansion. Entry fees and full registration details are still to come.

Open to skiers and snowboarders across divisions: Groms (6-12), Amateurs (13-17 and 18-34), Masters (35+), and Open, in Men and Women categories.

Division awards; proceeds support the Sandpoint skatepark expansion.

Timed banked slalom; fastest times per division. Results posted by the resort/7B Boardshop.

Snow Ghost Banked Slalom at Schweitzer 2027

Schweitzer wraps up the 2026/27 season with the Schpring Finale, April 10-11, 2027 - the resort's closing weekend celebration. Skiers and riders enjoy the last laps of spring skiing and gather for closing festivities, with closing day on Sunday, April 11, 2027. Specific closing-weekend activities are still to come from the resort.

Upcoming Action Sports Events in Idaho