Holiday crowds hit the slopes

The 4 p.m. traffic off Big Mountain Road on Monday gave a clear indication of just how busy Whitefish Mountain Resort has been this Christmas week. A line of cars snaked down Wisconsin Avenue, over the viaduct and clear across town as happy skiers headed home from a day on the slopes.

Skier visits have steadily increased each day since Christmas Eve and should continue to build through New Year’s Day, said resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus.

“Every day it’s getting busier than the day before,” she said.

More than 5,000 skier visits were recorded on Saturday and Sunday each, and Monday was closer to 6,000.

The resort set an all-time record during Christmas week last season when nearly 7,900 skiers hit the slopes on Dec. 28.

“This year is not as busy, but it’s still good,” Polumbus said.

Perfectly timed snow storms dumped feet of fresh powder on the mountain last week, allowing ski patrol to open nearly 100 percent of the terrain just as the holiday traffic picked up. On Tuesday, 13 lifts were running, including Chair 4, which typically only runs on the busiest of days. There is a settled base of 72 inches at the summit and total snowfall to date is at 138 inches.

“Everyone is just thrilled with the conditions,” Polumbus said. “The snow ghosts are in good shape and there is great coverage on the slopes.”

Polumbus expects the crowds will begin to dwindle by Saturday or Sunday as the holiday season wraps up.

“Saturday will still be a busy day,” she said. “Sunday it might be quiet again.”