Fortunate for Foley

We're barely into March and already the end of our ski season seems to be approaching too soon. Snow levels are well below historic numbers. With state and federal officials denying climate change there are no constructive and proactive environmental policies to protect winter trends and therefore conditions are only likely to worsen. Any ski resort below about 8,000 feet seemed threatened in the near future. 

But it's not only climate that is threatening this sport I've enjoyed for over 60 years. It’s resort monopoly ownership as well. Vail and Alterra resorts have purchased over 50 highly successful resorts across the world in the past decade. With this they have cut services, increased lift ticket prices by more than 250% in some instances to now over $300 per day per person in some locations and have lift lines that too often approach 30 minutes at many resorts. Skiing has become more about real estate and retail development than on the snow enjoyment.  

I live in Columbia Falls purely because of Whitefish Mountain Resort. I am deeply thankful for the investment the Foley family has made in WMR in keeping it a private, regional resort that cares about locals, families and skiers/snowboarders. Like Blacktail, we in northwest Montana are fortunate to avoid the death spiral that Vail and Alterra are forcing on most of the industry. 

Pat Malone, Columbia Falls