SANDPOINT — It’s no secret North Idaho winters can be long, gray, and dreary. Once the clouds come in November, it feels like they don’t part again until May. At the same time, the Panhandle’s long snow season makes it a hotspot for recreation; the best way to beat the winter blues is by sliding and gliding over the area’s cross country and downhill ski trails. 

Skiing, however, is among the more expensive recreational activities. Between equipment, lift passes, transportation and Sandpoint’s rising cost of living, many residents and families are at risk of finding themselves priced out of the area’s winter pastime. 

To ensure the community can enjoy the best part of winter, local organizations like North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund launch initiatives each season to promote affordable access to the mountains. 

Every year, NIMSEF provides equipment, passes and lessons that allow about 70 kids to ski at Schweitzer who otherwise wouldn’t be able to.  

“It's based upon economic need,” said Jeff Rouleau, NIMSEF’s director. “I think it helps those kids to feel included.” 

The program is supported by community donations and is sponsored largely by Schweitzer itself. Kids ages 7–17 are eligible to apply before the Oct. 15 deadline each year, and successful candidates receive free ski gear for the winter, a season pass and lessons if they need them.

NIMSEF got its start when Rouleau helped teach a lesson for public school students visiting the mountain for a day. Rouleau later read a letter from a Clark Fork student who thanked the instructors but told them he wouldn’t be able to afford to come back. 

“The mountain needs infrastructure,” Rouleau said. “The whole community is really what makes this thing happen. And yet, people who work in that community, a lot of them can't afford to have their kids go skiing.” 

“So, I thought, ‘let's find a way to help them out,’” Rouleau added. 

Now, the program is entering its 15th year and expects to give out its 1,000th scholarship this season. NIMSEF also offers adaptive ski gear and a program designed to get disabled veterans on the slopes. 

For area residents aiming to score deals on equipment before the season, Sandpoint Alpine Racing School’s preseason ski swap is their best chance to do it. The Nov. 9 event acts as a major fundraiser for the nonprofit ski racing club, but doubles as a chance for locals to gear up for a fraction of the ordinary cost. 

“If you're a family that has kids, or maybe you just don’t have the funds to go all in on all new stuff, it's a great place to find pretty good prices on gear,” Jamie Landwehr, program director at SARS, said. 

The event will run 8 a.m.–2 p.m. at the fairgrounds, but a line will begin to form long before doors open. 

“It's first come, first serve. So, if you're there early, you have a better selection of gear,” Landwehr said. Alternatively, “you show up at noon, and your buyer experience is a little bit better, because it's not so chaotic,” said Landwehr. 

It’s also a chance for area skiers to sell unused or outgrown equipment and get some value back. 

“To try to sell stuff one-off on Facebook — it's pretty hard,” Landwehr said. “We have a box of stuff at our house that’s our ‘ski swap box,’ and every year we sell what we can sell.”

The event is staffed by SARS’ 260 ski racers who work long before and after the event to set up and tear down the swap. 

“We're essentially setting up a massive retail shop for a six-hour sale,” said Landwehr. “Friday morning, that building is virtually empty, and by Saturday night, it's empty again.” 

According to Landwehr, the swap averages 7,000–9,000 items per year, ranging from alpine ski equipment to cross-county gear, snowshoes and winterwear. 

While Schweitzer serves as an exceptional spot for local downhillers, skiers looking for something slower paced might visit the cross-country trails at Pine Street Woods. There, Sandpoint Nordic Club operates a cozy cabin and offers classic and skate skis of all sizes for rental.

“Last year, we received a $12,000 grant to replenish our fleet,” said Claude Goldberg, the club’s executive director. “Our whole deal is to be affordable and accessible for the community.” 

Sandpoint Nordic Club also hosts local students grades 3–6 for ski sessions at the trail system. 

“Last year, we did 867 kids,” Goldberg said. “It's just grown exponentially.” 

Visiting students are equipped with gear and taught skiing techniques, including how to get up after falling on the ground. “That's important. They do a lot of time on the ground,” Goldberg said with a laugh. Afterward, students receive a cup of hot chocolate and a coupon for a free rental to come back on a later day. 

Sandpoint Nordic Club also operates a youth ski league and a scholarship fund for young skiers. The Longhini Scholarship helps enable local families to afford membership, equipment and race registrations; last year, the club awarded $2,700 across nine families. 

“We just do what we have to do to get everybody on skis,” said Goldberg. 

Ultimately, that’s the common goal of NIMSEF, SARS and SNC. Enabling all Sandpoint residents to ski helps them get through North Idaho’s prolonged winters and offers community members a lifelong sport to enjoy. 

“It gives them something positive and healthy that they can do in the wintertime,” Rouleau said of NIMSEF’s program. “It’s something you can take with you for your whole life.” 

“Very few people go play basketball or football with their grandpa,” said Landwehr. “My kids can go skiing with their grandparents,” he added. “It’s a really neat sport like that.”