Blacktail opens at last

The staff at Blacktail Mountain has been ready for business for more than a month, an opening that will finally arrive today.

The top half of Blacktail Mountain will open with discounted lift ticket rates this morning, and with recent snow accumulations, the entire mountain could be opened for skiers by this weekend, said Jesse Spencer, the ski area's snow sports director.

It will be the latest opening in the seven-year history of the ski area west of Lakeside. The previous latest occurred in 2002, with a Dec. 26 opening.

Spencer said there were at least two occasions in the last month when the ski area nearly opened.

"We thought we were close a couple of times," Spencer said. "On Dec. 17, we actually announced an opening day, but we had to withdraw it."

In that case, marginal snow conditions were worsened by the onset of warm temperatures, she said.

But recent snowfall - roughly 6 inches hit the mountain on Thursday alone - was a welcome improvement. There is now a 28-inch base on the mountain top and more snow is forecast for the weekend.

"It is still snowing," Spencer said Thursday afternoon. "If this snow continues, we're going to be opening the whole mountain on the weekend."

The mountain's ski school, rental shop, store, cafeteria and bar all will be ready for business today.

"Everything's going to get rolling right away," Spencer said. "We've been ready for over a month so it won't be too tough to get started."

For opening-day discounts, the ski area is offering full-day lift tickets at $25 for adults, $18 for juniors ages 13-17 or $12 for children ages 7-12. Children under 7 ski for free.

Today's opening will kick off a busy winter of special programs and events at Blacktail.

This year, the ski area is offering free season passes to all fifth-grade students. That program, Spencer said, has drawn a "huge response."

The ski area also will gear up its Young Bucks Racing Program, in its second year, and there will be a series of special events on the mountain, including the annual snowmobile hill climb Jan. 15 and 16 and Winterfest Jan. 29 and 30.