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Northern Rockies/Alberta 2023 Inland NW/Idaho/Wyoming/Montana Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

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Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
Whitefish had one of the biggest opening days it has had in years. 84 of 113 trails open on day 1. Hellroaring Basin is open as well. However, the new chair is not open yet.

Also, this makes 75 years at the Big Mountain. Their Facebook post today:

"As you all know, we're celebrating our 75th winter on Big Mountain. But today holds special importance to us.

Sunday, Dec. 14, 1947, was opening day of the resort's first-ever ski season. Tickets to ride the new T-bar, which originated just above the old chalet, cost $2 apiece. A hamburger cost a quarter and a beer a few nickels. Around 1,000 people showed up from around the Flathead Valley to see what the hubbub was all about.

Whitefish's skiing heritage can be traced to the Depression-poor days of the late '20s and '30s, when pioneers like Lloyd "Mully" Muldown and the Hell-Roaring Ski Club skinned up to the Big Mountain's summit on wooden planks through waist-deep snow. The rugged group built a road up the mountain and a couple of cabins and stayed there for days at a time, keeping warm around wood-burning stoves, just to claim fresh tracks on the anonymous hill overlooking their little logging town.

Then came World War II. Whitefish could have forgotten about skiing for good. But in the aftermath, the local chambers of commerce brought in Ed Schenk and George Prentice to transform Whitefish into a skiing destination. The pair went through a gauntlet of challenges — from fundraising to cutting trees to repairing the T-bar — to build the winter wonderland that would become Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Soon after the resort opened, veterans of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, notably Karl Hinderman and the Austrian American ski racing champion Toni Matt, arrived and began coaching anyone who wanted to learn the sport of skiing.

The rest, as they say, is history. And while Schenk couldn't have known how the resort would look today, he believed there was something about this community that made the development of the ski hill an inevitability.

Asked how they had managed to get the resort up and running, he'd tell people: "It's easy. All you have to do is to find a town like Whitefish."
 
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Fuller

Semi Local
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Whitefish or Florida
I was watching some YouTuber video of Grand Targhee and pulled up the trail map to kind of follow the along and realized they've added a whole new lift since I was there last. The Colter lift takes you to the top of Peaked Mtn past where Sacajawea drops you off. This was previously accessed via snowcat but I've never been up there. Looks like some pretty nice gladed trees at a reasonable pitch.

Anyone been on the Colter lift?
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT
Possible new record for crowds set yesterday of 9001. I THINK the old record was 8601.

Just in time:
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
Team Gathermeister
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Possible new record for crowds set yesterday of 9001. I THINK the old record was 8601.

Just in time:

I am very suspicious of the 1.
 

Seldomski

All words are made up
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'mericuh
I'll be at Whitefish next week, skiing M-F. I will be studying @Sibhusky guide intently between now and then. I have never skied Whitefish before and am looking forward to it. Looks like pretty much all of the terrain is open?

On this trip, I have flexibility to meet and ski with other skitalkers. We are doing a week of half day lessons (some are afternoon, some morning), so when not in a lesson, I can meet up. Send me a PM if you will be at Whitefish and want to make turns together.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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4,806
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Whitefish, MT
I'll be at Whitefish next week, skiing M-F. I will be studying @Sibhusky guide intently between now and then. I have never skied Whitefish before and am looking forward to it. Looks like pretty much all of the terrain is open?

On this trip, I have flexibility to meet and ski with other skitalkers. We are doing a week of half day lessons (some are afternoon, some morning), so when not in a lesson, I can meet up. Send me a PM if you will be at Whitefish and want to make turns together.
Be aware that it hasn't been updated for the Hellroaring Basin changes and the new lifts.

@Fuller is on his way, with his wife. Fuller loves to meet fellow Ski Talkers. He also has lessons on Wednesday. I have a ton of doctors' appointments next week.
 

Fuller

Semi Local
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Whitefish or Florida
Be aware that it hasn't been updated for the Hellroaring Basin changes and the new lifts.

@Fuller is on his way, with his wife. Fuller loves to meet fellow Ski Talkers. He also has lessons on Wednesday. I have a ton of doctors' appointments next week.
@Seldomski I'd be happy to do a few turns with you, Monday will be my first day on snow, Wednesday morning is my weekly men's group lesson but other than that I'm open. PM me when you get your schedule set.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Whitefish, MT

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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Ogden, UT
I was watching some YouTuber video of Grand Targhee and pulled up the trail map to kind of follow the along and realized they've added a whole new lift since I was there last. The Colter lift takes you to the top of Peaked Mtn past where Sacajawea drops you off. This was previously accessed via snowcat but I've never been up there. Looks like some pretty nice gladed trees at a reasonable pitch.

Anyone been on the Colter lift?
I'll be at Targhee in early February. I'm really excited about that new lift, as I'd always eyeballed that terrain as being right up my alley.

I'll be in Whitefish in early March, too. My bestest friend lives there full-time after retiring. She is now a ski bum/hiking bum/horseback riding bum/kayaking bum--living a great life!
 

TonyPlush

Getting off the lift
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Jan 4, 2018
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492
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Minnesota
Hey folks,

I'm considering a ski trip to Whitefish, Schweitzer, Tamarack, or Brundage the week of March 1st. That's not too late, is it? I've heard the region usually peaks in January-February.
 

chris_the_wrench

Spinning wrenches and throwing spokes.
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Dec 20, 2020
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1,369
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Chinook Pass
I've heard the region usually peaks in January-February.

IT’s January now and I sure hope this isn't our peak for the year! Closing day last year was one of the best days of the season.

@Seldomski Im skiing tomorrow morning, not sure what the rest of my week looks like(either morning or afternoon). Orangish/mustardy solid color jacket, black bibs, greyish helmet. Probably on my bonafides tomorrow. Usually have tunes blasting in my ears, so smack me if ya see me.
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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4,806
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Whitefish, MT
Hey folks,

I'm considering a ski trip to Whitefish, Schweitzer, Tamarack, or Brundage the week of March 1st. That's not too late, is it? I've heard the region usually peaks in January-February.
The first week of March is usually still good, but after that, all bets are off.
 

Seldomski

All words are made up
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Sep 25, 2017
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'mericuh
Whoops, missed this.
@Seldomski Im skiing tomorrow morning, not sure what the rest of my week looks like(either morning or afternoon). Orangish/mustardy solid color jacket, black bibs, greyish helmet. Probably on my bonafides tomorrow. Usually have tunes blasting in my ears, so smack me if ya see me.
Tried to post while at lodge during lunch, but signal wasn't good enough.

I have green pants, red jacket, black helmet, white goggles.

Small orange/black striped tail on my helmet. Beautiful day today, well morning was for sure.

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