In preparation for the upcoming 2018-19 ski season, Whitefish Mountain Resort has completed another round of improvements, while Blacktail is gearing up with a season pass sale event.
On Big Mountain, the newly remodeled interior of Ed and Mully’s Bar and Grill will greet skiers and riders this winter with a fresh look and design that allows more room for lunch and a ski-break beverage.
The remodel comes on the heels of last year’s exterior remodel, and adds window-side seating with a view of the slopes, a new large fireplace, lighting and carpet that furnishes the restaurant with a modern-mountain feel.
Visitors not familiar with the history of Ed and Mully’s might be interested to learn about its namesake — co-founders Ed Schenck and Whitefish’s “father of skiing” Lloyd “Mully” Muldown.
The original “Lodge” on Big Mountain was built on the current site of Ed and Mully’s in 1947 by Schenck, George Prentice and a small, local work crew. The Lodge, which housed the original Bierstube, caught fire on Oct. 31, 1963, three weeks before the opening of the ski season.
A few beer steins belonging to members of the Big Mountain Stein Club survived the blaze, as did a 50-cent piece in the jukebox, but the cafeteria and the Bierstube were destroyed.
The improvements to Ed and Mully’s build on the ski area’s pattern of recent investments, including making annual improvements like multi-million dollar remodels of the Summit House and Bierstube; expansions of the Base Lodge and Bike Park; and the addition of the Flower Point Chair and subsequent relocation of Chair 5, now called East Rim Chair.
The ski resort is also more popular than ever.
Last winter, the ski area surpassed the previous year’s record of 346,859 total skier visits, tallying more than 350,000 skier visits.
The record visitation emerged during one of the best winters on record, which saw Big Mountain accumulate 410 inches of snow, the second-deepest snowpack in 21 years, behind 2007-08 when it recorded 426 inches.
According to Whitefish Mountain Resort Chief Executive Officer Dan Graves, the ski area’s continued growth has enabled it to enhance the visitor experience by adding more terrain, services and infrastructure while maintaining its unique character and identity.
“We are pleased to continue what has been more than a decade of steady improvements at Whitefish Mountain Resort with the projects we’ve been working on this summer,” Graves said.
If all goes according to plan, skiers and snowboarders at Whitefish Mountain Resort could also be riding new terrain and chairlifts in Hellroaring Basin, including a new chairlift to the top of Hellroaring Peak, a popular area for expert skiers currently accessible only through backcountry travel.
According to the proposal, resort managers want to relocate the existing Hellroaring chairlift, with the lower terminal beginning at the Grand Junction area and the upper terminal near the entrance to the 1,000 Turns run.
A large portion of Whitefish Mountain Resort’s ski slopes are located on U.S. Forest Service land, so the proposed changes require approval by managers with the Tally Lake District of the Flathead National Forest, which will conduct an environmental analysis of the proposal.
The plan also calls for clearing eight new runs and some gladed areas; building a service road from the top of the Swift Creek Express Chairlift (Chair 2) to the Grand Junction area; constructing a cat track from near Hellroaring Peak to the Gray Wolf Run; completing three terrain modifications on the existing Hell Fire run and one modification on the existing Swift Creek run; and rehabilitating the Purgatory run and the portion of the existing Hell Fire run below Grand Junction.
The resort also replaced the North and South “Summit Cams” with a new panoramic ultra-HD digital PanoAlpin webcam system. The new “Roundshot Livecam” was installed on the Summit House and provide a 360-degree views of Glacier National Park, the Canadian Rockies and the Flathead Valley in ultra high-definition. The existing webcams have been repurposed — one replaced the “Hellroaring Chalet” camera while the other was used at the summit as a snow stake camera.
This winter, skiers should also head south to the Flathead Valley’s Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside, which is not only affordable, but it’s the only Montana ski area where you can drive to the top.
With views of Flathead Lake and the nearby Swan Mountain Range, the drive up is almost as enjoyable as the ski down. Every run is easy and accessible, making Blacktail feel like a secret spot for winter enthusiasts.
On Dec. 1, Blacktail is hosting its Wake Up Old Man Winter Party at Tamarack Brewing Co. in Lakeside, and offering another chance for locals to purchase their 2018-19 season passes.
Blacktail has also added more glading, extended its lower Little Salmon Run and finished a new run between West Ridge and Bucksnort.
Although it hasn’t yet set an opening date, visit its website at blacktailmountain.com to check out the storms hitting the hill, as well as for a snow report.
In early 2017, Blacktail founder Steve Spencer announced that he was selling his beloved ski area in hopes of passing it along to someone just as passionate about offering the community an affordable and accessible option for skiing as he is. The Spencer family still operates the ski area, and has had interest from potential buyers but nothing concrete.
Indeed, earlier this month, the ski area appeared in a Craigslist post, advertising “$3,500,000 Blacktail Ski Resort For Sale in Lakeside, Montana!”
Spencer said the ski area is profitable and enjoys potential for growth in both summer and winter activities, and a new owner could expand existing services.
“Blacktail Mountain is a gold mine,” the ad reads.
With opening days right around the corner, both Spencer and Graves are encouraging residents to pray for snow and get ready to commence another stellar winter.