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About West Central Idaho Air Access Air Access
Construction is well advanced on the Tamarack Resort 30 miles east of Council, the first destination mountain resort to be built in North America in 20 years. The resort is located on the shores of lovely Lake Cascade and borders the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness area. It is conceived on a grand scale and as a year-round facility. Tamarack will bring many visitors to central Idaho.
There are now 25 runs and five lifts serving 700 skiable acres. Another 1-2 more lifts are scheduled for construction in 2005. The master plan includes a total of nine aerial lifts and five surface lifts to serve over 600 acres of groomed trails and 1,100 acres of skiable terrain. Winter snows here are of higher quality and deeper than Aspen, Vail, or Sun Valley, with an average snow pack of ten feet at the summit and six feet at the base. The snowmaking and grooming are state-of-the-art. Accommodations are designed in Swiss alpine village style, with a mix of quality shopping, restaurants, luxury hotel units, condos, single-family houses, and townhouses. At completion, the village will comprise about 2,000 living units. So far, there are 71 resort-built chalets and cottages and 22 private homes, with over 300 residential lots sold. Plans for 2005 include construction of a six-story Member's Lodge, completion of a nine-hole golf course by July, with another nine holes completed by Labor Day, boat rentals, a lakefront refreshment area, and 15-25 miles of bike trails. Summer days are clear with three times less rain than most resorts in the Rockies. The long golden autumn is perfect for hiking, hunting, and an extended golf season. Go to www.tamarackidaho.com for further details. Nearby Recreational Areas There are many experienced outfitters in the area to help visitors access and enjoy these unspoiled areas. Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area
It is named after former Idaho Senator Frank Church, a noted conservationist. The Wilderness offers world-class rafting on the Salmon River, hiking, horseback trail trips, and hunting in a wild and pristine land. The Salmon River was dubbed “The River of No Return” by early explorers who turned back there. Click here for more information.
From the top of Brundage Mountain you can see the Salmon River Mountains, Payette Lakes, and Seven Devils Mountains. There is a range of lodging in nearby McCall and a bus to the ski area. Construction of several new runs and expansion of the restaurant, First Aid station, and parking facilities are underway this summer. See www.brundage.com for further details. About Council The town is surrounded by farms and cattle ranches and borders a half million acres of public land. Council Valley has a long growing season and less severe winters than towns to the north and east. The population of the town and surrounding area is about 3000. For more information, go to www.councilidaho.net. To top
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Photo credits: Fishing photo, courtesy Rick Williams of www.idahoangler.com ; rafting photos courtesy of www.idahoguideservice.com; Tamarack photos courtesy of Tamarack Resort; Brundage photo courtesy of www.skitown.com
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Brundage Ski Mountain, an hour north of Council, offers groomed runs
and 38 trails on 1300 acres, a children's ski center (ages 4-12),
daycare (6 weeks-8 years), an adult ski school, and guided alpine
ski and snowshoe trips.