Resort looks at eastern route for Big Mt hikers
An additional uphill route on the east side of Big Mountain, expanded hours and a new Forest Service regulation requiring skiers to stay a safe distance from working machinery are three possible ideas being considered by Whitefish Mountain Resort for a revised uphill travel policy.
The resort has yet to announce an amended plan regarding inbounds hiking during the winter, or even set a date as to when the public might see the policy, but officials say they're in the process of hammering out details with the Forest Service and hope to have it finalized this fall.
According to resort spokesman Donnie Clapp, it's been a struggle to get all parties into the same room for a sit-down discussion, yet the resort and Forest Service have been exchanging ideas via e-mail since a public comment period ended April 4.
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 slope. 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.
The plan was met with heated debate among hikers — some of whom vowed to never patronize the mountain again. The resort said it would consider revising the policy this spring after reviewing public input and meeting with the Forest Service, which leases much of the land on Big Mountain to the resort.
About 100 comments were received, with many asking for expanded hiking hours in the evening and an alternate climbing route.
Currently, the resort is reviewing after-hours access during the season, and Clapp said that although there are no details, it's likely that access will be expanded.
"We haven't completely nailed down the times yet," Clapp said.
Discussion about an alternate uphill route currently revolves around finding a slope more moderate than Toni Matt, a groomed and heavily skied blue-square slope that follows the south-facing fall line of Big Mountain. An alternate route would probably be on the eastern side of the mountain, possibly involving some combination of Russ's Street, MoeMentum or Inspiration.
"Most likely, both a Toni Matt route and this new route would be open during operating hours, while after-hours traffic would be restricted to the new eastern route to minimize interactions between grooming equipment and uphillers," Clapp noted.
The Forest Service is also looking into a special order that would require skiers and hikers to stay a reasonable distance away from machinery and snow-making equipment, Clapp said.
"This would make preseason access more realistic for us because we wouldn't have to define ever-changing routes as we move snow-making equipment around," Clapp said. "It would also give the resort and the Forest Service some specific recourse all season long for individuals who choose to blatantly or repeatedly disregard rules and put themselves in danger."
A draft of the special order could be available soon so public comments can be made to the Forest Service.
Clapp noted that any new uphill policy that is released by the resort will be considered a 'real-world test" that is open to changes.