Resort struggles to keep open to the end

Even when faced with a patchwork of dirt, grass and snow on the lower-elevation slopes, skiers wasted little time lamenting over the conditions. In the end, they were just happy to still be on skis while other resorts in the West were forced to close up long ago.

“I think we’re all happy to get through the season with enough snow to get to closing day,” said Patrick Pegnato, who skied 40 days this year.

The 2014-2015 season could only muster 221 inches of total snow, as a dry weather pattern strengthened its grip over the region from February onward. A settled base of 73 inches remained at the summit on closing day, but the lower elevations were thin with many bare spots and some closed slopes.

By comparison, last season ended with 317 inches of snowfall and a settled base of 146 inches at the summit.

“Last year was killer,” Pegnato said. “This year doesn’t compare to a lot of other seasons, but I thought it was still good.”

The conditions on Saturday and Sunday were challenging, with hard snow and ice.

“You have to be able to ski in all conditions,” he added.

Whitefish local Mark Bloomquist managed to put in more than 60 days on the slopes. He kept skiing even after the powder stopped falling.

“A lot of groomers,” he said of his season. “But ultimately, it’s still skiing. I made the best of it — I do every year.”

Apparently Bloomquist wasn’t alone in his sentiment. The resort hit the 300,000 skier-visit mark late last week, which compares to the 345,000 visits last season. It’s the fifth year the resort has topped 300,000 visits.

A highlight came Dec. 28 when more than 8,000 skiers came out for a 15-inch powder day, marking the busiest day ever in the resort’s history.

Resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said a combination of factors helped keep skier traffic up even with the low snow totals — the resort’s recognition in the marketplace, lift-ticket value and dire conditions elsewhere ini the West.

“We didn’t have an above-average snow year, but we still had snow when others didn’t,” she said.

The investment in the new Flower Point chair lift paid off this winter, as it opened up critical north-facing terrain.

“If anything, (the poor snow year) justifies having a second lift on the back side,” Polumbus said.

The resort never seriously considered closing early, but it was day-to-day for the last month.

“We were all set on making it to the end,” she said. “We had reservations on the books and were focused on making it happen. We felt confident we could make it.”

The resort will open for the summer season on June 20.

Top-10 vertical 2014-15 season

1. Jay Foster 4,444,123

2. Fred Frost 4,213,897

3. Katherine Yobst 3,164,102

4. Stephen Calger 3,123,366

5. Tony Cooper 3,072,327

6. John Gibson 2,864,036

7. John Sanman 2,560,608

8. Susan Armstrong 2,439,246

9. Jim Robertson 2,438,426

10. Patrick Pinsent 2,428,966

There was a decidedly optimistic attitude among skiers who hit the slopes Sunday for closing day at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Even when faced with a patchwork of dirt, grass and snow on the lower-elevation slopes, skiers wasted little time lamenting over the conditions. In the end, they were just happy to still be on skis while other resorts in the West were forced to close up long ago.

“I think we’re all happy to get through the season with enough snow to get to closing day,” said Patrick Pegnato, who skied 40 days this year.

The 2014-2015 season could only muster 221 inches of total snow, as a dry weather pattern strengthened its grip over the region from February onward. A settled base of 73 inches remained at the summit on closing day, but the lower elevations were thin with many bare spots and some closed slopes.

By comparison, last season ended with 317 inches of snowfall and a settled base of 146 inches at the summit.

“Last year was killer,” Pegnato said. “This year doesn’t compare to a lot of other seasons, but I thought it was still good.”

The conditions on Saturday and Sunday were challenging, with hard snow and ice.

“You have to be able to ski in all conditions,” he added.

Whitefish local Mark Bloomquist managed to put in more than 60 days on the slopes. He kept skiing even after the powder stopped falling.

“A lot of groomers,” he said of his season. “But ultimately, it’s still skiing. I made the best of it — I do every year.”

Apparently Bloomquist wasn’t alone in his sentiment. The resort hit the 300,000 skier-visit mark late last week, which compares to the 345,000 visits last season. It’s the fifth year the resort has topped 300,000 visits.

A highlight came Dec. 28 when more than 8,000 skiers came out for a 15-inch powder day, marking the busiest day ever in the resort’s history.

Resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said a combination of factors helped keep skier traffic up even with the low snow totals — the resort’s recognition in the marketplace, lift-ticket value and dire conditions elsewhere ini the West.

“We didn’t have an above-average snow year, but we still had snow when others didn’t,” she said.

The investment in the new Flower Point chair lift paid off this winter, as it opened up critical north-facing terrain.

“If anything, (the poor snow year) justifies having a second lift on the back side,” Polumbus said.

The resort never seriously considered closing early, but it was day-to-day for the last month.

“We were all set on making it to the end,” she said. “We had reservations on the books and were focused on making it happen. We felt confident we could make it.”

The resort will open for the summer season on June 20.

Top-10 vertical 2014-15 season

1. Jay Foster 4,444,123

2. Fred Frost 4,213,897

3. Katherine Yobst 3,164,102

4. Stephen Calger 3,123,366

5. Tony Cooper 3,072,327

6. John Gibson 2,864,036

7. John Sanman 2,560,608

8. Susan Armstrong 2,439,246

9. Jim Robertson 2,438,426

10. Patrick Pinsent 2,428,966