Looking Back: A new permit clause threatens water rights for The Big Mountain
Skiing through snow ghosts on Big Mountain in 1971. (Mel Ruder photo)
A look back at past Pilot articles by Whitney England.
10 years ago - Jan. 4, 2012
The National Ski Area Association, which Whitefish Mountain Resort was associated with, was planning to file a lawsuit regarding a new permit clause that would assign water rights at resorts on federal land to the federal government. The association argued that the new permit clause would take from ski resorts tens of millions of dollars in private water rights. They claimed water rights in the west were part of the asset base of the ski areas.
20 years ago - Jan. 3, 2002
A lawsuit that questioned the legality of a city election had officials alarmed and the public confused. Two Whitefish men filed the lawsuit which wanted the election that had just been completed tossed out. The men claimed a new political group, Citizens for an Informed Public, deceived voters by not disclosing that it was a political action group.
30 years ago - Jan. 2, 1992
The Big Mountain for the first time ever began offering snowcat powder skiing off the backside of the ski area; and it wasn’t just for experts either. The system was easily intertwined with the regular lift service. By taking the Glacier Chaser quad chair to the top, skiers would then follow a guide a short distance to an awaiting snowcat and take off from there.
40 years ago - Jan. 7, 1982
The temperature that week had plunged to 23 degrees below zero, but that was still 5 degrees warmer than the record low set on the same date in 1979. A large high pressure ridge was the reason for the cold temperatures, but it was expected to soon move out of the area and be replaced by a warmer westerly flow. The base of Big Mountain was recording 38 inches of snow with packed powder conditions.
50 years ago - Jan. 6, 1972
A plan had just emerged for the newest dwelling complex in Whitefish — Park Manor Apartments. The building was the old Whitefish Memorial Hospital that was being renovated into apartments. The new units were to be ready in the late spring.