Skiing outlook improves

Blacktail Mountain to open Dec. 24

The Daily Inter Lake

Management at the Blacktail Mountain Ski Area west of Lakeside has picked Christmas Eve for opening day of the ski season.

Although snow conditions came up short through most of December, the area received 17 inches during a 48-hour period this week. The forecast is calling for a possibility of more snow by early next week.

"Looking ahead to possible snow [Sunday through Tuesday] and significant snow by Wednesday, we intend to be 100 percent open with great conditions," according to the Blacktail Web site.

Meanwhile, Whitefish Mountain Resort on Friday had a settled base of 34 inches of snow at the summit of Big Mountain and 17 inches in the village area. Temperatures were 13 below on top of the mountain and 3 degrees in the village.

"We are now in a position where we are running almost every lift we have," said Donnie Clapp, the resort's public relations manager.

Clapp estimated that roughly half the resort's terrain is open. Some parts of the mountain, such as the Hellroaring drainage, need more snow before they can be opened.

The low temperatures have allowed for accelerated snow-making on the lower parts of the mountain. Because of that, the resort's high-speed quad lift, Chair 3, opened for the first time Friday.

Weather across the Flathead Valley is expected to continue on the frigid side well into next week.

According to the National Weather Service, the high temperatures today and Sunday are predicted to be 1 above zero, with tonight's low dropping to minus 15 and Sunday night's low at minus 5.

Although daytime highs Monday and beyond might rise to 10 degrees above zero, more subzero nights are forecast through Friday.