Uphill skiers must mind new lift

The winter season gets closer every day with more snow last week and colder temperatures in the single digits, making for excellent outdoor recreation opportunities.

For downhill skiers, one option for staying active before the ski hill opens is to skin up Big Mountain via the East Route.

Touring, or skiing uphill with the proper equipment is a great winter activity. As more snow falls the mountain gets more and more traffic, and uphill skiers must yield to downhill skiers at all times. Whitefish Mountain Resort asks that uphill skiers remain on the edge of trails. On a busy day, there are usually uphill tracks that are easy to follow. Larger groups should stay consolidated to a single line in order to prevent grouping. Construction crews are still active on the mountain as the final stages of the new chair lift are installed. Crossing under the lift line is prohibited for safety as there are cables and heavy equipment being used. The new lift area remains closed even when crews are not present, according to Whitefish Mountain Resort.

“We can’t stress this enough: We need everyone to steer clear of the construction zone and the entire lift line,” Matt Gebo, the resort’s marketing director, said in a recent press release.

“We understand the excitement of seeing this project up close, but it’s not worth the risk to your personal safety. We also value our ability to foster a thriving community of uphill skiers, and we urge everyone to ensure they and their skiing partners are acting responsibly.”

Also, uphill skiers must have a season pass or obtain an uphill ski pass in order to access the resort, as Thanksgiving Day marked the beginning of the 14-day preseason period according to the resort’s uphill policy.

Until the resort’s operating season begins on Dec.

8, uphill and downhill skiers are limited to the East Route between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The trail is marked with orange tape to prevent anyone from diverging and all other parts of the mountain are closed to skiers until opening day.

Additionally, skiers are asked to stay at least 100 feet away from any grooming machines and 50 feet away from snow making equipment. There is a snow maker on the Anthill just below the Summit House to keep in mind.

The Resort is only allowing uphill skiers to park in the Spruce Parking area. Do not park at the Village, as this would involve crossing under the new lift to access the East Route, which is prohibited.

The East Route begins at the Base Lodge and follows the Cat tracks that lead to Chair 5, then heads up the Moose run to the Anthill and up to the Summit House.

The trip up is a total of 2.4 miles and about 2,200 feet in elevation gained from the Base, and takes around 2 hours to complete.