Summer is predictable. Even in Montana you know what you’re going to get – warm weather and sunny days, give or take a few tumultuous weeks here or there.
Winter, on the other hand, is harder to anticipate. In these mountainous coves of the Rockies, it can be a guessing game that changes from one moment to the next. Yes, it will be cold and dark, but what about a sudden snowstorm? Will a bluebird powder day arrive like a holiday gift, or will Mother Nature turn stingy with snow and blanket the region in grey?
Adding to the anticipation this year is the ultimate weather wild card – El Niño.
Above-average sea surface temperatures are sweeping across the Pacific Ocean, significantly influencing the winter’s weather patterns. Climate experts say this year’s El Niño could be one of the most powerful on record, meaning the Pacific Northwest could experience a dry, warm winter.
El Niño systems generally favor below-average temperatures and above-median precipitation across the southern tier of the United States, and above-average temperatures and below-median precipitation over the northern tier of the United States.
Whether that forecast comes true in the coming months is, as always, a guessing game. Only time will tell.
As winter settles in, the Beacon has organized a guide for all the various ways to make the most of the season. From top-notch skiing opportunities to ice fishing and other outdoor pursuits, to huddling up next to a fireplace or enjoying the many festivities that fill the calendar, the Flathead Valley has plenty to offer.
Summit Makeover at Whitefish Mountain Resort
Over $1.5 Million in improvements for the 2015-16 ski season
By CLARE MENZEL of the Beacon
Though echoes of the banging and clanging from summer construction didn’t carry down into the valley from the summit of Whitefish Mountain Resort, swarms of men and women ascended the 6,817-foot ski area during recent months to make some major changes. Resort management put $1.5 million towards changes to improve their aesthetics, guest services ability, and skiing experience. »»» READ MORE
Blacktail and Turner Gearing Up for Ski Season
Both ski areas expect to open in December
By CLARE MENZEL of the Beacon
Neither Blacktail nor Turner Mountain Ski Areas have an opening date set for the 2015-2016 season, but both mountains hope enough snow will fall in order to open during the first weeks of December. Blacktail, which overlooks Flathead Lake, began its 2014-2015 season on Dec. 22, and Turner, which is north of Libby, opened last year on Dec. 29. »»» READ MORE
Flathead Avalanche Center to Issue Daily Snow Advisories
Todd Hannan and Mark Dundas join the organization as full-time avalanche specialists
By CLARE MENZEL of the Beacon
For the first time in Flathead Valley history, the community’s avalanche center will issue public snow advisories every day of the week. Winter backcountry users have anticipated this historic expansion in services ever since the Flathead National Forest shuttered the struggling Glacier Country Avalanche Center in 2012 and reinvigorated local operations by opening the FAC. Last year, the FAC posted four advisories per week. »»» READ MORE
Fireside Sipping
Six cozy cocktail bars and brewpubs for fireside sipping when Jack Frost is nipping
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Beacon
The fellowship of firelight has been a great unifier for as long as we’ve been banishing darkness from our caves. »»» READ MORE
New Recommended Wilderness Sites in the Kootenai National Forest Closed to Over-Snow Vehicle Usage
Sites include portions of the Scotchman Peaks, Roderick and additions to the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness
By CLARE MENZEL of the Beacon
Updates to the 1987 Kootenai National Forest Plan restrict over-snow use on recommended wilderness land, which cuts the percentage of the 2.2-million acre forest that permits motorized recreation from 88 to 86 percent. »»» READ MORE
Nordic Escape
Almost every town has easily accessible cross-country skiing areas. Find your own
By CLARE MENZEL of the Beacon
While skiers at Whitefish Mountain Resort, Turner, and Blacktail have to sit tight for opening day to start making turns, Nordic skiers can start gliding and skating as soon as snow paints the ground. Here are a few local places to get your Nordic groove going. »»» READ MORE
Surviving Winter in the Flathead as a Non-Skier
From finding a new hobby to running with the dogs, there’s plenty to do in the winter without skiing or snowboarding
By MOLLY PRIDDY of the Beacon
When I moved to the Flathead Valley six years ago to take this job, I knew living here in the winter would be tough – the ski runs on Big Mountain dominate the scenery, and I am not a skier or snowboarder. »»» READ MORE
The Arctic Art of Ice Fishing
With hundreds of lakes dotting the landscape, the Flathead Valley boasts a strong tradition of winter angling
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
Even in the cold, snowy days of winter, fishing is still a popular pastime in Montana, especially in this corner of the state. »»» READ MORE