Snow drought could limit ski resort opening

The ski slopes on Big Mountain are white with snow, but is it enough to ski? That's the question officials at Whitefish Mountain Resort will grapple with until the final hours before opening day, set for this Saturday, Dec. 3.

As of presstime the resort has about 24 inches of snow at the summit. The bottom of Chair 7 on the backside has about six inches of snow, not enough to safely ski. Officials have indicated they need about 12 inches of packed base to open the north-facing slopes by Saturday.

The good news is that a potent winter storm is predicted for this week. If enough snow falls, the resort will offer a limited opening of Chair 7 and possibly Chair 3.

"Opening day is completely dependent on what this storm brings us," resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said on Tuesday. "This is a weather dependent business, and right now we just don't have enough snow."

The front side has less snow, with grass and trees still showing on the lower slopes. If the resort is able to open Chair 7, skiers will have to ride Chair 1 to get back to the village. There isn't enough snow to use Russ's Street as an alternative.

"Opening Chair 7 is the best-case scenario right now," Polumbus said.

Chair 3, if spinning, will offer only the Hope Slope area and no terrain park. Chair 6 will not run this weekend, so visitors are advised to park accordingly or use the shuttle.

Snow-making guns were blasting early last week, but as temperatures climbed into the 40s, they have been left silent and waiting. The resort hopes the predicted winter storm brings not only snow, but colder temperatures, too. It needs to be in the low 20s to make snow efficiently.

The winter storm was expected to impact Northwest Montana through 5 p.m. on Nov. 29. The main impacts were expected to be accumulating snow over the higher terrain and in many valleys. Eight to 10 inches of snow was expected in the higher terrain.