Cottonwood Butte

{{Short description|Ski area in Colorado, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox ski area | name = Cottonwood Butte | picture = | caption = | location = Idaho County, Idaho, U.S. | nearest_city = Cottonwood: {{convert|6|mi|0|abbr=on}} | pushpin_map = Idaho#United States | pushpin_relief = 1 | coordinates = {{coord|46.0755|N|116.4528|W|type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_label_position = | map_caption = Location in Idaho | vertical =    {{convert|845|ft|abbr=on}} | top_elevation = {{convert|5730|ft|0|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|5566|ft|abbr=on}} - lift | base_elevation = {{convert|4721|ft|abbr=on}} | skiable_area = {{convert|260|acre|km2}} | number_trails = 7 | longest_run = {{convert|0.7|mi|abbr=on}} | liftsystem = 1 T-bar<br>1 rope tow | snowfall = {{convert|45|in|cm|abbr=on}} | lift capacity = | terrainparks = | snowtubing = | snowmaking = no | nightskiing = Fridays in January | external_link = [http://www.cottonwoodbutte.org/ cottonwoodbutte.org] |}} '''Cottonwood Butte''' is a mountain and modest ski area in the western United States, located in north central Idaho, west of nearby Cottonwood. Its summit elevation is {{convert|5730|ft|0}} above sea level and is the highest point on the Camas Prairie, {{convert|2100|ft|-1}} above Cottonwood.

==Ski area== The ski lift unloads about {{convert|160|ft|-1}} below the summit at {{convert|5566|ft}}, yielding a vertical drop of {{convert|845|ft}}. The slopes are on the northeast flank of the mountain, served by two surface lifts: a T-bar and a rope tow. The average snowfall is {{convert|45|in|cm}}.

The ski area opened {{Time ago|1967}} in 1967,<ref name=cottski67>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L6FfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3661,3740987 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho |title=New ski area will include Empire's two longest runs |date=November 22, 1967 |page=9}}</ref><ref name=bigfun>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gsBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4009%2C3736307 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|title=Big fun on the small hills |last=Huntington |first=Rebecca |date=January 30, 1997 |page=1C}}</ref> although skiing had previously taken place on the mountain with portable {{nowrap|ski tows.<ref name=cottport57>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LKtfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3770,5277332 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|title=Cottonwood ski area to get portable tow |date=December 10, 1957|page=8}}</ref>}}

The area operates from 10 am to 4 pm on weekends and holidays, and Friday nights (6–10 pm) in January.

==Radar station== During the Cold War, the mountain was the site of Cottonwood Air Force Station, an early warning radar installation of the U.S. Air Force. The project was made public in 1955,<ref name=aftcsnltn>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B_pXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qfYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4449%2C3398089 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|location=Washington |title=Air Force to construct station near Lewiston |agency=Associated Press |date=June 11, 1955 |page=5}}</ref><ref name=arlout>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P6QRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vOYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1775%2C1375112 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington|title=Another radar layout slated |date=September 27, 1955 |page=1}}</ref> construction began in 1956,<ref name=rfjbagg>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SgNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q_YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=816%2C4868357 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|location=Washington |title=Radar facility job begun at Geiger and Mica Peak |date=January 27, 1956 |page=b3}}</ref> and it went operational in early 1959.<ref name=cottread>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AzJWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7174,5122799 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokesman-Review|title=Cottonwood radar unit is readied |agency=Associated Press |date=November 30, 1958 |page=18}}</ref> The radar tower was at the summit and the cantonment of the station was at {{convert|4400|ft|-1}}, about a mile (1.6 km) below the present base of the ski area on Radar Road. The 27-unit family housing area was built in the city of Cottonwood, on Butte Drive in the north end.<ref name=oapfcwam>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JzFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5647%2C2620959 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington|title=October arrival planned for Cottonwood airmen |date=July 11, 1957|page=6}}</ref>

The radar was significantly upgraded with a new tower in 1962,<ref name=cottmons>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jcZeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LDIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5454,3871564 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|title=Cottonwood Butte monster to be clad in a cocoon |last=Moore |first=Clarence |date=March 25, 1962 |page=3, section 2}}</ref> but the station was obsolete within three years and was {{nowrap|deactivated.<ref name=cottmem>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=raZfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5448,2717362 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho |title=Memory of Cottonwood Butte will go with major to Thailand |last=Lamoreux |first=Steve |date=May 17, 1965 |page=8}}</ref>}}

===Job Corps=== The buildings of the cantonment became a Job Corps center in 1965, supervised by the U.S. Forest Service.<ref name=jbcrapp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qzdWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7483%2C3025887 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington |title=Job center approved |date=March 11, 1965 |page=6}}</ref>

===Correctional facility=== After nine years, the Job Corps center was transferred to the state of Idaho in 1974, and was converted to the minimum-security North Idaho Correctional Institution (NICI).<ref name=cottcorr>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PJdfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5025,3870347 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |last=Roche |first=Kevin |title=State signs lease on Job Corps site |date=November 15, 1974 |page=16A}}</ref><ref name=idoccott>{{cite web|url=http://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/locations/prisons/north_idaho_correctional_institution |publisher=Idaho Department of Corrections |title=North Idaho Correctional Institution |accessdate=November 21, 2011}}</ref>

The state's department of lands built a fire lookout at the summit, which also supports various communications towers.<ref name=cottroad>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HbVeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KDAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5113,2087478 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|title=Anyone for the road? |last=Hedberg |first=Kathy |date=August 10, 1995 |page=5A}}</ref>

==Video== *[https://vimeo.com/54636685 Cottonwood Butte]

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * [http://www.cottonwoodbutte.org/ Cottonwood Butte.org] – ski area * [http://www.go-idaho.com/Cottonwood-Butte-Ski-Resort/ Go-Idaho.com] – Cottonwood Butte * [https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/alpine-skiing-snowboarding/cottonwood-butte-ski-area/ Visit Idaho.org] – Cottonwood Butte * [https://skimap.org/SkiAreas/view/484 Ski Map.org] – trail maps – Cottonwood Butte * [http://www.skiidaho.us/resorts/cottonwood-butte Ski Idaho] – Cottonwood Butte  * [http://www.idahoskiresorts.com/overview.cfm/id08/CottonwoodButte Idaho Ski Resorts.com] – Cottonwood Butte

Category:Ski areas and resorts in Idaho Category:Landforms of Idaho County, Idaho Category:Buildings and structures in Idaho County, Idaho Category:Tourist attractions in Idaho County, Idaho Category:Year of establishment missing