Businesses in Crouch and Garden Valley face declining sales due to low snowfall and warm temperatures. Low snowpack is also a concern for locals.
GARDEN VALLEY, Idaho — Low snowfall and high temperatures are taking a toll on businesses in Crouch and Garden Valley as fewer visitors translate into slower sales.
At the Crouch Mercantile and Country Store, owner Jennifer Schmitt says customer traffic has dropped noticeably compared with last year.
“And just not as many people just here to come in and look around and find something that says Garden Valley or Crouch or something to take back with them. So, it definitely, definitely is affecting our sales,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt and her husband bought the store two years ago. Aside from trinkets and local artists’ work, a big feature of their store is gas — specifically ethanol-free gas that’s popular for small engines like those in snowmobiles.
This year, that demand has fallen sharply.
“Especially with the gas sales, it’s definitely, I think the numbers were probably at half of what we were last January as far as gas sales, and the warmer weather, that affects propane sales as well,” Schmitt said.
With small amounts of snow along the riverbank, in parking lots and on mountaintops, places in Idaho like Crouch and Garden Valley are missing their usual seasonal traffic.
For Schmitt, the slowdown and lack of ability to get people to come to town are concerning.
“We tell people, you know, everybody that comes in just trying to get word out. So that’s been a big challenge,” she said.
Other businesses that are more reliant on snow are seeing the effects as well. Idaho Sleigh Rides in Garden Valley has closed for the season, with owners saying they got by but didn’t extend as far as in years before.
The Crouch local who owns Ridgetop Rentals bought snowmobiles for the season and a new snowplow. He said years before were not like this, but with no snow to plow, he hasn’t had much business.
Tenae Thomas, who works at a local bar, said winters are typically slow, but this season stands out.
“But I know that there is a slight difference. It’s not as busy as it should be without snowmobilers, sleigh riders, all that good stuff,” Thomas said.
A more pressing concern for locals is what the low snow means for the summer.
While business will pick up, the state of the rivers and the opportunity for wildfires is increased. Thomas still remembers the Bulldog Fire that happened in 2025.
“And it also can cause fire season to become a really good, like big thing. And nobody wants the fires, because nobody can come up, right?” Thomas said.
For businesses and residents in Crouch and Garden Valley, they’re hoping for a late dump of snow
Comments are closed.