WHITEFISH - It was a big day for Big Mountain on Thursday as Whitefish Ski Resort opened for its 75th season!
MTN News had the chance to get out on the slopes and hear from those who made it out for the first day of the season.
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"We’re excited to be with my bros, back with the bros on the hill," Jack Sheldon said.
Staff at the resort know that they couldn’t have asked for better conditions to start the season.
"Opening day is so good up here at Whitefish mountain resort. We have 54 inches of snowfall to date at the summit, you can see the snow ghosts are already forming on the trees," observed Whitefish Mountain Resort spokesman Chad Sokol. "Opening day is going off without a hitch, we have people just up and down the mountain, so much terrain open. Really just off to a good start this season and we hope that continues."
Those who made it out early for day one couldn’t be more excited to start carving up the powder.
"Ready to get on the backside, hit some trees. I missed the powder over the summer, not much to do except come up to the mountain," said Columbia Falls resident Colton Byrd.
The best is still yet to come as the resort is preparing to open its new lift in the coming weeks.
"We’re currently expecting to have the new lift open by the holidays so before Christmas. "You will be able to get on our new high-speed six-pack chairlift all the way from the base lodge to the top of Inspiration Ridge," Sokol noted.
When it comes to the resort as a whole, one Whitefish resident who’s called Big Mountain home for 35 years shared his favorite part.
"Definitely the ski community, that gets to come up here and do this all the time is one of the funner things about it to know a lot of the people you’re skiing with and it’s hard not to, I mean it’s awesome up here. So, yeah, I love it," Alex Maetzold told MTN News.
With over four feet of snow for opening day — and their newest lift opening soon — Whitefish Mountain Resort should prove to be a great haven for skiers and snowboarders alike this season.
The latest conditions at Whitefish Mountain Resort can be found here.
