Future of uphill skiing on Big Mountain reviewed

It was standing room only as skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers skipped out on a bluebird powder day to meet with officials from the Forest Service and Whitefish Mountain Resort on March 21 to discuss the future of uphill travel on Big Mountain.

The Flathead National Forest hosted the informal meeting at the Pin and Cue as part of their ongoing “breakfast chats” series.

“We’re coming to you for help,” said forest supervisor Chip Weber. “It’s our hope you’ll help us by creating a standard of compliance.”

Resort management had expressed concerns about the booming number of skiers using skins to climb the mountain outside of normal operating hours.

The issue hit a nerve last month when two skiers who hiked the mountain before the lifts opened entered a closed area in Hellroaring Basin while avalanche control work was in progress. A patroller was preparing to throw an avalanche explosive when the skiers appeared below.

Despite violating the resort’s uphill policy, the Forest Service had no grounds to fine the skiers. A special order regarding uphill travel only prohibits skiers from approaching within 100 feet of grooming and snowmaking equipment. There is no mention of following the approved uphill routes.

“In the current scenario, they were not in violation of the existing special order,” said Forest Service recreation forester Hans Castren. “It’s our intention that in the future that will be a different situation.”

Weber says the district is determining how to rewrite the special order to better align with the uphill policy, and in turn give more teeth with enforcement.

Other changes to the special order will involve tightening restrictions before and after the ski season.

Weber says the new special order will be ready before next ski season.

Resort president Dan Graves painted a somber picture of why the ski area is so concerned about violations of the uphill policy.

“I want everybody to imagine you’re a groomer and you’re doing your job nice and quietly,” he said. “Then all of a sudden somebody comes out of the side of the trail and trees and into your headlights. Or they come out of the fog and cross a bowl where you have a winch-cat cable that’s torquing and waving.”

“Or you’re a patroller on an avalanche run in the morning about ready to throw a bomb, and an individual is below you and comes out of the trees.”

“When we talk about safety and risk, it’s not something we just pull out of the backpack. It’s because we are very, very concerned.”

Graves notes that access to the public land on Big Mountain crosses private property. He estimated 20 percent of the land at the base of the mountain is owned by Winter Sports Incorporated.

The resort also funds plowing Big Mountain Road and the parking lots, and slopes are groomed and maintained by the resort.

“It’s beyond me the lack of respect the people who don’t follow the rules have,” he said. “It’s not an entitlement. It’s a privilege.”

“If [violations] don’t stop, [uphill travel] is going to stop,” he said bluntly. “We can’t get somebody hurt.”

A number of skiers sounded off in support of the uphill policy and offered ideas for improvement.

Whitefish resident Bear Barinowski said there are many ski resorts that have effective uphill policies, and noted Breckenridge in Colorado where he used to work as a groomer.

“Breckenridge has a thriving uphill policy that is tied to the town and is enforced,” he said. “150 people skin up on a daily basis and it’s the responsibility of the person skinning up.”

“I adore the privilege and want to do what I can to save it, but there are ski areas where it’s working. It’s not an anomaly.”

Avid uphill skier Ben Parsons agreed enforcement is needed.

“The Forest Service should have the right to slap some tickets,” he said.

Currently, the special order carries a minimum fine of $100 or a maximum of $5,000.

Still, Flathead National Forest spokesman Wade Muehlhof noted there are only two law enforcement officers covering the 1 million acres of land within the district.

Weber said it comes down to the core group uphill travelers setting a good example and educate others about the rules.

“You guys are the third party in the equations and we’re asking you to create that tenor of compliance,” he said.

Parsons suggested creating an ambassador program to help with education and outreach — similar to the group that monitors the Whitefish Trail in the summer.

“We all want to ski safely and protect this policy and we’re all willing to do what it takes,” he said.

Another idea was to add more signs on the uphill route that explain the rules.

Others suggested adding more approved routes — both uphill and downhill.

“It seems a lot of conflicts do involved the grooming situation,” splitboarder Rich Graves said. “An option might be to have a dedicated skin route that’s not part of the groomed area, where we are out of the way.”

Another suggestion was to make skiers purchase an uphill pass and sign a waiver.

The resort immediately shot down the idea.

“Our insurance company would tell us absolutely don’t do that,” resort marketing manager Nick Polumbus explained. “We actually assume more liability if we go down that path.”

“But why make this harder on [the skiers.] Let’s keep this simple to where it’s easy to enforce and we’re able to enforce it.”