Blacktail ski area ready for the holidays

It has been a busy week for Blacktail Mountain Ski Area, which officially opened for the season on Saturday, and also started its holiday schedule this week to accommodate families on vacation.

The mountain will be open daily through Jan. 3 before reverting to the regular schedule in which it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.

Blacktail doesn't use any man-made snow, so the staff waits until there is enough natural snow to open each year. This year's opening day came on Saturday.

"We had a good turnout for opening weekend," general manager Steve Spencer said. "A lot of people are still running around finishing up their Christmas shopping. It doesn't usually get busy until the day after Christmas. We're getting some nice snow coverage from the weather we've had the past week or so."

Spencer said that the outlook is good for the holiday break as well.

"It's going to start cooling off, which is good for our snow coverage here," Spencer said. "We have snow in the forecast the next few days and we should be ready when the crowds hit on the 26th."

Although there are 39 inches of snow at the midway point of the mountain, the ski area is only about 50 percent open right now.

"We need a little more snow at the lower parts of the mountain to be able to open that up," Spencer said. "Everyone is skiing on the top and enjoying some good snow up there. We have the unique ability to be able to just open the top of the mountain since that's where our base lodge is."

That snow is already building. Tuesday morning groomers reported that there were 3 inches of new snow fall.

Other destinations

With students out of school and many parents taking time off work, local ski areas are expecting an influx of visitors.

The timing for it couldn't be better as area mountains are experiencing an increase in snowfall.

Whitefish Mountain Resort had 4 inches of new powder overnight Tuesday with 79 inches to date.

Big Mountain, which is roughly 30 miles from Bigfork, is currently 70 percent open.

Montana Snowbowl, located near Missoula, reported 2 new inches Tuesday morning.

It currently has 14 inches at the base and 41 at the top. The mountain is 80 percent open.

Lookout Pass, about 90 miles from Bigfork, had 2 new inches Tuesday and was 90 percent open. It currently has 35 inches of snow at its base and 60 inches on top.

Lost Trail Pass, located 90 miles from Missoula, received 3 new inches of snow between Monday and Tuesday.

Three of its five chairs are open. The mountain currently has 36 inches at the base and 42 inches at the summit.