Skis in snow in winter season, mountains and ski items or equipments on the top in dolomites,

Tri-Citians who have a long weekend or a few days of vacation time during March could find an adventure with a trip to Boise, Idaho for a day of skiing at Bogus Basin, a stay in a fine hotel, and some excellent dining options.

Boise, Idaho is a little over five hours by road from Richland. Divided highways will take the traveler from the Tri-Cities, through Oregon, and to the southern part of Idaho, where the capital of Idaho, population 235,000, awaits the visit. While fine dining, shopping, and other advantages that a large city has to offer its tourists, it has a showcase ski area in Bogus Basin that will afford fun for the entire family.

Bogus Basin is a mere 16 miles up a well-groomed road from the city of Boise. There are very few areas in the Pacific Northwest where skiers can access such a wide variety of slops from a large city in so few miles. Here in Washington, to arrive at our major ski areas from metropolitan areas normally takes a couple of hours or more. So, it’s a pleasure to run the slopes all day and drive only 30 minutes to get back to a downtown hotel.

This ski area was developed in 1942 and offers year-round, outdoor adventures. However, it’s the 90 trails covering 1,800 vertical feet that bring the fun to the winter months. Because access is quick and easy, skiers can take advantage of long days riding the four high-speed quads or 10 other lifts on the mountain. The entire month of March should provide excellent weather and snow conditions. The storm that crossed the area the last few days of February dropped 15” of fresh powder! The forecasts are for more snow over the next couple of weeks, so March is the month to make this journey happen.

The price for an alpine lift ticket is $79.00/day and $69.00/after 1:00 p.m. Children 10 years and younger are charged $10.00/day. There are various prices for teens. Seniors pay $57.00/day and $49.00/after 1:00. Because Bogus Basin is a non-profit mountain recreation area, all proceeds from ticket sales go to improvements to the area and its facilities, education, and outreach. This mountain truly is a community gem in the Treasure Valley.

A downtown hotel that is affordable and offers an excellent walking score is the Grove Hotel (3 star) at 245 S. Capitol Blvd. Calls for reservations can be made at (208) 333-8000. Prices for rooms at the beginning of March are approximately $150.00. While in Boise, a memorable and close destination to eat would be the Basque Market at 608 W. Grove St. Boise has a large Basque population and the Basque Market offers traditional dishes from the Basque region in Spain. Of 497 restaurants rated in Boise on TripAdvisor, this special place is ranked #4!

The city of Boise has so much to offer. It’s surrounded by areas of recreational opportunities, including Bogus Basin. If you are looking for a long weekend destination for a ski adventure, consider Boise and its beautiful mountain.

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