Moore Family Vacation at Silver Mountain (After)

Skiing at Silver Mountain

Skiing at Silver Mountain

It was a Friday morning in Graham, Washington in 1994. My parents woke my brother and myself up while it was still dark so we could get an early start to our trip. My mom’s 1987 white Toyota 4-Runner was packed full of skis, poles, boots and other gear. My brother and I slept the first few hours of the car ride. After we woke we played several games of travel bingo to pass the time. I specifically remember the surroundings being just as boring as the drive to Pullman. We had to make many stops along the way since my brother and I were antsy kids who couldn’t sit still for long amounts of time.

We finally arrived in Kellogg in the early evening on Friday. We found the house we had rented for the weekend and unloaded the car. The house we were staying in was a cute little rambler decorated like a ski cottage. There was a large breezeway when you first entered the house with shelves and hanging units to store ski gear and let it dry out after a day on the mountain. This was very useful. My brother and I each got our own bedroom. The house also came equipped with an outdoor hot tub and a kitty. We couldn’t have found a better place to stay.

I originally learned to ski on cross country skis which aren’t optimal for use at ski resorts. These were the only skis I had at the time so on Saturday morning we had to rent skis for me before heading up to the mountain. We went to a small rental shop in Kellogg and rented a small pair of skis they called “vomit”. This gear was so much nicer than any of the gear I had ever used before and I was in love with it. Once we rented my gear we boarded the gondola. This is an experience I will never forget because I had never been on a gondola or anything like it before.

Hanging Out in Front of the Lodge

Hanging Out in Front of the Lodge

We spent all day Saturday and Sunday skiing and enjoying the mountain. The weather was perfect with clear blue skies both days. When Monday morning came around we were sad to leave but had an amazing weekend.

Moore Family Vacation at Silver Mountain (Before)

Moore Family at Silver Mountain

Moore Family at Silver Mountain

For as long as I can remember I have loved the snow. As soon as I could walk, and probably even before then, my parents were taking me up to the mountains. I started skiing when I was about three years old. Growing up in the Moore family we didn’t take family vacations to Disneyland or the usual warm, tropical vacations spots. Instead our family vacations consisted of packing up the car with all of our ski gear and heading to check out a new mountain. These are some of the fondest memories I have as a child.

Since Silver Mountain hasn’t opened for the season and I didn’t get the chance to ride there last year my story for Silver Mountain goes all the way back to 1994. Things have changed drastically in Kellogg, Idaho since 1994. Silver Mountain Resort built the Morning Star Lodge along with its indoor water park. The gondolas also look a lot different these days.

Although the village area at Silver Mountain has greatly expanded my experience at Silver Mountain as a child was unforgettable. I hope I get the opportunity to ride at Silver again this year for the first time since 1994.

Me at Silver Mountain in 1994

Me at Silver Mountain in 1994