Resorts get ready for ski crowds

,p>The 60th season of skiing on the Big Mountain is set to begin Saturday - a bit late by historic standards but an appropriate delay all the same.

In the past, every effort was made to have the ski resort open by Thanksgiving weekend. But this year, management at the newly named Whitefish Mountain Resort made a deliberate decision to delay the opening until Dec. 8.

Good move, because the snow didn't really start flying until this week, and the resort obviously saved hefty costs by passing on roughly two weeks of operations under sub-par conditions.

Now, the resort's management is predicting good conditions for this weekend, so Flathead Valley skiers can expect a strong start on the Big Mountain. In addition, there is excellent skiing at Turner Mountain in Libby, and soon Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside will be open, too.

Pray for snow, and let the fun begin.

In more seasonal NEWS, the place where swimmers used to splash in the summer has received a big winter makeover.

What once was Bruckhauser Pool in Kalispell is now a full-fledged ice-hockey rink. The 185-by-85-foot rink is nearly complete and soon will echo with the sounds of skates and slap shots.

The Woodland Ice Park, spearheaded by Steve Tartaglino and his construction company, involved a collaborative effort with the Flathead Valley Hockey Association, Kalispell Parks and Recreation Department, a host of volunteers and Eisinger Honda (which is donating the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine).

This is a great example of what a public/private partnership can do. In this case, it produced an impressive, brand-new recreational facility for Kalispell.

The work isn't done yet, however. More financial help is being sought to help pay down the initial $350,000 cost. Then it's on to the next phase: covering the rink.

Given the swift success of the project so far, we have no doubt that's not far off.

It does our hearts good to know that generosity still rules in the Flathead. When the Flathead Food Bank was in dire need of a new van to pick up and deliver food for the needy, Kalispell Toyota stepped forward to donate a full-sized van.

Dozens of people offered the use of vehicles or sent cash to help the food bank fix the engine in its old van. This kind of quick response to help an agency that assists our valley's poorest residents renews our faith in humanity.

It's not too late to help all area food pantries with goods to fill holiday baskets. And please remember, these are worthwhile nonprofits that need our help not only during the holiday season but also year round.