Ever fickle, the mountain gods were pleased this winter.

North Idaho skiers and snowboarders ripped up several hundred inches of fresh powder during the 2010-11 season, carving tracks on the steep slopes of Silver Mountain Resort, Schweitzer Mountain and Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area.

"I can sum up the season in two words: La Nina!" said John Williams, director of marketing at Silver Mountain.

High above Kellogg, Silver's twin peaks caught 401 inches of snow this year, Williams reported Monday. The ski area received just 240 inches last winter.

Uncharacteristic for early April, 26 inches of cold, light powder fell last Thursday, he added.

"It was a great, great end of the season," Williams said. "We loved this year. Partly due to the weather, obviously, and partly due to the improving economy."

Total visits increased by 22.3 percent this season, he said - another sign of a successful year.

Skiers and boarders can ride Silver Mountain on Saturdays until April 30. The resort might stay open later, depending on conditions. The raucous Leadman Triathlon - ski, bike, run - takes place on April 30.

Once the snow melts, Silver will gear up for the summertime season. Activities include mountain biking, golf and special events.

Check www.silvermt.com for the latest condition report and mountain schedule.

A few miles east of Silver Mountain, up the long slope of the Montana divide, Lookout Pass also enjoyed a banner year. 2010-11 marked the second-best attendance in the 75-year history of the ski area, according to president and CEO Phil Edholm.

Sixty-thousand skiers and snowboarders enjoyed Lookout's groomers, moguls and glades this year - a 5 percent increase from the 2009-10 campaign.

"Our record season was 2007-08, which was another big snow year, and that's when Chair 3 and the north aspect of the mountain first opened (63,000 skier visits)," Edholm wrote in an email.

Gross revenues also improved by 16 percent, he reported.

La Nina toyed with Lookout, too. The weather pattern blew in 513 inches of snow over 112 operating days.

Earlier this month, Lookout was named the Pacific Northwest's Favorite Family Friendly Ski Resort by OnTheSnow.com, a popular skiing and snowboarding database. The announcement came at a travel symposium in Beaver Creek, Colo.

"We feel honored to receive this award," Edholm said.

Summer is a busy season up at the Pass. The ski area operates the famed Route of the Hiawatha bicycle trail, a scenic traverse through the Bitterroot Mountains on the old Milwaukee Road railway line. The route was inducted into the Rails to Trails Conservancy Hall of Fame last year.

If the snows cooperate, the Hiawatha will open on May 28. Lookout Pass is closed until the trail's opening day.

Log on to www.skilookout.com for Route of the Hiawatha info.

North Idaho's biggest ski area, Sandpoint's Schweitzer Mountain, was blanketed with heavy snowfall this season. The mountain recorded 370 inches of white stuff, "Which is well above our average. We typically average around 300," said Dave Kulis, director of sales and marketing.

The snow was still good late in the season, he added, and the hounds were out for plenty of powder days. Schweitzer did not report skier visits, but Kulis said it was a positive year on the slopes.

"I think the season ended up really living up to a lot of expectations," he said.

Kulis saw signs of economic recovery at Schweitzer: People were spending money on lessons, merchandise, food and lodging, he said.

The mountain is now closed, but will reopen in late June for summer activities. A number of festivals, including huckleberry and microbrew events, are planned for the warm months.

Schweitzer will operate its Great Escape quad chairlift during the summer, carrying hikers and mountain bikers to the mountain's crest.

More info and schedules are available at www.schweitzer.com.