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Item: Whitefish, MT
Displays the photo gallery for a selected Gallery Album.Whitefish, Montana, is one of the few ski towns that still feels rugged by nature. There, men still wear wranglers and cowboy hats. We even ran into a man at a bar in town with chaps and a hat made out of “what was once a goddamn badger!” On the mountain, backcountry signs give warnings, but the “ski at your own risk” motto is still there for those who want a little adventure. With warm temperatures and high pressure on the coast, we decided to follow reports of good snow in the Big Sky State–three snowboarders in search of something new. So we hopped on the overnight train to Montana.
It takes twelve hours to get to downtown Whitefish station from Everett, WA, and the train arrives around 8 a.m.; just in time to drop off our luggage, cook up some bacon, and hop on the Ski Bus that takes tourists and locals alike to the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. We were greeted with sunny skies, long rolling groomers, and fun hikes that led to steep gladed trees. With an 81-inch base and over 3,000 acres to explore, we lucked out when we ran into local Jason Robinson who showed us some of his favorite runs and secret stashes. It would have taken us all day to explore twhat was once known as “Big Mountain” without the expertise of a 20-something-year veteran of the area. We also briefly ran into J-Rob’s mother, Pamela Robinson, who has been helping get kids out on the hill for the past two years through the A Rob Plant-A-Seed Project created in honor her son, Aaron. A bus full of kids piled out of the lodge, mini boards in hand, smiles on their faces. They were obviously very happy to be snowboarding that day too; the sun was shining and there were still a few pow slashes to be found in the seemingly endless glades and snow ghosts.
After the first day of riding, we sat at the summit enjoying the views of the nearby peaks of Glacier National Park that stretch out over the Flathead Valley and Whitefish Lake; to the north, the Canadian Rockies dominated the skyline. I was surprised to see a group of snowmobiles pull up to the lodge on the top of the mountain – we soon learned that not only does the ski resort offer snowmobile tours, but also grants access to the nearby peaks for sledders, opening their lodge to them for warm food and cold drinks.
Staying true to their small town vibe, Whitefish Mountain Resort strives to keep the costs low, and the stoke high. The food is cheap (and delicious), the beer even cheaper, and most of the folks on the mountain still gather for après ski beers at the Bierstube after a long day of riding. By the end of the weekend we had found exactly what we were looking for: a simple snowboarding trip and a bit of a powder fix. No cars, new terrain, friendly locals, good beer, and lots of fun snowboarding.
A huge thank you to Riley Polumbus for the hospitality and opportunity to visit Whitefish Mountain Resort and the Robinson family for their dedication and love of the area–the kind of legacy that continues to make the mountain feel home to many, even a trio of visitors from the Cascades.