A summer road trip in the Rockies should include time in southern Idaho, where a half-dozen ski and snowboard mountains flip to summer.

There's no shortage of strenuous biking and hiking, relaxing strolls through the wildflowers, music performances and more around the base areas of South Idaho's mountain resorts -- from Idaho Falls to McCall to Boise.

Bogus Basin continues its summer renaissance. It's home to Idaho's only mountain coaster, with 4,330 feet of twists and turns at up to 25mph. The Boise home hill's Basin Gravity Park debuts a one-mile beginner X-C trail, an extension of the Around the Mountain route, and a technical downhiller.

Tamarack takes advantage of its lakeside location by building a watercraft fleet over the last couple of summers. This summer, new jet skies and surf boats joins with paddleboards, kayaks and pontoon boats on Lake Cascade. On the hill, the 27-mile MTB park expands with a couple of intermediate flow trails, and a summit loop.

Kelly Canyon has begun lift-served MTB action to deliver riders to an 18-mile network of trails, plus a 4-mile special loop that will be a training ground for interscholastic riders. New at Kelly, just outside of Idaho Falls, will be UTV side-by-side rentals.

Brundage has built a 20-year reputation of solid hiking and biking trails on the mountain near McCall. The mountain added six new trails for this summer, including a dramatic uphiller into Lakeview Bowl. A scenic chairlift ride unveils a 360-degree view of Payette National Forest and environs.

As usual, Sun Valley offers up a plethora of summer activities and events for summer visitors. Downhill MTBers can ride the gondola to the ridge atop Bald Mountain while, down below, the resort links with a 30-mile cruiser system of paved, non-vehicle riding. Events highlight with performances on the famous ice rink at the resort above McCall.

Neither Soldier Mountain, Pomerelle nor Pebble Creek spin chairlifts during the summer. So at Soldier outside Boise and Pomerelle near Twin Falls, uphill MTBers take the lead to climb the mountain on their own. Just south of Pocatello, Pebble Creek will be open for special events and private affairs only.

All of Idaho's five Indy Pass destinations are a bit out of the way, but that's a good thing for short lines, long views, and uncrowded trails.

Soldier Mountain opened its new mountain bike park this past Friday, after a raging wildfire last summer prevented the park’s 2020 grand opening. 

With two Idaho resorts just added to Indy Pass -- Soldier Mountain and Pomerelle -- it makes sense to hit the road for a circumnavigation of the Gem State's off-the-beaten-track, unpretentious mountains that honor the Indy Pass.

Soldier Mountain Ski Area in Fairfield, Idaho, and Pomerelle Mountain Resort in Albion, Idaho, have joined the Indy Pass, and each resort will provide Indy Pass holders with two days of skiing or riding through the end of the 2020-21 season. 

Wildfires raging around the Magic Valley were a common event this summer and Camas County’s Soldier Mountain Resort felt the burn firsthand.

The Phillips Fire has now burned 2,121 acres north of Fairfield and passed through the heart of Soldier Mountain Ski Area in the process.

Diane and Matt McFerran co-own Soldier Mountain in Fairfield. After purchasing the resort in 2015, they put it up for sale late last year for $800,000 dollars, and they’ve had some interest, but no offers.

Ever dream about waking up seeing sunlight cresting over a mountain ridge? Or skiing whenever you feel like it? Or helping people live their own adventures out in the forest and powder?

Owning a ski resort would be a fantasy, right? Well, now there’s a place in Idaho where that dream could become reality.

The new owners of Soldier Mountain have had a nice first year at the central Idaho day-trip mountain – and now local charities will join in the good fortune.

Idaho is known for its wild and powdery backcountry that can be reached slowly on foot, or for those less patient, by snowcat at seven locations and helicopter at one.