DONNELLY, Idaho — In early March, the Boise National Forest approved Tamarack's special use application for a possible expansion that would triple the amount of terrain for skiers and snowboarders.
Tamarack Resort has plans to build five new lifts, including a gondola that goes from the base to the summit on 2,099 acres of forest service land.
The plan would also feature a new year-round facility on top of Lone Tree Peak serviced by the gondola, expanded operations for hiking and biking, a new climbing route, a possible mountain coaster and projects that would protect the area from wildfires.
"We currently have 1,110 acres of skiable terrain and to take that from 1,100 to 3,400 acres of skiable terrain is significant," said Tamarack general manager Scott Turlington. "The overall guest experience would be greatly enhanced."
Part of the expansion also includes adding snowmaking equipment, currently Tamarack uses manmade snow to build their terrain parks and put on events like the rail jam or the pond skim that happened this past weekend to close out the winter season.
The forest service accepting the application is the start of a long NEPA process which will include an environmental impact statement and several chances for the public to comment, Tamarack currently operates on private and state endowment land.
"We are going through all the different alternatives where everyone from coast to coast gets to comment on what we are proposing to do," said Turlington.
In the meantime, Tamarack has other news as they will start restoring the old Robert Trent Jones golf course near Lake Cascade at the end of April or early May.
"The driving range will be the first thing we open, we expect to have the driving range sometime mid to late July," said Turlington. "The course will be completely renovated and rehabbed before the end of this year which means the summer of 2023 we will have the opportunity to start getting out and playing if not all 18 holes, a portion of the 18 holes."
Every time I go to Tamarack they have something new or something new in the works.
The Seven Devils Taphouse will open next winter featuring 230 indoor and outdoor seats, Tamarack will regrade the base area where the domes lived for so long to make it a flatter surface for guests and they have plans to build their first hotel.
"It’s been amazing we are moving at breakneck speed," said Turlington. "In a few months we will be able to announce a hotel, our first true hotel, you can see and really feel that the whole vision is coming together."
Tamarack is gearing up for its summer season, but guests also need to be aware that there will be a lot of construction and activity happening this summer.
