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Whitefish Mountain Resort Releases Next Year’s Pass Prices; Blacktail Extends Ski Season

On Big Mountain, skiers 70 and above begin paying a discounted rate while Blacktail prices remain flat for third consecutive year

By Beacon Staff
TJ Habel shows off for the crowd at the annual pond skim competition at Whitefish Mountain Resort on April 8, 2017. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

As Whitefish Mountain Resort prepares to wrap up the 2018-19 winter season with its annual suite of costume-clad celebratory events April 6-7, Blacktail Mountain announced it will stay open at least an additional two weeks with discounted lift tickets for season pass holders at any Montana ski area.

It’s a sacred time of year for skiers and riders in the Flathead Valley, for whom the close of winter is a time for reflection, reverie, rad lines, and ruminations about the changing of the seasons, the long, enduring winter and the cure for what ails us — powder skiing.

But for Skiers 70 and older at Whitefish Mountain Resort, the close of this winter marks another “R” word — rates.

Beginning this December, skiers 70 and older will have to pay to make their turns at Whitefish Mountain Resort, a departure from the years-long deference paid to “super seniors,” a once-rarefied fleet of silver-surfers and skiers who have long enjoyed receiving free passes as a token of the resort’s appreciation and a congratulatory gesture for still being able to bomb downhill on a pair of planks.

But on March 2, in a move that’s sure to ruffle some gray hairs, the resort announced that people 70 years and older will now have to pay $135 for a season pass and $25 for a lift ticket, due in large part to the rocketing number of skiers belonging to this demographic.

Dan Graves, CEO of Whitefish Mountain Resort, stated in a press release the growing number of older skiers contributed to the decision to end the free season pass program.

“Whitefish Mountain Resort is home to an extremely active population, and this particular age demographic is healthier and more active than ever and currently represents a growing segment of our skiing population,” Graves said. “We are very much in awe of these dedicated skiers, however each year of growth has added to the demands of our facilities. We are happy to continue to offer a deeply discounted product for this group, we just need to ensure our business remains sustainable into the future.”

Resort officials said the super seniors are be eligible for “additional perks” next year with their season pass.

According to the resort, the 2019/2020 adult pre-season pass is $675; senior (ages 65 to 69) and college student passes are $575; teen passes are $370; and junior passes are $195. Children 6 and under will still be able to ski for free. Prices will increase on Sept. 30. The adult pass increases to $1,000 on Oct. 1 and $1,300 on Nov. 15.

The resort is offering season pass holders three ways to pay: all at once, a two-payment plan or a six-payment plant. Besides endless skiing, pass holders receive discounts at restaurants and some shops on the mountain. Pass holders can also use it for chairlift rides in the summer.

For more information, visit https://skiwhitefish.com/passes/

Still, the weekend is certain to bring smiles as the 14th annual Pond Skim gets underway at 2:30 p.m. April 6, offering a $1,050 cash purse to the winner. Skimmers must be 16 years or older to compete, and costumes are mandatory — the more outlandish, the better. It costs $30 to pre-register and includes a t-shirt.

For full rules and details or to pre-register visit skiwhitefish.com or call (406) 862-2910.

Snowboarders charge down Badrock on at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. Beacon File Photo

Meanwhile, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area in Lakeside has announced that it is transitioning to a weekends-only schedule but will extend its season to the weekend of April 13-14 and even longer if the conditions hold up.

The ski area is also offering skiers a bargain with $25 lift tickets for pass holders at any other ski area in the state, and it announced that its rates for the 2019-20 season would stay the same for the third year in a row.

Check out Blacktail’s season pass rates here.