New lift on the way at ski resort
After another record-breaking season, Whitefish Mountain Resort plans to enter the 2014-15 season with more than $2.4 million in improvements.
Whitefish Mountain Resort will complete its two-year $1.29 million Flower Point Project by installing a fixed-grip triple chairlift to the north side of the mountain for the 2014-15 season.
This will open up access to new runs and glading from the top of Flower Point, creating an additional 200 acres of lift-served terrain that are expected to provide more dependable conditions early and late season on its north-facing slopes.
“The Flower Point Chair will create a stand-alone pod of skiing where our guests can take advantage of some of the best snow conditions at our resort,” Whitefish Mountain Resort President Dan Graves said in a news release.
“We’ve already received positive feedback from our guests about the new runs we opened last season in the area, and we anticipate the lift and additional acreage will be the icing on the cake.”
The Flower Point Project added four new runs this winter, and with the new chairlift, four more runs will greet skiers and snowboarders this coming season.
Flower Point is named for the wildflower-covered alpine meadow on its peak and offers a spectacular view of the North Fork area in Glacier National Park. Most runs are named after locales in and near the park: North Fork, Whiskey Spring, Big Creek, Inside Road, Outside Road and Hidden Meadow.
An additional run, Ridge Run, will run along the northeast boundary of the resort. The lift also will provide access to a sixth new run yet to be named on the south side of Flower Point.
Also in its second year of improvements, the Base Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort will undergo a half-million dollar renovation this summer and fall.
Construction has begun on several projects that will include an expansion of the food court area and an additional cashier station. The Coffee Bar will be relocated and offer guests window access from the outside patio area; a new seating area will provide indoor seating for customers as well as overflow seating for the Base Lodge Café.
Further base area improvements include a new parking lot near the Base Lodge that will accommodate up to 300 cars and an additional shuttle van for free transportation between the Base Area, Upper Village and lodging areas.
On-snow improvements include the purchase of two snowcats and upgrades to snowmaking in the beginner ski areas. New scanning technology also will be purchased to improve speed and processing at restaurants, rental and retail shops and lifts.