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Brought to you by Tamarack Resort
Tamarack Resort, ID’s, application to expand its terrain by over 2,000-acres has been approved by Boise National Forest. The expansion will make Tamarack the eighth largest resort in North America.
“Tamarack Resort has shown they have the resources to move forward in the special use process, and as a result, the proposal will enter into the beginning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.”
– Tawnya Brummett, Boise National Forest supervisor
The proposal will now be opened for public comment here.
“I’d like to emphasize that the acceptance of the proposal does not mean that the expansion will be permitted. It is just the first step in beginning the environmental analysis and public involvement that is required for this type of project.”
– Tawnya Brummett
Tamarack submitted the special use permit application to the U.S. Forest Service to expand and enhance operations at the all-season destination in January 2021.
The submission followed more than 18 months of groundwork completed by Tamarack as it updated its Master Development Plan (MDP), which sets the resort’s long-term development vision and identifies the mountain terrain necessary for expanding winter and summer operations on lands administered by the Boise National Forest.
In August 2020, Tamarack submitted the final MDP to the U.S. Forest Service. Filing an application for a special use permit was the next step in the lengthy process.
In its original application, Tamarack proposed:
- An expanded lift network of six new aerial lifts, including a 10-passenger, base-to-summit gondola, three detachable quads, and two fixed-grip triples.
- An upgraded terrain network covering an additional 3,300 acres.
- Enhanced guest services facilities, including a year-round facility atop Lone Tree Peak that would serve as a destination for the base-to-summit gondola for both scenic lift rides and dining.
- Expanded all-season operations, including nearly 20 miles of new hiking and mountain biking trails covering approximately 980 acres.
- New recreation offerings, including a via ferrata area — a climbing route that employs steel cables, rungs, and ladders affixed to rock — and a mountain coaster.
“This application represents another step in the process of completing the grand vision of Tamarack Resort. We’ve all worked hard to get to this point, and we know a lot of work remains to be done. We look forward to continuing to work with the professionals at the U.S. Forest Service, and we are eager to begin engaging the public and other stakeholders in the public process that will soon follow the submission of this application.”
– Tamarack Resort President Scott Turlington
Tamarack Resort is an all-season destination situated on 3,500 acres, located 90 miles north of Boise in Tamarack, Idaho. From on-site lodging, dining, and event space to the full range of outdoor recreation in the Idaho mountains, there is an adventure for any season. The winter brings 2,800 feet of vertical on 2,000 mountain acres for skiers and snowboarders, along with Nordic and snowshoe trails. During the summer, the resort is home to mountain biking, ziplining, hiking, rafting, and watersports on Lake Cascade.
