The sun was shining and temperatures approached 50 degrees on Thursday as Bogus Basin General Manager Brad Wilson stood at the base of the ski resort near Boise — yet he said he was optimistic about the snow sport season ahead.

His sunny — or snowy — outlook was in part due to the mountain’s increased snowmaking capability as well as a favorable forecast for the next week.

“The long-range weather forecast is very encouraging,” Wilson said. “... It’s just been a long time coming.”

Bogus Basin will be open on weekends as of Saturday. When the weather allows, the resort will go to a seven-day-a-week operating schedule, Wilson said.

This year, the resort doubled its snowmaking capability, he said, which has allowed it to keep two runs covered from top-to-bottom despite the lack of natural snow and even with some of the more recent unseasonably warm temperatures. This also allowed Bogus to open Thanksgiving weekend for season pass holders.

The resort purchased its first snowmaking guns three years ago with a lot of help from the community, Wilson said, and it has increased the number of snow cannons each year since. This has allowed for more predictable opening days, he said, and the ability to adjust to the unusual weather this November and early December.

This year’s improvements also include three new grooming machines, which will allow staff to groom more of the runs. There’s also added parking capacity in the main lot, he said.

Two of the chair lifts will eventually have increased capacity, however, the additional chairs that were purchased have been held up by nationwide supply chain issues, he said. When the chairs are installed on the lifts, uphill capacity will be increased by around 30%, he said.

Returning skiers and snowboarders may also notice new marked terrain, which is the result of a U.S. Forest Service project to clear dead and dying trees from land owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The resort operates under a special use permit from the agency. The part of the project that took place in the ski area was completed this summer, Wilson said, and it cleared the way for five new marked trails.

A new food truck will also be located at the bottom of the Pinecreek chair lift on weekends and holidays.

Last year, with many people feeling cooped up in their homes due to the pandemic, the resort saw a record number of visits, Wilson said. This year, he’s seen an even greater pre-season demand.

Season pass sales were capped as they were last year to keep capacity at a manageable level, he said, and they sold out in September. Twilight season passes, which are for night skiing, sold out some time in October, he said. 

“The demand is there for skiing, for sure,” Wilson said.

Lift tickets for the weekend will be available to purchase online the Wednesday afternoon before. Wilson encourages visitors to buy tickets ahead of time to ensure a spot on the hill, because sales will be capped.

He said that last year helped management determine at what capacity the resort could operate “comfortably” and keep the best experience for the skiers. As a nonprofit ski hill, he said, it’s not as pressured by profitability. Keeping lift lines reasonable and crowding to a minimum are all priorities.

“We have a greater duty and that is a duty to our customers in the Treasure Valley,” Wilson said.

This year, guests will be required to wear face coverings inside when not eating or drinking, but not while in the lift lines or anywhere in the resort that’s outside.

The New Year’s Day Fireworks and Torchlight Parade will also return to the mountain this year, after being canceled last year, Wilson said.

Bogus Basin will be open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Glade Runner Mountain Coaster will be open on weekends 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. More information may be found at bogusbasin.org.