Saved by 'Bill'

Moving slowly into winter and slowly moving from first big holiday of the season, skiers and boarders have a lot to be thankful for.

The new and incredibly improved access road to the Whitefish Mountain Resort on Big Mountain is finished and an absolute joy to drive. After you drive the new road, the smile on your face stays well after you reach the resort.

The new high-speed Chair 1 glistens with all new components and, when fully completed, will have a higher capacity than the old Chair 1.

The new high-speed quad Chair 2 is in the final stages of completion and, with a 4 1/2 minute ride time, will be an exciting addition to the resort.

The new Base Lodge (formerly the Outpost) is now fully operational and will be a great centerpiece for skier and boarder services.

When we look around the resort, there is one thing, however, that really broadens our smiles.

It's not new by any stretch of the imagination — it's really quite old and it still stands only because it was "saved by the Bill" (Foley that is).

In the 11th hour, Bill Foley made the decision to re-align Chair 2 to save it. It's a little weathered, but the chalet still stands, and we couldn't be happier or more thankful.

We are sure there won't be any media frenzy over this, but for now a piece of history has been saved on the mountain we love. In the near future, we hope to share with you plans to put the Chalet into perpetuity.

Thanks again, Bill.

Looking forward to a great winter season.

Pat LaTourelle, Luke Riso and Bob Riso

Whitefish