Whitefish resort scenic lift reopens

Nearly four months after a slumping slope shut down Chair One at Whitefish Mountain Resort, the chairlift is ready for the winter season and will be open on Saturday for scenic lift rides from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those who purchased passes for the 2011-12 winter season may ride for free. Passholders participating in payment plans can check in at the ticket office for vouchers.

People who have not picked up their passes can do so on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ticket office in the Base Lodge, or Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets for Chair One can be purchased at the summer rate of $10 round trip or $5 one way.

"We want to say thank you to everyone involved with the Tower Six project, from our employees who first noticed the condition, to all the local contractors involved in the re-construction of the tower's foundation," Whitefish Mountain Resort President Dan Graves said in a press release.

"This was a time-consuming, complex undertaking and we are fortunate to have had the resources, many of them local, to complete this project in a reasonable amount of time."

The lift was open for one day this summer, June 18, the summer season opener, and was closed after the resort's lift maintenance crews noticed a slump in the ground 25 feet above the tower, causing the tower to lean. Tower Six was removed June 24 and replaced Sept. 30.

Despite the Chair One closure, the resort experienced record-breaking numbers of Zip Line and Walk in the Treetops tours, and notable success in other activities such as the Alpine Slide and mountain bike rentals, resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said.