Mountains of fun
Barret McDonald, left, checks to make sure his nephew Calder Townsley, 6, is strapped into his board as tightly as he is during Blacktail's opening day on Friday.
Lachelle Davis-Monnett rides her board across the hill at Blacktail.
A group of skiers ascend to the top of Big Mountain.
A skier waves from the chairlift as she heads up the mountain.
A large lineup of skiers and snowboarders wait for the chairlift at Chair One to open up at Big Mountain's opening day.
A snowboarder grabs some air as he heads down the mountain during opening day at Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain on Dec. 4.
Flathead Valley ski areas open to great snow and appreciative crowds of skiers and snowboarders.