Early snow, early skiing? excited

Theres a buzz in the air at the Flathead Valleys two local ski areas.

Final checks are being made on the chairlift cables this week at Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside and at Big Mountain in Whitefish, ski and snowboard rental fleets are being waxed and the snow guns are spraying snow, all in anticipation of the resorts opening in the next few weeks.

At Big Mountain, which opens Nov. 24, skiers and snowboarders already have been cutting tracks in the 28 inches of snow at the summit one of the deepest amounts of snow going into November in recent years. There are rumors floating around the mountain that Big Mountain might even open earlier than Nov. 24, but that depends on what Mother Nature provides.

Fred Jones, chief executive officer and president of Winter Sports Inc. (the parent company of Big Mountain) is positive about the snowfall so far but wont go as far to say that the mountain would open earlier than planned.

It depends on whether it snows, Jones said. Its looking good but were not quite there.

Going into its eighth season, Blacktail Mountain is looking good, manager Steve Spencer said. Weve had consistent snow for the last two weeks.

With the current snow depths at Blacktail, Spencer anticipates opening during the first week of December, although the resort could open earlier if snowfall persists. Two years ago Blacktail opened on Thanksgiving.

If we get snow for Thanksgiving well open, and if we get it before, well open, Spencer said.

At Big Mountain, stacks of ski and snowboard boots sit in the rental shop, waiting to be inventoried, and a new rental fleet of skis is being prepared.

Bindings have to be checked on the 800 pairs of skis, a job relegated to the newcomers, rental shop manager Eric Hanson said.

We put the rookies on that because its not very fun, but its a good way for them to learn how to fit bindings properly, Hanson said.

A ski-lift professional has been at Big Mountain and Blacktail this week, doing the final lift checks before the mountains prepare to open.

In the next week, Big Mountain will assemble its 25-person ski patrol for training. Theyll learn how to assist the ALERT helicopter for landings, perform lift evacuations and prepare their equipment, patrol director Tary King said. A new patrol shack has been built at the top of Chair 2.

After 16 years as a Big Mountain patroller, King has stepped in as director of the patrol after John Gray retired.

Although skiers and snowboarders can hike the mountain before it opens, King recommends people dont go alone. There are still hazards on the mountain and there is no patrol on duty to help in case of injuries.

When King returned to the mountain this week after a hunting trip, he said it looked like a regular day that we were open, with all the new snow, people hiking the mountain and tracks in the fresh powder.

After a string of marginal-snow years, both ski areas are ready for a shot in the arm from the weather. This could be the year, judging by whats fallen already.

We feel good about the year, said Spencer, founding manager of Blacktail. It just feels like a more normal year. The enthusiasm is really good.

Although the National Weather Service is predicting varying amounts of snow throughout Sunday, if Big Mountain doesnt

receive any more snow through Thanksgiving, it would still be able to open Chair Seven on the north side of the mountain.

Additional snowfall would help the mountain open a route down the front side of the mountain so skiers and snowboarders would not have to take the chairlift down, Jones said.

Progress is continuing on projects around Big Mountain, including the Super Pipe halfpipe being built on Chair Three and the expansion of the Outpost day lodge.

The magic carpet ride beginner lift near the Outpost should be installed by opening day, Jones said, but the halfpipe, although it has been shaped and the excess dirt removed, is still not ready. It will be a while before we bring it on line, Jones said. Officials anticipate a late December or early January opening for the halfpipe.

Although its mainly a day for locals, a Thanksgiving opening gets the message out to destination skiers wanting to book lodging for the Christmas and New Years holidays, Jones said. Big Mountains opening day usually has about 2,000-2,400 skier visits. All of the Big Mountain retail shops and restaurants will open on Thanksgiving.

Only once in the last 10 years has Big Mountain opened before Thanksgiving, and that was in 1996, when Northwest Montana received a heavy snowfall in mid-November.

And only once in the last 10 years in 2001 has Big Mountain not been able to open on Thanksgiving.

In addition to the natural snowfall that has blessed Big Mountain and Blacktail, both ski areas are augmenting their bases with manmade snow.

Blacktail Mountain this year added snowmaking to its summit area, which has had problems with wind scouring portions of the upper slopes. Big Mountain is making snow near the top of the mountain, and with lower temperatures arriving, the resort will begin to make snow near the base area, Jones said.

Both local ski areas are looking to rebound after a marginal snow year last year.

Last season, Big Mountain was forced to close earlier than usual and Blacktail Mountain had only its upper portions of the mountain open for the last few weeks of the season. The Flathead Valley resorts were fortunate in comparison to other ski areas around the Northwest, many of which were open for only a few weeks.

Blacktail this year extended its preseason pass sales through Nov. 4 and has had really strong response, Spencer said.

Theres a pent-up energy to get out and go skiing again.

Season pass sales were strong not just locally but also in the Missoula area. Were seeing more Missoula skiers all the time, Spencer said. Were a pretty close drive to Missoula when you think about it, and with Marshall [ski area] being closed, those people are all shopping for a place to ski.

Blacktail Mountain this year again will offer its Fifth for Free program, where any child in the fifth grade may receive a free season pass.

A season pass sale continues at Big Mountain through Dec. 3, with a midrange price still being offered.

Jones, going into his second year at the helm of Big Mountain after replacing long-tenured Michael Collins, is feeling positive about the ski season judging by winters effects so far.

Its encouraging that its white, Jones said.

In his first year as ski patrol director, King said the excitement is building on Big Mountain. You can kind of feel it in the air, he said. Everybodys getting excited. Were hoping for a good opening, where we could open the entire mountain right from the get-go.

We deserve it after last year.

On the Net: www.bigmtn.com; www.blacktailmountain.com