Events mark 70th anniversary

Two events on Thursday, Dec. 14 will celebrate the 70th anniversary of skiing on Big Mountain.

Whitefish Mountain Resort will celebrate the very first Opening Day in 1947 at the Lift Plaza at 10 a.m. The event will focus on three men who played a key role in the founding of the skiing on Big Mountain: Lloyd “Mully” Muldown, Ed Schenck and George Prentice.

Schenck and Prentice are the two co-founders of Winter Sports Inc., and Muldown is the “father of skiing in Whitefish.” He was one of the first to ski here, taught many others how to ski and helped convince Schenck and Prentice that this “Big Mountain” had great potential.

In addition, the Ski Heritage Center Museum of Skiing will also hold an open house preview event in recognition of the resort’s Founders Day Celebration.

The open house will feature a photo gallery celebrating the first five decades of skiing in Whitefish, an exhibit on the Hellroaring Ski Club Ski Cabin and new renovations to the historic Saddle Club building.

The open house will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at 725 Wisconsin Avenue in the Saddle Club building.