Page 8 - Flathead Beacon // 12.3.14

8 | DECEMBER 3, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM Montana Ski Season Begins
Just
Sayin’...
“As big a state as Montana is, for the most part, the traffic is pretty sparse. Once in a while it helps to get from Point A to Point B a little quicker.””
State Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, expressing his support for a bill that would raise the daytime speed limit on Montana interstate highways from 75 to 80 and possibly 85 mph.
“I’m letting the media outlets know three facts. One is it’s my assumption this is all intertwined with politics. The second fact: I have no pending charges against me in Blackfeet Tribal Court – a judge ruled on this. And the third fact is, I am a private citizen and I should not be subjected to any further harassment by anybody.”
Former tribal councilman and outgoing state Sen. Shannon Augare on his second DUI arrest, which occurred Nov. 20.
“Every day will be Black Friday. Every minute will be Cyber Monday.”
Matt Shay, CEO of the National Retail Federation, on shopping fatigue and the future of deep discounts.
Whitefish Mountain
Resort lifts start running
Dec. 6; Blacktail still
waiting on snow
By BEACON STAFF
The wait for the 2014/2015 ski season is almost over as Whitefish Mountain Re- sort prepares for its opening day on Dec. 6, unveiling its brand new Flower Point triple chairlift that will add 200 acres of lift-served terrain to the north side of Big Mountain previously only accessible by hiking.
Spokesperson Riley Polumbus said preliminary reports on Dec. 1 show that early-season snowmaking efforts will al- low access to terrain in the Chair 6 and Big Easy Carpet areas as well as the Chair 3 area. Chairs 3, 6 and the Big Easy Carpet will open at 9 a.m.
As of Dec. 1 when the Beacon went to print, Chair 2 was ready to start spinning but the terrain accessed from it is ques- tionable, Polumbus said.
Chair 1 will open at 9:30 a.m. and will be available for downloading if needed.
“We are optimistic that we’ll have top- to-bottom skiing via Russ’ Street, howev- er the rest of the front side, along with the Chair 2 area, is one good storm away from being skiable,” Polumbus said.
Flower Point, Chair 7 and the Big Foot T-Bar will open at 10 a.m.
“Word is the snow is good back there, especially the top of Flower Point,” Po- lumbus said.
All restaurants, as well as the Ski and Ride School, Kids Center, and Rental and Retail will also be open.
For those who have not yet picked up season passes, expect to wait in line.
Guest Information and Services is open all week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. if ski- ers wish to beat the crowds.
Season pass sales at Northwest Mon- tana’s largest ski resort indicate its big- gest winter yet with new improvements to the base lodge that officials say will only improve the visitor experience. Season pass sales are already up 4 percent over
A skier rides up the Olympic Tripple Chair to the lodge at Blacktail Mountain. BEACON FILE PHOTO
“ONCE YOU GET UP ON TOP, IF YOU LOOK DOWN TOWARD CHAIR 7, YOU JUST SEE THE WHOLE BACK SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN NOW AND GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.”
Riley Polumbus, Whitefish Mountain Resort
last season’s banner year, when 345,000 skiers and snowboarders visited the re- sort on Big Mountain.
In addition to new terrain and great snow, the new Flower Point lift offers a spectacular view and new view of the mountain’s backside.
“Once you get up on top, if you look down toward Chair 7, you just see the whole back side of the mountain now and get a new perspective you’ve never seen before,” she said.
Whitefish’s base lodge has undergone major renovation over the past two years, adding seating for cafeteria diners and in- creasing its space by 50 percent.
Skiers and snowboarders also will
find more convenient parking this year at Whitefish with the addition of more than 300 spaces at a new lot near Glades Drive.
A National Weather Service SNOTEL site on the Big Mountain summit offers accurate, up-to-date snow depths and other information.
The base lodge ticket office is now open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Polumbus urged locals not to wait un-
til opening day to get their passes. Call 862-2900 to see if it’s already in the mail, or head up to get your photo this week.
Full-day single adult regular lift tick- ets cost $71.
Blacktail Mountain Ski Area is still waiting for the snow to fill in at its base and will not open this weekend, said own- er Steve Spencer.
“We haven’t set an opening date yet,” Spencer said. “We need more snow at the bottom. The warm weather along with the wind set us back a little and the fore- cast doesn’t look good until the weekend. Watch our website for updates.”
More information on both ski areas is available at skiwhitefish.com and black- tailmountain.com.
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