New snow helps usher in ski season

The Daily Inter Lake

Nearly a foot of new snow over the Thanksgiving holiday helped Big Mountain Ski Resort usher in the winter season.

"There was a great line at the quad, with steady traffic," Big Mountain spokesman Brian Schott said.

Approximately 2,000 skiers took to the slopes Thursday through Sunday, making it a fairly typical opener, he said.

Snow accumulations early last week provided a depth of about 3 feet at the summit by Wednesday afternoon. Another 5 inches fell in time for opening day on Thursday, and Friday's snowfall added 6 more inches.

The resort was able to open both Russ' Street and Momentum, two key trails on the south face that bring skiers back to the village area.

Open runs on Chair 7 include Goat Haunt, Caribou, Whitetail, Silvertip and Gray Wolf. Additional runs will open as conditions permit. The Big Foot T-bar is open on weekends only for now, Schott said.