Vandals go after ski resort signs. . . .

By RICHARD HANNERS

Whitefish Pilot

Vandals struck Whitefish Mountain Resort several times over the past month, painting graffiti on a roadside sign and stealing three signs outright.

The original sign at the bottom of Big Mountain Road, directing people to the Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort, was stolen on July 22. The wooden posts were cut and the sign removed, but the theft was not reported to Whitefish police.

A new sign was soon put up using the ski resort’s new name, Whitefish Mountain Resort. Drivers on East Lakeshore Drive reported seeing words spray-painted on the sign early July 25. That night, after police had begun an investigation, the vandals struck again and the new sign was stolen.

Vandals used black spray paint to cover over the words “Whitefish Mountain Resort” and pink spray paint to write the words “Big Mtn” and “X-Foley-ate The Fish.” The latter phrase refers to Bill Foley, the major shareholder of Winter Sports Inc., which owns and operates the ski resort.

The original sign and its replacement resembled state highway signs, with a green background and white lettering, but they were property of Whitefish Mountain Resort, said WSI spokesman Brian Schott.

The welcome sign that hung on the skiers overpass near the entrance to Whitefish Mountain Resort was also stolen about a month ago, Schott said.

The vandalism and thefts at the bottom of Big Mountain Road “may meet felony criminal mischief charges,” Whitefish police lieutenant Bridger Kelch said. The cut-off between misdemeanor and felony criminal mischief is $1,000 in damages.

“Such acts not only cost business but everyone, as costs are passed on to the consumer,” he said.

That’s the same position taken by Whitefish Chamber of Commerce director Sheila Bowen.

“We oppose vandalism,” she said. “It hurts the entire community. We’re all victims.”

Bowen knows firsthand about vandalism — three signs have been stolen from in front of the Chamber, a $400 loss.

Another victim of the ski resort vandals was Alpinglow Inn, up on the mountain. After the original sign at the bottom of Big Mountain Road was stolen, numerous guests missed the turnoff and continued driving all the way to the head of the lake, said Chris Bowman, the inn’s general manager.

“That frustrated our guests, and that’s how we found out about the sign being missing,” she said.

Bowman said vandalism doesn’t help and actually makes things worse.

“I’m bummed out by the name change, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to vandalize other people’s property,” she said.

Strong feelings against the ski resort’s name change became evident soon after WSI made the announcement on June 14. A group calling itself “Save Big Mountain” soon appeared on the Internet with expletive-laced comments.

The Web site www.myspace.com/big_mtn carried dozens of harsh, unprintable comments by skiers and snowboarders attacking Foley and the new name.

“Big Mountain will always be Big Mountain even if big jackasses that only care about money change the name,” said someone named Corey.

“It’ll always be Big Mountain to me and my friends,” said someone named Sam. “Foley can’t change that.”

Someone named Leland claimed Big Mountain founder Ed Schenck was his uncle and that Schenck wanted to call the area Hellroaring Mountain.

Another person modified Whitefish Mountain Resort’s new logo, adding “Now local free” under the resort name, replacing the fish’s eye with a dollar sign, and changing “Est. 1947” with “Est. 2007.”

References to “pink duct tape” by several of the myspace commentators could be linked to the pink-colored spray paint. Several commentators also said the new name was “gay.”

The phrase “X-Foley-ate” made the rounds in Whitefish before it appeared on the Big Mountain Road sign. T-shirts with the phrase were sold at the Downtown Farmers Market about a month ago, and bumper stickers with the phrase have been seen around town.

Nancy Svennungsen, who oversees the downtown market, said she heard about the T-shirts being sold there, but said it was done without permission.

“We would not allow it,” she said. “There’s lots of ways to deal with your feelings, but that’s not one. It’s divisive.”