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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
Per Phil's request, here's a map of what direct flights there are to the local airpor.
https://iflyglacier.com/major-cities-served/
MajorCitiesServed-e1536338765749.png
 
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lone pine

Getting on the lift
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Southport, NC
We have fond memories of Big Mountain from a visit in 1995. With the free super senior season pass I received in the mail, a return visit may be in the cards this season, depending on the snow. My ski cronies turn 70 this year, so I have been pushing the Whitefish season pass as an option to keep open.
 

DanoT

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We have fond memories of Big Mountain from a visit in 1995. With the free super senior season pass I received in the mail, a return visit may be in the cards this season, depending on the snow. My ski cronies turn 70 this year, so I have been pushing the Whitefish season pass as an option to keep open.

I turn 70 in April, 2018 but AFAIK you have to be 70 before the season starts to get free skiing. So I will be there for a visit in 2019.
 

Jim McDonald

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Whoa, free skiing? And I can get 25% off by ordering in advance :yahoo::yeah:
 

DanoT

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Whoa, free skiing? And I can get 25% off by ordering in advance :yahoo::yeah:

At Sun Peaks and a lot of other ski resorts offer 40% off lift tickets that are purchased on line, 2 weeks in advance. Less off during Xmas holidays and other busy times.

I think Red Mountain offers free skiing for skiers 75 years and older.
 

Jim McDonald

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Oh, just did the math...:doh:
 

Big J

Getting off the lift
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Fredericksburg Virginia
I skied with her last year at Whitefish Mountain. What a nice and very experienced host and a wonderful ski resort. She showed my wife and I all over the mountain. We took Amtrak in from Everett Washington. We will fly in next time.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
While realizing that many like condos or well known chains when they go to ski resorts, don't overlook these two great B&B's that have won twice in a row now: The Hidden Moose and Good Medicine Lodges:
HIDDEN MOOSE AND GOOD MEDICINE AMONG BEST SKI HOTELS IN COUNTRY
http://www.whitefishpilot.com/article/20161213/ARTICLE/161219976
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
Some observations on the relocated Chair 5 (no one cares about the names here - really, don't use them).

The chair itself is extremely uncomfortable and has been given a bar I don't recall it having that has two essentially canine teeth coming down between the three riders. I remember this chair not having a foot rest, but these additional possibly lethal projections I don't recall. So as you load, the liftie has to keep calling out, "Watch your head". This chair only rises 800 vertical feet.

The ride is SPECTACULAR. So, in spite of the above comments, do it once at least. It takes you over stuff that has always been there to be skied, but was never obvious from other positions. The initial rise is over an alternate exit from Whitey's that I will never use again, I must have been nuts! (And yes, I mean that literally, as now that you can see it, it is getting hammered, and the reason I used it was the lack of usage and lack of moguls made the steepness not an issue, it was full of untracked soft snow goodness.) Then the chair takes you over the cliffs, marked with lots of cliff signs that should probably be larger and brighter. There is a way along the top of these cliffs that was always visible from the distance, but I couldn't identify it from the chair. Then you pass over NBC, which suddenly looks mild after that, and then along the route from the groomed runs out to East Rim Face. You exit at the bottom of the Ant Hill.

As I said, these runs are now getting absolutely pounded. You can see what you are getting into, whereas the visitor in the past may have seen this area as perhaps a bit of a risk without a local taking them over. No more. So, the main reason to go there (for light unused fluff) has really been removed. It is now easy to lap (ignoring that chair) without having to do Russ's Street, a long traverse back to Chair One. But really, it's only 800 feet. The views may change people's assessment of our terrain, but to me it has not improved the skiing. Quite the reverse.

For a bit more about this chair, the following article has pictures: https://liftblog.com/2018/01/14/at-whitefish-a-disused-lift-is-born-again/
 
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noncrazycanuck

Out on the slopes
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Sorry to hear that.
the skiing in that area was one of the main the attractions of Whitefish.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
For those looking at this town for summer activities or as a place to live, this video about the Whitefish trail system may be of interest. Plus it shows some great scenery.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
For those who have been in the past, know that there are a bunch of new hotels in the area: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2018/05/24/hotels-on-the-rise/

Note in particular they are finally building one by the airport. When you think how ¥^π°ing early the flights are out of here, it's a wonder no one thought of this sooner. Not that traffic is normally an issue at that hour, but winter driving can sometimes be tough at 5 AM.
 

Tricia

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