Whitefish Mountain Resort

South of the Canadian border and north of Flathead Reservation sits Montana's Whitefish Mountain Resort. There is plenty of bowl and tree skiing to be had less than five miles from the town of Whitefish.

Glacier Park International Airport is only 19 miles away in Kalispell, and there are plenty of flights incoming from several of the nation's airports each day. Whitefish Depot sits on the historic Empire Builder line, providing access by train. Outside of an occasional herd of elk, drivers should find US 2 and 93 wide open.

Lots of Space in Big Sky Country

Visitors will notice right away how much room there is for skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Visitors to the ski area have access to 3,000 acres of snow-covered terrain. Ratings on the mountain start at a 12-percent green, 37-degrees blue, 44-percent black diamond, and finish with a 7-percent double diamond.

The resort has several phased construction projects projected to last for years to come. These include expanding or lengthening existing runs, clearing space for future trails, and add or moving lifts. Improvements aim to provide earlier access to locations in the ski area.

Whitefish Mountain Resort averages 320 inches of snowfall annually, providing skiers and snowboarders a chance to cut first tracks after Thanksgiving. Ski bums can usually avoid gainful employment through some point in April, after which they need to find a way to stay busy until the following season.

Another aspect of Whitefish Mountain Resort is the reasonable temperatures that greet visitors here. The highs average around 32-degrees while the lows hover around 17-degrees. That temperature range does not demand a balaclava, but keep one handy for the days that the wind kicks up.

Plenty of Challenging Terrain for All

Whitefish Mountain Resort has over 110 marked runs, with the longest being Hellfire at 3.3 miles. From the 6,817 foot summit down to the base at 4,464 feet, guests can unintentionally bomb the 2.353-foot verticle drop if they are not careful.

The ski area has 15 lifts listed, which can easily handle the ski traffic found at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Each of the ski lifts has a time window for operation, so visitors will need to pay attention to signs so that they can get the most out of them.

While most of the terrain at Whitefish Mountain Resort is rated for intermediate skiers or above, there are plenty of learning opportunities available here. Park rats and ski bums living in the region might consider taking advantage of the Freestyle team program or FVSEF Race team.

Whitefish Mountain Resort has five terrain parks that will arouse most plankers interests and challenge their abilities. The easy jibbing is in Minnow Park and 2nd Street Park. From there, guests can graduate to the jibs and jumps of Depot Terrain Park, followed by Central Avenue Park & Railyard.

Goat Haunt Skier provides ever-changing terrain that is built upon as the season progresses. When the daylight dissipates, there is nighttime skiing on specific trails.