Blacktail Mountain opens for ski season Sunday
A pair of skiers take a run down the Meadow Trail at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake file)
Following a good dose of winter weather this week, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area plans to open for the season on Sunday, Jan. 14 with limited terrain.
The ski area above Lakeside has not been able to welcome skiers or snowboarders this winter due to low snowpack.
"It has been an incredibly challenging start to the 2023/24 season to say the least,” Jessi Wood, general manager at Blacktail, said in a press release issued Friday. “I can't quite express the gratitude we feel to this community for the continued support and understanding. I’m thrilled to get open and so proud of our team for their tireless work in difficult conditions.”
The ski area will open with limited terrain this Sunday and Monday (MLK Day) from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, weather and conditions permitting. Current forecasts for Sunday call for partly sunny skies with a high near minus 2.
The Olympic chair and the Thunderhead chair to midway are scheduled for operation. The lower half of the Thunderhead chair, Crystal chair, magic carpet conveyor lift and additional terrain will open as conditions permit.
The ski area reminds guests that early season conditions exist. Skiers should expect to see thin coverage and obstacles.
“The most challenging terrain to navigate will be crossover roads,” the press release stated. “Be aware of your surroundings, proceed cautiously, and respect all rope lines and trail closures as they are there for your safety.”
Blacktail Mountain will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 16, and will reopen Wednesday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day. The ski area will then continue with Wednesday through Sunday operations until Presidents Day, Feb. 19.
Season passes and daily lift tickets are available to purchase online at estore.blacktailmountain.com. Blacktail Mountain Ski Area encourages guests to save money and time at the ticket office by creating an account, purchasing RFID cards and day lift tickets in advance online. For all the latest info on operations, programs, and events during the season, visit blacktailmountain.com.