History of Brundage
The Beginning
Reprinted with permission from the Star News. By Tom Grote
People who know Jack Simplot know that he usually means what he says. That’s why Corey Engen listened when Simplot told him McCall could use a new ski area.
The time was the late 1950s. Engen, a former member of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team, was teaching skiers at the Little Ski Hill, which was then the center of snow sports in McCall.
Simplot, head of the huge J.R. Simplot Co. in Boise, was a regular visitor to the Little Hill when he visited his home along Payette Lake in the winter.
“Jack came up to me and said, ‘when are we going to get something bigger?’ ” Engen recalled. “He said, ‘If you want to go up on the big mountain, I’ll put up the money’”.
This was the impetus that led to the building of Brundage Mountain Ski Area, which this year is celebrating 45 years in business as one of the West’s best powder ski areas.
Engen knew that he could only pull off a feat as a new ski area with the help of his friend, Warren Brown, who then was the owner of the Brown Tie and Lumber Co. sawmill along Payette Lake.
Brown had been responsible for talking Engen into coming to McCall in 1938 to teach skiing to the town’s children at the Little Ski Hill.
The natural choice in all of the Payette National Forest for the location for a new ski hill was Brundage Mountain, elevation 7,640 feet, the peak of which was visible across Payette Lake from McCall.
Engen said the mountain’s characteristics lended itself well for a ski hill, and its closeness to existing logging roads that could be improved cinched the decision.
In the spring of 1961, Engen made several trips on foot to the top of Brundage Mountain, and looked down the hill to the northwest, the best angle to avoid harsh southern exposure to the sun.
Engen imagined in his mind the best routes for ski runs, and most importantly, the Riblet chairlift that would carry skiers to the peak.
“There was tremendous amounts of bushes and trees,” he said. “I was trying to see if I could find a spot at the bottom while looking from the top, and I found a big, old white fir.”
Next, he went to the McCall Smokejumper Base and borrowed one of the colorful parachutes used by smokejumpers.
He put the parachute in the fir tree so he could better see it from the top of the mountain and set the rough line along which the main chairlift now runs. Once the layout was plotted, the real work began with financial backing from Simplot and help in cutting bureaucratic red tape from Wally Lancaster, who was a ranger for the Payette Forest at the time.
That summer, men and equipment from the Brown’s Tie and Lumber Co. left their usual duties and began clearing the slopes under the watchful eye of Engen and Johnny Boydstun [hill manager at the time].
“It was all tough,” said Boydstun, now 87. Besides clearing the runs, Boydstun recalled that something had to be done about the bottom land that was to serve as the area’s parking lot.
“The parking lot was more or less a swamp,” he said. “A creek went right through the middle of it, but we had lots and lots of slash for filling and leveling.”
By the end of the summer, the Main Street and Alpine runs were completed. Also built was the original lodge, called the Triad Lodge, that was constructed by Warren’s son, Frank.
The big fir tree that Engen first spotted was cut and the base of the first double chairlift was built.
A t-bar and rope tow were added and the area was ready to open for business in the fall of 1961. “By golly, we got it open for Thanksgiving,” Boydston said. “Governor Smylie was here and helped dedicate the thing. And it was a good snow year, too.”
Engen, who managed Brundage Mountain from its opening until 1970, said the hill lacked the kind of modern grooming equipment taken for granted today.
“We had what were the beginnings of snow cats, but they’d just dig a hole in the snow and give up.” he said. “We packed a lot of the slopes by foot. It was nothing but work in those early years.”
Major Milestones in Brundage History
Mid-70’s
The second chairlift, Brundage Creek (also known as Chair 2) was added along with several new runs
1990
Centennial Triple Chairlift is installed, serving new terrain that expanded Brundage’s skiable acreage by over 30%
Brundage Mountain is named home of Idaho Winter Games
1991
Brundage Mountain opens during the summer months for lift-served Mountain Biking and scenic chairlift rides
1993
Brundage Mountain’s terraced grassy amphitheater is built and established as a unique, outdoor concert venue
1994
US Forest Service approves expanded catskiing area on Granite Mountain and Slab Butte
New Children’s center and Easy Street beginner area and triple lift are built
Single track mountain bike trail system established
1996
Brundage Mountain Whitewater Adventures is established on the Salmon River
1997
April 12th – the last ride on the old Pioneer Chairlift (Chair 1). It was removed and the new high-speed quad, the BlueBird Express installed.
2003
Five new runs and the lift line from the base of Centennial to the top of the platter hill are cleared
2006
DeBoer family acquires full ownership of Brundage Mountain resort
Long-anticipated Land Trade with US Forest Service is completed, giving Brundage Mountain ownership of 388 acres around the base area, and creating the opportunity for future real estate development
2007
Brundage adds two new chairlifts and opens 160 acres of south-facing terrain in the Lakeview Bowl. The Lakeview Lift services that new terrain, while the new Bear Chair connects runs at mid-mountain to create a more beginner-friendly learning area.