Skiers flock to mountain as powder piles up
It’s been a couple of dream weeks for powder enthusiasts at Whitefish Mountain Resort, with nearly 4 feet of snow falling in seven days to push total snowfall over the 300-inch mark for the season.
The mountain saw its third busiest day of the season on Feb. 26, when 10 inches of powder dropped and over 2,700 season pass holders hit the slopes. More than 9,400 skiers headed to the mountain last Saturday and Sunday.
“Locals are saying that this is one of the best seasons they’ve ever had and that last Sunday, Feb. 28 was their best day ever on this mountain,” Dan Graves, CEO of Whitefish Mountain Resort, said. “Thanks to the last few days of powder we have some of the happiest guests and employees in the industry looking forward to making the most of the remainder of what could be one of the best seasons on record.”
The snow total on Tuesday was at 340 inches so far and 124 inches of settled base. The resort has had to extend their snow stake to keep pace with the rapidly falling snow. This year’s totals have already surpassed last year’s 311-inch total and the prior year’s 221 inches.
February saw snow on 18 of 28 days to total more than 9 feet in the month, and March opened with a strong 11-inch powder day, as part of 11 consecutive days of snow totally roughly 80 inches.
The last time the mountain saw 300 inches by the start of March was a 2007-08 season that ended with a total of 426 inches.
Public Relations Manager Riley Polumbus said the visitor totals this year are currently 6 percent ahead of the same time last year.
“We are ahead of where we thought we’d be for sure, and a lot of that is because of snow,” she said.
Polumbus pointed to the 2010-11 season’s total of 355 inches as the number the mountain is currently getting ready to pass, and said it’s looking like there’s plenty more snow on the way.
“The long range forecast is looking good, even this week’s forecast is looking good. Temperatures are cool and chances of precipitation are above average,” Polumbus said. “I can’t remember the last time we’ve had this many days in a row of snow.”