Hold off on the ritual burning of your Whitefish Mountain Resort season pass. While the resort shut its lifts down for the season Sunday, skiers can still ski at Blacktail Mountain where the Whitefish season pass is good for a discount.
Blacktail Mountain reports that its lifts will be open next weekend, April 12-13. “If we get enough skiers, we may open more,” says manager Steve Spencer.
On the tail of a banner snowfall year, the local mountains have yet to show the brown cancerous melt marks that so often are seen in late spring. This past weekend, instead of being a sun fest with corn snow, skies dropped even more snow. Despite cold temperatures, 60 pond skimmers showed up to Whitefish Mountain Resort in costumes: Batwoman, Britney Spears and leisure suits. For the second year in a row, Erik Wilson won the $1,000 first prize for sailing across the 85-foot-long pond.
Deep winter snowpack still allows for plenty of cross-country ski touring, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing for those willing to hike for turns. Glacier Country Avalanche Center still reports advisories on Fridays through mid-April.
For those still looking for lifts, Blacktail Mountain plans to stay open. Season-pass holders from Whitefish Mountain Resort can get discounts at Blacktail – a full day of skiing at the $28 half-day rate. College students and active military with ID can get the same deal. Also, fifth-graders with proof of grade get a free lift ticket.
Hang on to that ski pass. The season isn’t quite over yet.