Schweitzer Mountain Resort, United States
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About Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Village 1,399 m. Facts: verified.
A ski resort with its village at 1,399 m and its top at 1,949 m. It has 74 km of runs and 10 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap. The runs drop 728 m, from 1,949 m to 1,221 m. For beginners and families: 54% of the km of runs are green or blue (beginner to intermediate). For experts: 31 km of advanced, expert and freeride runs. It is usually in season from December to April. The snow is usually deepest in February, about 1.0 m at the top (1,949 m). For skiers the best month is usually February, with about 4 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Sandpoint.
Schweitzer is a ski resort in the northwest United States in northern Idaho, 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Sandpoint. Located in Bonner County in the Selkirk Mountains, it overlooks Lake Pend Oreille to the southeast with views of the Bitterroot and Cabinet mountain ranges. The ski area is approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of the Canada–US border. Doing business as Schweitzer Mountain Resort since 1988, in April 2021 the ski area adjusted its brand name to drop the words "mountain resort" to now be known only as "Schweitzer."
From the Wikipedia article Schweitzer Mountain, shortened. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
The ski area
Runs from 1,221 m to 1,949 m: 728 m of vertical. 74 km of runs and 10 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap for Schweitzer Mountain Resort.
| Easy | 1.4 km |
|---|---|
| Intermediate | 39 km |
| Advanced | 31 km |
| Not graded | 3.1 km |
| Chairlifts | 8 |
|---|---|
| Drag lifts | 1 |
| Magic carpets | 1 |
Measured along each mapped run, so it can differ from the resort's own figure. Ski area data © OpenSkiMap.org and OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
For families
54% of the km of runs are green or blue (beginner to intermediate).
No public pool, ice rink, leisure centre, ski school or childcare is mapped within 5 km of the village. That may mean nobody has mapped them yet.
The Family filter counts these. Check opening times before you go.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 8 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to GEG, direct.
See flights MDW → GEG · Skyscanner from about £195 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 50 from the airport to Schweitzer Mountain Resort.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Sandpoint, 12 km (about 20 min by car)Ad
Schweitzer Mountain Resort is 12 km from the beds: plan on the drive each day you ski.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Sandpoint, 12 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Sandpoint 20 min by car · rooms from £80 a night · where Schweitzer Mountain Resort stays
Places to stay in Sandpoint · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire, lessons and lift passes.
Ski lessons in Sandpoint · GetYourGuideAdSki and board hire · SkisetAdLift passes · Resort website
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Schweitzer Mountain Resort on Google Maps · Directions
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Lifts closed for the season. They usually open about 25 November.
Forecast
The score, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Fresh72 h | Depthtop, mid, base | Coldestat top | Windat top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -1°C | wind, 3 knots |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 2°C | wind, 4 knots |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 2°C | wind, 4 knots |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 3°C | wind, 4 knots |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 4°C | wind, 4 knots |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 0°C | wind, 5 knots |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | 4 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -4°C | wind, 8 knots |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | 10 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -6°C | wind, 8 knots |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to.
Snow by month
| Month | Base1,399 m | Mid1,674 m | Top1,949 m | Coldestat the top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov | 0.1 m | 0.1 m | 0.1 m | -5°C |
| Dec | 0.5 m | 0.5 m | 0.5 m | -8°C |
| Jan | 0.9 m | 0.9 m | 0.9 m | -9°C |
| Feb | 1.0 m | 1.0 m | 1.0 m | -11°C |
| Mar | 1.0 m | 1.0 m | 1.0 m | -9°C |
| Apr | 0.8 m | 0.8 m | 0.8 m | -5°C |
Typical snow on the ground in the village, halfway up and at the top: the middle value over 2016 to 2025, from ERA5-Land reanalysis at the grid cell nearest each height. Not a forecast, and not the groomed pistes: resorts make snow lower down.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight MDW to GEG, then 2h 50 by road. About 8h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Wed 21 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Thu 22 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Fri 23 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sat 24 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight MDW to GEG, then 2h 50 by road. About 8h 25 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,940–£3,060 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to GEG, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £195–£410 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Transfer | shared airport transfer, return | £70–£120 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £215–£360 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Lift pass | 5 days | £1,000–£1,350 |
| Ski hire | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £165–£275 |
| Total | £1,940–£3,060 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Book the trip
Airport to resortAd
Transfers · Hoppa (ad)Where to stayAd
Nearest beds: Sandpoint, 12 km (about 20 min by car) · Booking.com (ad)Ski holidays · Crystal Ski (ad)Lift passes
Lift passes · Resort websiteLinks marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.