Happy winter, Flathead Valley! Maggie Dresser here, and just a few weeks ago, I was complaining that the fall scorcher with associated 80-degree temperatures made it feel wrong to consume a pumpkin spice latte, despite its seasonal splendor. But after a weekend winter storm, it feels like pumpkin drink season has come and gone and I’ve missed the boat. Northwest Montana isn’t typically graced with a slow transition to winter, and this year has been no different.
While most weather stations appear to be down right now – with no federal workers around to maintain them – Marias Pass on the Continental Divide seems to be functioning, with the snow depth reading 13.4 inches, according to weather data. The Noisy Basin SNOTEL in the Swan Range reads 1.8 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE), or the depth of water that would cover the ground if snow cover was in a liquid state. On Big Mountain, the snow stake reads almost 5 inches with a low temperature of 14 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.
As Whitefish Mountain Resort (WMR) officials prepare for opening day on Dec. 4, season pass sales have already surpassed last season by 6.8% with 15,000 passes sold, according to spokesperson Chad Sokol.
WMR will see a few changes and upgrades this year, which includes a cell coverage expansion project that entails a new 60-foot monophine cell tower located near the entrance of the Fir parking lot for Verizon and AT&T customers. The boost in service could make it easier to find your friends at the base area but also eliminates the excuse of spotty coverage.
In the grooming department, two Prinoth snowcats have been added to the 10-cat fleet, which will comb the freshest corduroy Big Mountain has ever seen. Two additional snowmaking guns have also been acquired, which can produce snow in warmer temperatures and have the capabilities to pump out higher volumes of man-made snow.
Finally, the trail maintenance crew has been thinning an area of 150 acres on the front side of Big Mountain from the summit down to Russ’s Street and from Chair 1 east to Inspiration.
Here’s the rest of today’s inspirational Daily Roundup.
Conservation Easement Protects Big Mountain Wildlife Habitat
The 140-acre conservation easement on private land between Haskill and Lazy creeks came together through a collaboration between local landowners, Flathead Land Trust and Heart of the Rockies Institute
What you can buy for about $775,000: In Romy Caro’s latest real estate roundup, she features a beautifully updated residence in Lakeside; a refreshed ranch-style home in Bigfork; and a charming home on 10 acres in Kila. See all the listings here.
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