Opening of season on mountain was looking good in 1947

Barring the unexpected, the Big Mountain ski development was set be ready for its scheduled official opening Sunday, Dec. 14 in 1947, according to an article in the Dec. 6, 1947 edition of the Whitefish Pilot. The lighting plant was to be installed the next week, and the loudspeaker, or public address system would be installed by the Northern Electric this coming week.

Indications were for good snow conditions by the time of the opening. As soon as the project was in operation the Missoula Ski Club and the state university ski team were set to give it a work-out in addition to Flathead Valley Skiers. A large group from Great Falls had plans on being here Christmas week.

With several sanctioned meets (scheduled) for the year, including the Northern Rocky Mountain championships, and the national championships in 1949, the local course was getting in the big spotlight parade in a hurry.

The development had required a prodigious amount of work and planning with Ed Schenck and George Prentice bearing the brunt of the burden.

Today as Whitefish Mountain Resort prepares for the 74th opening day of the resort, it seems appropriate to look back to that first opening day in 1947.

What many people don’t realize is that people had been skiing on “Big Mountain” for at least two decades before the Big Mountain Ski Area opened for business. In fact the mountain served as the venue for the first-ever Montana State High School Skiing Championships in 1939. Eighty-six competitors from 10 schools around the state traveled to Whitefish and then hiked from town up to the old Hellroaring Ski Club cabins — there was no road yet.

They spent two nights camped out at the cabins and two days hiking up and racing on what today is Chair Two terrain. And equally amazing — over 400 spectators made the same trek from town to watch this first-time event. Whitefish skiers stood atop the podium for both events, with Doug Smooth winning the Downhill and “Pine Tar” Einan winning the Slalom.

For more information about the Ski Heritage Center, contact Tim Hinderman at 406-885-2730 or tim.hinderman@fvsef.org.

This column is brought to you by the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation and the Ski Heritage Center Museum of Skiing.