Island Park resort helps create fun in the snow

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI)- Hidden by the trees and the snow, the Sawtelle Mountain Resort plays host to many who seek to have fun in the mountains, especially during the winter.

"In the wintertime, it's 100% the snow bunch of snowmobilers. People who love getting out and playing in the powder come up here," Richard Turpin, general manager of the resort said. He says they also have the ability to rent out fun motorized sleds to all who wish to explore the woods at a fast pace. "They've got lots of options, everything for beginners and experienced snowmobilers alike," Turpin said.

A yearly tradition for the resort is the "Fat Pursuit," a fat tire bike race. Jay Petervary, the man behind the event, says after nine years a change was made to the event. "This year, we've actually changed venues and changed the route and opened it up to bike and ski." Making this change has been really beneficial for the event he said.

Jay says some of the participants in the race took a little over a day to finish the 200 kilometers or 124 miles. "There were somewhere 29 out or 25 hours or something. But there are people finishing now and through tomorrow, so some people will take two plus two and a half days," Petervary said.

Next week, the resort will take part in Island Park's winter fest event.