Ski resort announces revised uphill travel policy

Whitefish Mountain Resort announced a revised policy for winter uphill traffic on Monday that loosens up previous restrictions for skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and others who climb the mountain during the ski season.

During the 2009-2010 season, safety personnel at the resort proposed a policy to address higher levels of uphill traffic and what was seen as increasingly dangerous behavior. Resort operations manager Chester Powell said several incidents involving skiers getting close to grooming equipment at the beginning of the season made it clear that something needed to be done.

"There are five main things we worry about when it comes to uphill traffic," he said. "People getting too close to heavy grooming equipment in the evenings, potential collisions between uphill and downhill traffic during the day, people getting way too close to high-voltage electrical and high-pressure water lines during early-season snow-making, people putting themselves in areas where avalanche control work is happening, and people leaving ruts in freshly groomed snow in the evenings that can sometimes set up and be dangerous for skiers the next morning."

Resort and Flathead National Forest officials agreed on an uphill policy in February. The resort then gathered comments on the uphill policy between March 1 and April 4. The new policy is a revision of the original guidelines.

The policy announced in February restricted uphill traffic to one route — up the left side of the Toni Matt ski run — and it didn't allow uphill traffic after the lifts closed for the day.

"The restrictions on evening skiing were by far the most popular point of contention with the policy," Powell said. "And that makes sense — evenings are the most accessible and enjoyable time for people to participate. Unfortunately, evening run-ins and close calls involving skiers and grooming machines, including high-tension winch-cable systems, had been steadily increasing for the past few seasons and were by far the most alarming aspect of the whole situation."

The resort and the Forest Service received 126 comments on the policy, and nearly all asked for some sort of evening access. Others suggested the pre-season limitation on uphill travel was too restrictive, the post-season rules were too vague, and the selected route — the left side of Toni Matt — was not ideal in some situations.

"There were a lot of good ideas submitted, some not-so-great ideas and even some thinly veiled threats," Donnie Clapp, public relations manager for the resort, said. "It was great, though, for all of us here to be able to sit down, read through them, and get an idea of what all the people who care about this issue would like to see happen. It really helped us to be confident we were making good decisions."

Four major changes have been made to the uphill travel policy for the next ski season:

¥ A second allowed uphill route will be added. The East Route will run from the cul-de-sac at the end of Glades Drive, up Lower Inspiration and Expressway to Moe-Mentum and the summit. Resort staff hope this will be a technically easier route to ascend and provide an option for certain weather and snow conditions.

¥ Evening access will be allowed on the East Route until 7 p.m.

¥ To minimize interactions between skiers and grooming equipment, route availability will follow this schedule: In season daytime, Toni Matt Route or East Route from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; in season evenings, East Route only, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; in season mornings, Toni Matt Route only, 6 to 9 a.m.; first 14 days after closing day, East Route only, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no restrictions before 8 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

¥ Pre-season uphill traffic will be allowed in general with no predefined routes.

In addition to the resort's uphill traffic policy, the Forest Service has issued a new special order that prohibits any skier, hiker or person "to approach within 100 yards of grooming machines, whether stationary or moving; or snowmaking equipment, to include but not limited to fan guns, high-pressure water lines, and high-voltage electrical cables, within the Whitefish Mountain Resort permit boundary."

"We have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for recreational activities on the mountain," Tally Lake District ranger Lisa Timchak said. "Some unsafe situations were identified this past winter, and we believe our new special order and the resort's revised policy will help address these situations."

Resort staff said the special order was key to expanding uphill traffic in the pre-season.

"We've been working closely with the Forest Service to come up with the least restrictive policy possible, and this special order makes it realistic for us to allow this activity pre-season, when our snow-making equipment can be in use," Powell said. "The location of the snow-making guns, the high-voltage electrical lines, and the high-pressure water lines can change daily, so it would be impossible for us to designate a single safe route during that time."

Resort officials said the level of adherence to the new policy last spring had an impact on creating a new uphill travel policy..

"Most avid uphillers thought the original policy was too restrictive, and yet we had basically zero problems with people not following the rules," resort president and CEO Dan Graves said. "That gives us confidence that the uphill community will also be serious about following these new guidelines, and helping each other to stay out of danger."

The new policy will be in effect as soon as the snow starts falling. Resort and Forest Service staff say they are open to further changes to the uphill policy.

"Our goal is to get it right, mitigate dangerous behavior, and allow as much recreation within our permit boundary as possible," Powell said. "That could mean more restrictions, less restrictions, different routes, or any number of things. It all depends on how well it goes this winter."

For more information, visit online at www.skiwhitefish.com/uphill or e-mail pr@skiwhitefish.com.