Uphill skier caught climbing on new chairlift

Excitement for the new Snow Ghost Express chairlift at Whitefish Mountain Resort is so great that some people apparently can’t keep their mitts – and boots – off of it. An individual was caught scaling the upper terminal of the new Chair 4 lift on Big Mountain last weekend, according to a press release issued by the resort Wednesday.

According to spokesperson Chad Sokol, the skier skinned uphill before deciding to climb the new structure. He was found by crews working on the lift and warned not to return. Construction crews then alerted the resort, Sokol confirmed.

Early season snowfall has lured uphill skiers to seek pristine powder, and although most have done so in accordance with the resort’s uphill policy, multiple instances of skiers setting skin track inside the construction zone for the new Chair 4 have prompted the resort to warn skiers that their season passes are subject to be revoked if they are found in the marked-off area.

“We don’t enjoy issuing warnings like this, but it’s absolutely crucial that folks follow the rules,” said resort president Nick Polumbus in a statement. “This chairlift project possesses some new and different challenges and we want everyone to be aware and safe.”

The resort, which is partially on public land managed in an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, is open to lawful activity from the public, including certain recreational activities such as hiking and skiing, subject to certain restrictions, such as giving grooming vehicles and all snow-making equipment a wide berth.

November 24 marks the beginning of the pre-season period, when uphill and downhill travel becomes more closely regulated to include only the approved East Route during the hours of 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The resort’s uphill policy is online at skiwhitefish.com/uphill-policy.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at aknowler@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4407.