Ski resort proposes new north side chairlift

Whitefish Mountain Resort rolled out plans last week to add a new chairlift on the north side of Big Mountain, giving skiers access to Flower Point.

Four new groomed intermediate slopes and minor connector routes are planned on the north side, along with glades in the Stumptown and Window Pane areas. Following an analysis by the Forest Service, implementation of the project could begin as soon as next year.

The expansion will increase lift access to north-facing terrain by about 200 acres, all of which falls within the resort’s current permit boundary. Resort officials say the new lift will be a big benefit early in the season, when snow coverage can be limited to the higher elevations of the north side.

“The primary reason for this project is that it offers access to north-facing, intermediate terrain,” resort spokesperson Riley Polumbus said. “It’s always in better shape back there.”

Polumbus cited this past season’s slow start to winter. The resort was only able to open terrain on the north side of the mountain through December due to a lack of snow at lower elevations. The new lift will also address crowding at the summit area.

“The advantage of well-placed lifts is that they spread people out,” Polumbus explained. “This lift is taking skiers off the summit, which means they are away from Chair 1 and the Ant Hill, which is usually packed.”

The bottom terminal of the new lift will be located to the east and above the bottom of Chair 7. The new lift will likely be a fixed-grip quad or triple chair and have a vertical rise of about 800 feet and be 3,100 feet long.

New intermediate groomed runs will be kept narrow, with tree islands and feathered edges. The more advanced areas in Window Pane and Stumptown will be gladed.

“Glading helps the health of the forest and happens to be great for the skiing experience, too,” Polumbus said.

The resort has no plans to expand their boundary into the Canyon Creek drainage, which is a popular side-country area currently accessible via a short hike to Flower Point. There will be no avalanche control work in Canyon Creek and it will not be patrolled.

“It will be clearly signed that the (Canyon Creek) area is outside of our boundary and skiers are on their own in there,” Polumbus said.

The proposed expansion was approved by the Forest Service in 1995 as part of a larger master plan that included expansion into Hellroaring Basin. The Forest Service is currently determining whether the updated plans and any other changed circumstances are still within the scope of the original analysis.

Other future plans for the resort include relocating Chair 5 to provide access to the East Rim area and extending Chair 4 toward the top of the Inspiration run. The Forest Service approved the proposed Chair 4 and 5 projects in 2011 but the new Flower Point project has taken priority.

“In light of this past winter, where the back side was ready before everything else, the (Flower Point) lift takes priority, but we’re still pursuing the other projects,” Polumbus said.

For more information, visit online at http://skiwhitefish.com/future_projects.php.