Once called the Big Mountain in northwestern Montana, Whitefish Mountain Resort offers spectacular views of Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest. The original resort originally opened in 1947, and the slogan for the area “Ski the Fish” has been around since the 1990s. With its many trails and year-round activities, skiers and boarders of all levels will enjoy this scenic resort.
The resort is located 19 miles from Glacier Park International Airport. Visitors can also get to the area via the Whitefish Amtrak Station. From either of these, you can rent a car for the short trip to the mountain, or take advantage of one of the shuttle services. The resort is also 66 miles from the Canadian border and 35 miles from Glacier National Park
With an annual snowfall of 333 inches and 3,000 acres of skier and rider accessible terrain, Whitefish Mountain Resort offers access to 105 named trails and vast bowl and tree skiing. All these are serviced by 11 lifts, 2 T-bars and 1 magic carpet. The longest run is Hellfire at 3.3 miles. The base elevation is 4,464 feet, and the summit is 6,817 feet with a vertical drop of 2,353 feet.
With a terrain rating of 12% beginner, 38% intermediate, 44% advanced and 6% expert, Whitefish can accommodate skiers and riders of all levels and abilities. Four terrains parks and a skier/boarder cross course entertain the freestylers in any group. Near the Base Lodge is Magic Park designed for beginners. The Central Avenue Park & Railyard off Chair 3 has three to five jumps and a rail line with medium-sized features.
The best time to head to the resort is January. Typically, it’s the snowiest month, and there are usually discounts on lodging. Night skiing is available on Friday and Saturday nights, and during the Christmas holidays. Be sure to take a ride up Chair 1 for amazing views of Glacier National Park.
For more post-slope adventures, book a dog sledding trip or horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides. If you want to stick to skiing, take a full-day, guided backcountry cat skiing adventure, where you can take advantage of hidden powder stashes. Other activities include snowmobiling, ice fishing, fat tire snow bike rentals and snowshoeing on 28 acres of Living Wetland Interpretive Nature Trails. Cross-country skiers should head to the Glacier Nordic Center with its many trails.
P.O. Box 1400
59937 Whitefish, Montana
United States