Looking over Lookout Pass

Last week, I started my series of reviews with Schweitzer Mountain. This week, I headed to the Idaho/Montana border to check out Lookout Pass, the resort with fresh tracks almost daily.

Lookout Pass receives approximately 400 inches of snow annually, the most in the Inland Northwest. There are 540 acres of skiable terrain. According to their Web site, the resort is wind protected, helping them stay open during winter snow events. There are 34 named runs and two glade areas to go along with the tree skiing. Lookout is located just off I-90 at the border of Idaho and Montana, approximately 105 miles from Cheney. LIFTS- 2 out of 5 -- There are only four lifts covering the mountain, none of which are high-speed. The lifts stop occasionally making the wait even longer. With slow lifts, it can be tough to stay warm.

GROOMED TRAILS- 2.5 out of 5 -- 22 of 34 runs are groomed. The large amount of snow that Lookout accumulates makes for nice corduroy. Unfortunately, there isn't much variety and runs are short due to the lack of vertical drop (1,150 feet).

NON-GROOMED TRAILS- 3 out of 5 -- The lack of trails hurts the mountain, but the snow makes up for it. If there's new snow covering the mountain, then any skier or snowboarder can have a good time at Lookout.

TREE RUNS- 3 out of 5 -- Power can make or break tree runs. At this resort, there are always fresh tracks to be sought after. Considering the size of the mountain, tree runs make up a good part of the terrain. The fresh snow combined with the trees formulates the best part of the mountain.

TERRAIN PARK- 3 out of 5 -- The fact that there are two terrain parks on different sides of the mountain is the best part. The rails, boxes, mountains and kickers are good, but there isn't much variety between skill levels. A highlight of one of the parks is the 1,111-foot-long quarter pipe. It is nice to be able to explore the entire mountain knowing there's always a park close by.

LODGE- 4 out of 5 -- Lookout Pass recently finished a 6,000-square-foot expansion on their lodge and ticket area. The expansion makes it comfortable and the food is good. The full-service sports bar is great if you're trying to break away for a game on TV.

INTANGIBLES- 4 out of 5 -- If you're looking for a resort that is easy to get to, Lookout Pass is a great option. Located just yards off I-90, you can be parked and on the lift in no time. Knowing that there will be fresh powder consistently is a big bonus.

OVERALL- 3 out of 5 -- The biggest knock on Lookout to me is the lifts. The four slow lifts tease me as I'm sitting and waiting while watching all the untouched fresh powder below me. The lack of skiable terrain and vertical drop also lower my opinion of the mountain. But if it's been awhile since a storm has gone through, I can always count on Lookout Pass to have fresh tracks and deep powder. Oh yeah, a 1,111-foot-long quarter pipe doesn't hurt either.