There’s nothing like a little taste of springtime in mid-winter to put a little extra spring in your step (or a little extra swing in your turns). We got that kind of boost today in TWO ways.

Our Rodeo terrain park made its debut today. There are 5 new features for you to try out on upper Rodeo and one on lower Rodeo.

On top of that, what started as a foggy gray morning turned in to a sunny, spring-like T.G.I.F. treat.

We got a skiff of fresh snow overnight, so the corduroy was soft and creamy right from the get-go today.

Spirits got even higher as the sun broke through and we glided down those creamy, dreamy, uncrowded slopes.

Naturally, a sunny Friday afternoon requires slope-side rehydration.

A couple of our extra- cool lift attendants were dressed to chill today.

Souls were definitely uplifted on Rodeo, where freestylers were road-testing the brand new features.

Is it the blue skies overhead…?

The sensation of reaching for the sky yourself…?

Or maybe just the fact that it’s Friday? All we know for sure is that we’re riding high and ready to saddle up for a great weekend. Yee Haw!

- April

When it comes to value, a free three-day weekend on the slopes is a heck of a perk. That’s just one of the advantages of purchasing your 2012/2013 Season Pass when our Early Season Pass Sale begins Friday, February 17.

The other? You can save up to $200 and ski or ride the rest of this season for FREE, Bonus Weekends included.

But all that added value won’t cost you extra. We’re offering Next Year’s Pass at Last Year’s Price through March 4. We’re also rolling back the price on our Brundage/Bogus Basin Combo deal.

You can check out the full pricing schedule here. And mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on this chance to save BIG, and enjoy the Best Snow in Idaho…for many months to come.

As you are getting on the blue bird quad, have you ever asked yourself, how does this lift slow down when we load, speed up, then slow down when we unload without ever changing speeds?  What goes on up there that allows that to happen?  Well, here is a closer look at what is going on behind the scenes in the motor room.

As the chairs come into the terminal there is a metal plate that the actuating wheel strikes as it enters.  This opens the grip and allows the chair to detach from the haul rope.  The haul rope continues around the bull wheel and never decreases its speed.  The chair is then propelled around to the load area by a set of tires running over the tread plate on top of the grip.  These tires slow the chair to a manageable speed for loading and unloading.  After you sit on the chair and begin to exit the terminal the tires push the chair through another strike plate that clamps the grip back onto the haul rope which is moving at its full speed, around 1000 feet per minute. As you come into the top terminal you will notice that the chair speed slows just before the unload ramp.  This is because the process of detaching from the haul rope repeats at the top terminal to allow the chair to slow and for you to exit the chair comfortably.

Top of grip, the flat black part is the tread plate, the yellow circle is the actuating wheel.

Wheel assembly propelled by belts and pulleys

Electric motor, primary mover.

Diesel Motor, secondary mover.

Within the motor room and towers there are thousands of parts moving constantly to make this process happen repeatedly throughout the day.  Along with safety mechanisms, haul rope and carriers, for everything to happen correctly, precision is key.

So next time you are getting ready to load the Blue Bird Quad, take note and give thanks to the miracle of vertical transportation.

KEEP THE FUN ALIVE!

-Cory

The sun was shining bright this weekend and while most of our guests have been RAVING about the slope conditions on the main runs, a steady stream of freestylers was surging through our newly-constructed terrain park on Bear

Work begins this week on the larger features on Rodeo, but as you can see in the photo gallery below,

there was plenty of style on display at mid-mountain this weekend. Click on any photo below for a larger view.

- April

Mother Nature put all her cards on the table for this year’s Diva Day. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and slope conditions divine today as we welcomed a lively Saturday crowd to the mountain.

It wasn’t just our 4th Annual Diva Day event that made the day spectacular. The slopes were fast and forgiving and our visitors brought a real spirit of slack-tastic celebration to the mountain.First, let’s talk about the skiing. We’ve had 8″ of new snow this week and nice, cold overnight temperatures, so the slopes started the day as cool, carvy corduroy.

The sunshine kept us cozy all day long, and the slopes stayed forgiving all day.

Whether our Divas were dropping off trail to shred a little hidden powder in the trees…

Riding an almost-moguled steep under a lift line…

Or cruising around showing off their divalicious style…the spirit of the day was hard to ignore.

I hope this friendly blond gal knows about the spa package drawings sponsored by Spa Del Sol. (She could sure use a facial).

There’s something not-quite-right about the diva duo above…

The trio below seems to have it together.

Our annual girlfriend getaway brought an extra touch of class (and sass!) to the mountain.

We paired that up with some relaxing perks like free chair massages. (Thank you, Spa Del Sol!)

And an apres ski yoga practice.

(Some of these ‘gals’ can use more practice than others, as you see in the photo below.)

Good energy was flowing freely, and it was a perfect fit for this sunny, slack-tastic Saturday.

- April

The sun is shining, the slopes are smooth and buttery and we’re ready for a weekend full of fun and adventure.

We’re also excited to roll out some fresh features in our terrain park on Bear.

Our park crew has constructed two kickers and two rail-type features for your freestyle enjoyment.

Here’s a look at the top of the park.As you can see, experienced skiers and riders can go pretty big off these features.

But the goal of the Bear Park is for people to practice up, hone their skills and review the Smart Style code before moving on to bigger challenges.

The first step for any freestyle experience is to review the signage and the responsibility code. We call it ‘getting smart’ to smart style, and you can review the basics in the video below.

Starting small and working your way up is what our Bear Park is all about.

We invite you to sharpen your skills this weekend on Bear because we’re planning to have the first part of the Rodeo park ready by next weekend.

Have Fun!

April

The early morning snow report alerted the faithful powder hounds that something delightful may be afoot. (Or underfoot, as the case may be).

Four inches is right in that decision zone for a lot of us, especially when it’s a 24 hour snow total and not the overnight accumulation. It’s so easy for doubt to enter the decision-making process. “What if it’s not that deep?” asks a voice in your head. “What if it’s all tracked out?”.

If the blue sky and bright sunshine didn’t wash the doubt away, then we feel for you. Why? Because today was one of those days when four inches skied like eight and those who didn’t question their faith in Brundage Mountain were rewarded with RICH BLESSINGS .

Untracked lines are always plentiful at Brundage mid-week, and cruising down this slope was like floating on feathers.

It’s been cold at night all week long, so that ‘four inches’ from yesterday teamed up with the ‘four inches’ from Monday to create knee-deep delights on the steeper slopes.

The open glades were full of fluffy, forgiving, fresh snow.

I almost felt guilty for skiing so many sweet, untouched lines with so little effort, so little competition.

But maybe the sunshine and spectacular slope conditions are a reward earned by those who visited today.

For their willingness to put aside their doubts, put off the day’s responsibilities…and put their faith in the mountain that always delivers.

- April

Photographer: Bill Wanrooy. Skier: Danny Arnold

As we watch more snowflakes flutter to the ground today, our powder pursuits are renewed.

No where is the powder more pristine and plentiful than in the backcountry surrounding Brundage Mountain.

This is our first week for guided tours through Brundage Mountain Snowcat Adventures. If you’re considering a trip, this short video may help you make up your mind. The video and the photo to the right are not from the archives. (They were both from this weekend.)

Here’s more info on the program and the incredibly affordable pricing.

- April

Today I am happy to announce two new things.  One of them has been anticipated by some of our guests, and the other is expected.  First, our terrain park crew has been busy.  They have been able to put up some intermediate features on Bear.  This includes two rails and two rollers that will soon be table tops.  This is the first push toward building our entire park.

Stay tuned as more features will be built in the very near future.  Efforts are also in motion to put in the park on Rodeo…we’ll keep you posted on that.

Second, I can announce FRESH SNOW!!  Nearly five inches of fresh snow has fallen on the slopes and revamped our powder fields and our spirits.  Groomed runs are soft and silky, off trail, tracks are covering over and softening.

This photo was taken on one of our “Groomed” runs.

So was this….

If you looked hard enough off trail, this was to be found……

and this….

and this…

and this…

and this….

He is in there somewhere!

As always Brundage welcomes you to enjoy these new experiences as they become available.

KEEP THE FUN ALIVE.

-Cory

Winter Carnival always brings a fun, festive attitude to our entire area.

This year, it also brought an extra dose of enthusiasm to our slopes.

The six feet of fresh snow we’ve accumulated in the last two weeks might have SOMETHING to do with that.

Our slope conditions have stood up beautifully to the carnival crowds.  We can thank the single-digit overnight temperatures for freeze-drying the snow left by Thursday’s storm. Light, fluffy powder lasted all the way through the weekend.

But people found other ways to express themselves in the spirit of Winter Carnival.

Our mascot, Bruno Bear, danced through the streets downtown during the Mardi Gras Parade.

You can view more great photos of the parade in this slideshow from the Idaho Statesman.

We found some of the most colorful carnival expressions at today’s Kid’s Snowcastle Experience.

Inspired by the snow sculptures on display all over town, these aspiring artists put their own creative spin on the concept in our base area.

First, they used molds to sculpt the castles into shape and add some flair.

Then, they personalized their castles by adding bursts of color.

While this group was busy leaving a festive mark in our base area, many of our other visitors chose to leave their mark higher up the mountain, in the form of smooth, graceful tracks traced through the soft, forgiving powder.

For others, a more heart-felt message emerged.

But in the end, the greatest expression was displayed in the skies above us.

As nature’s final act of the day stole the show.

- April