Overview
The White Cloud Mountains of Idaho are a small in length, just about 20 miles, but they contain some great skiable peaks with a vast wilderness feel. The reason is that they are in a wilderness area and the access keeps most folks out. The White Cloud Mountains are right across the valley from the heavily trafficked Sawtooth Range that steals most of the folks away. The White Cloud Mountains see much less snow than the Sawtooth's, but hold some very large and aesthetic even "classic" lines off Castle Peak most notably.
Skier access
Head north on the 75 out of Ketchum, up and over Galena Pass and into the Sawtooth Valley. Continue north until you hit the 209 to 4th of July trailhead. In the winter this is a very long approach, but it's very easy snowmobiling. Either way, planning to spend at least one night is a good idea. We drove snowmobiles into just past 4th of July lake and camped. The next morning we skied down to Washington Lake and climbed up the ridge divide and dropped down a fun short ski into the Chamberlain Creek Basin.(I would recommend bringing a rope to slope cut, this is a very wind loaded slope and very prone to avalanching) Crossing over the upper lakes we traversed and contoured and dropped down to the base of the huge south facing lines on Castle Peak.
