FROM STRAIGHT SKIS TO A SIX-PACK

Epic or Ikon? How about neither? In this era of mega-mergers and passes, Whitefish Mountain Resort proudly stands apart as an independently owned business. Visiting skiers as well as passholders take note of this local legacy and the depth of character it provides. Some things will hopefully never change, like the nostalgic glowing sign praying for “more powder please” outside the Bierstube. The last five years have brought welcome developments, most recently focusing on the chairlift infrastructure. Chair 5 moved to the East Rim to make that terrain more accessible, and Chair 8 moved to a higher elevation to serve six new trails in Hellroaring Basin, bumping the resort’s total number of runs up to 111. In 2022, WMR cut the ribbon on Chair 4, its high-speed six-pack, known as the Snow Ghost Express, which delivers guests from the base lodge to Inspiration Point. During the 1930s, the plucky, pioneering residents of this town hauled their wooden skis on foot up the Big Mountain above town. Would they believe what the mountain looks like today? A 2023 Ski Magazine Reader’s Choice pick, with 300 inches of snow per year and 3,000 acres, is known for its snow ghosts, laidback feel, and development focused on the ski experience.