Events celebrate Flathead Valley's ski history

Whitefish Mountain Resort will host the inaugural HellRoaring Ski Heritage Days on March 22-23 to celebrate the Flathead Valley’s rich and colorful skiing history.

The event will also serve as a fundraiser for the new Ski Heritage Center and the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation next to the Stumptown Ice Den on Wisconsin Avenue in Whitefish. The public is asked to dress in vintage ski attire.

“We expect this to become an annual event,” Foundation executive director Tim Hinderman said. “I know there are lots of old ski outfits in closets and old equipment in basements and garages. They don’t need to be ancient artifacts for this event.”

Plans for the Ski Heritage Center including collecting artifacts, designing exhibits, interviewing surviving ski pioneers and ultimately expanding the existing facility as needed. The center will include a museum and hall of fame, and serve as a gathering place to learn about the history of skiing in the region.

For more information, visit online at www.fvsef.org.

Ski Heritage Days events include:

• A ski-a-thon open to individuals and teams on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Skiers on new or vintage equipment can help raise funds by soliciting pledges for vertical-feet skied. Only one day’s vertical will be counted.

• The ski resort has dedicated the Heaven’s T-Bar to the ski museum project, and it will be dedicated at base of the T-bar on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

• A retro-ski race on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. will provide ex-racers a chance to dust off old skis and give them one more ride. Also open for skiers on non-vintage equipment who just want to make a run or two.

• A vintage equipment rally and poker ski-run will take place on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

• Old-time ski movies will play at the Ed & Mully’s and Hellroaring Saloon restaurants all afternoon on Saturday.

• Best vintage outfit contest at the Summit House on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

• A promenade showcasing vintage outfits and equipment will parade down the Toni Matt slope on Saturday at 4 p.m.

• A reception including a memorial for Norm Kurtz and a 10th Mountain Division Tribute will take place at Ed and Mully’s on Saturday at 6 p.m. with be a light buffet and no host bar.

• The ski-a-thon will continue on Sunday with an award ceremony at Ed & Mully’s at 4 p.m.