Order to allow preseason resort access

The Forest Service signed a special order last week regarding uphill travel at Whitefish Mountain Resort that likely makes preseason access for skiers and hikers realistic.

The order prohibits recreationists within resort boundaries from approaching within 100 yards of grooming machines and snowmaking equipment, including fan guns, water lines and electrical cables.

"The special order means that we can almost definitely allow some sort of uphill traffic in the preseason," resort spokesman Donnie Clapp said.

Near the end of the 2010 season, the resort enacted a policy that restricted hiking or skiing up Big Mountain during the winter season to between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., and on a designated route up the hiker's-left side of the Toni Matt ski run.

It also totally prohibited hiking in the preseason when snow was on the ground. The resort said the policy was necessary due to "dangerous behaviors associated with uphill travel," such as skiing too close to groomers or winch cables, and over water and electrical lines connected to snow-making equipment.

Preseason uphill travel will be viable now, Clapp said, because the resort will no longer have to designate multiple climbing routes that likely would have needed daily changes as snowmaking or grooming work moved around the mountain.

"The order allows us to say uphill travel is allowed if you don't break the rule," Clapp said.

During the ski season, the new order gives the resort recourse against a multiple-offender who chooses not to follow the designated route or skis too close to groomers.

It will help us "if we get really frustrated with someone," Clapp said.

A final draft of the uphill travel policy is slated to be released later this week.