STORY AND PHOTO BY TONY HARRISON

In addition, the snowcat terrain is open and has extraordinary coverage.

"Our backcountry has so much coverage that we were able to build a road directly to the top of Peak 1, which has never been done before," General Manager David Alden said. "There is no snow shortage above 7,000 feet, and there are snowcat seats available."

Soldier Mountain is open Thursdays through Sundays plus Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents' Day through April 12. Cat skiing is available seven days a week.

For guests purchasing lift tickets online, full-day tickets cost only $59 for adults, $39 for youths 7-17, and $49 for seniors, veterans, and active military. Children ages 6 and younger are free.

All lift tickets require an RFID card, which has a one-time cost of $5 each. Lift tickets purchased at the ticket window cost an extra $15. Tickets for the Miss Belle magic carpet cost $19 online and $26 at the ticket window.

LADIES DAY PROGRAM BEGINS THURSDAY

Next week the resort is launching its inaugural Soldier Mountain Ladies Day Program, a four-day workshop the next four Thursdays -- Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, and Feb. 5 . It is designed to gather female skiers and boarders of all levels on the slopes to have fun and improve their skills.

The program, which costs $249, includes 1-1/2-hour lessons at 10 a.m. and lunch at noon. The resort asks guests to contact Emily at 208)-539-1235 for more information.

Season passes are still available. Adult (18-69) premium passes with no blackout dates cost $449 and standard passes, which cannot be used Jan. 17 or Feb. 14, are $349.

Musher passes reserved for Camas County School District students and standard youth passes -- both for kids ages 7-17 -- cost $99, collegiate passes with no blackout dates cost $199, and military passes with no blackout dates cost $399. Senior season passes cost $249, and children ages 0-6 ski and snowboard free.

Soldier Mountain's backcountry snowcat trips boast 2,000 skiable acres and 3,000 ft. of vertical that tops out at nearly 10,000 ft. above sea level and includes big open lines, rolling glades, steep trees, and extreme chutes. Guests also enjoy epic views of the Sawtooths with Smoky Dome, the highest point in the Soldier Mountain Range and Idaho's 21st most prominent peak, towering in the background.

Single "cat scratch" seats on the snowcat cost $579 and will be cancelled if there are not more than six confirmed for the day. Guests can book the 12-seat cab privately, too, for $5,790 per day, $10,990 for two consecutive days, or $11,490 to spend the night in the mountain yurt between the two days of skiing.

Skiers can have Soldier Mountain all to themselves on the days it is typically closed to the public -- Mondays through Wednesdays except holidays -- starting at $10,000. The lodge offers custom foodservice options that can include breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. It can be booked separately for private dining events.

Established in 1947, Soldier Mountain is a family-friendly mountain resort located near Fairfield at 1043 N. Soldier Creek Rd. in the Soldier Mountains of the Sawtooth National Forest.

It is about two hours from Boise, 80 minutes from Sun Valley, and 90 minutes from Twin Falls.

The resort offers skiing and snowboarding on 35 named trails and a terrain park on the frontside comprising 1,150 lift-served skiable acres and 2,000 acres of snowcat-accessible backcountry.

Soldier Mountain has two chairlifts reaching an altitude of up to 7,177 ft., a magic carpet, and a tubing hill. In the summer it offers five mountain biking trails, a skills park, and a nine-hole disc golf course. Its lodge restaurant serves homemade fare while The Fox Den Pub provides guests with a cozy spot to hang out after a great day on the mountain.

Camping spots are available at the end of the resort's parking lot at Pioneer Campground and along the road beyond, and motel lodging and vacation rentals are available in Fairfield about 10 miles away. As an Indy Pass partner, Soldier Mountain also offers season passholders discounted Indy Passes as an add-on. Visit https://soldiermountain.com/ for more details.