Whitefish Mountain Resort, which sits about 7 miles outside the town of Whitefish, Montana, is old-school in many of the best ways. While uncrowded, fairly-priced, and friendly, its size and terrain is anything but quaint. The resort opened in 1947 with the name, “The Big Mountain”, but it was renamed Whitefish in 2007. Since then, it’s blossomed into a world-class ski destination widely known for its stunning views of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park, big mountain feel, and reliable snow.

Its independent status, while inconvenient for Ikon and Epic pass holders, has allowed Whitefish Resort to maintain affordable lift ticket prices and a classic vibe that extends to the town of Whitefish. While every modern amenity is available at both the resort and in town, the prevailing atmosphere is one of lively authenticity rather than excess.

The weather plays a leading role in any trip to Whitefish. The mountain is frequently shrouded in clouds in the winter which makes visibility a challenge, although visibility on the back side is occasionally spared. Whitefish is only about 60 miles from the Canadian border, and therefore temperatures can be extremely cold. The climate has its perks, however. In addition to the preservation of snow, the conditions are perfect for “snow ghosts”—a phenomenon in which snow and ice completely enshroud a tree. You’ll likely encounter this magical signature of the Whitefish skiing experience all over the mountain.

The Skiing

Whitefish is an independent resort, so Ikon and Epic pass holders don’t have access included in their passes. That said, the value offered by the resort is outstanding. Day passes are always under $100, with discounts for buying online more than 48 hours in advance, buying a multi-day pass, and even for purchasing at the Costco in Kalispell.

While the cost of a lift ticket may be small, the mountain itself is not. The resort features 3,000 acres of skiable terrain—including 600 available for night skiing, 2,353 feet of vertical drop, and receives around 300 inches of snow a year.

Intermediate and advanced skiers are particularly spoiled at Whitefish, but the mountain provides plenty of options for skiers and riders of all abilities. The mountain has an enormous front side and 2 distinct areas on the back side—the North Side and Hellroaring Basin. Generally speaking, the higher (and further to looker’s right) you go on the mountain, the spicier your way down will be, however there are beginner and intermediate relief runs available from all points on the front side of the mountain. If you venture into the trees, watch out for tree wells and ski with a buddy—the tree well risk is higher at Whitefish than at a lot of other resorts.

The beginner terrain at Whitefish is excellent for those still learning or getting their legs under them. Located at the very bottom of the mountain, above the Base Lodge, the beginner area offers a magic carpet perfect for true beginners, as well as multiple short cruisers great for building confidence, which are accessible with a short ride up Chair 9 (Easy Rider). Chairs 2 (Swift Creek Express) and 3 (Tenderfoot), located at the Village, will take beginners who are ready for longer, sustained runs a bit higher on the mountain.

Once the beginner area has been thoroughly explored and basic techniques perfected, take Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express) to Summit House, at the very top of the mountain. From here, a short ride on Moe Mentum will present you with Caribou, the lone beginner run on the North Side, or take Russ’s Street for a long, gentle ride back down to the Village. While marked intermediate, Toni Matt is also manageable for beginners.

Intermediate skiers and riders have nearly 40 percent of the mountain earmarked for their enjoyment, and enjoy it they will. Blue runs are scattered across all 3 faces of the mountain. Those in search of speed will find wide, fast groomers all over the front side of the mountain, the best being Inspiration, Corkscrew, and Big Ravine. While all 3 of those are accessed by riding Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express) from the Village, don’t sleep on the terrain under Chair 2 (Swift Creek Express), which is almost entirely groomed and features a near-perfect pitch for intermediate skiers.

The back side of the mountain, which includes North Side and Hellroaring Basin, has plenty in store for intermediate skiers and riders as well. The longest run on the mountain, Hellfire, comes in at over 2.5 miles long and skirts the edge of the more advanced terrain of Hellroaring Basin. It’s an absolute must for intermediate skiers, and is accessible from the top of Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express). While a bit flat at the bottom, the North Side has a handful of really nice intermediate runs, including intro-level glades perfect for those interested in learning to ski in the trees. Ride Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express), then take Gray Wolf or Russ’s Street from the summit to access the North Side.

Like intermediate skiers, advanced skiers will have no difficulty finding excellent single-black terrain at Whitefish. The front side of the mountain is covered in huge, bowl-like faces dotted with glades and trees. Ptarmigan Bowl, Big Face, and Good Medicine are 3 of the best, and all can be reached by riding Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express) from the Village or Chair 4 (Snow Ghost Express) from the Base Lodge. The area on the other side of the fall line from the Summit, around and including North Bowl Face, holds great advanced steeps and trees.

Much of the best advanced terrain on the mountain, however, can be found in Hellroaring Basin. Glory Hole, which runs right down the middle of the area, can be a lot of fun, especially if you hit it early, before it becomes skied-out. Connie’s Coulee is a great option for those searching for steep trees. The Back 9, which is accessible by a short descent from the summit on the blue run Hell Fire, features more excellent tree skiing. Unfortunately, Chair 8 (Hellroaring), at the bottom of Hellroaring Basin, takes you to the middle of the front side of the mountain rather than back to the summit, which makes it impossible to easily lap Hellroaring Basin. Thankfully, it at least drops you off in good position to hit Good Medicine or Ptarmigan Bowl on your way back down to the Village where you can catch Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express) back to the summit.

Expert terrain is available off Chairs 1 (Big Mountain Express), 5 (East Rim), and 7 (Big Creek Express), but most expert skiers will want to stick with 1 and 5. Chair 1 will grant access to Hellroaring Basin, which features 2 named expert runs, Picture Chutes and Wing and a Prayer. While only graded a single-black, The Back 9 has some pretty serious sections as well. Don’s Descent, in the East Rim area, is the steepest named tree run on the mountain. Unlike Hellroaring Basin, the East Rim area is extremely lappable via Chair 5, but the runs are relatively short. In addition to Don’s Descent, East Rim and First Creek are awesome for their steep cliffs.

Sidecountry terrain is easy to access and holds reliable powder stashes. The best area is Hellroaring Peak. Ride Hell Fire along the resort boundary into Hellroaring Basin, but rather than turning skier’s left about a third of the way down the run, leave resort boundaries and continue toward the radio towers at the top of Hellroaring Peak. It requires a bit of a hike, but the reward is an epic powdery tree run that eventually intercepts the bottom of Hell Fire which will then take you back to Chair 8 (Hellroaring). Keep in mind, as always, that the areas outside resort boundaries aren’t patrolled or avalanche controlled, and always ski with a buddy.

Whitefish has multiple terrain parks that sit above the Village, all the way to the looker’s left end of the mountain. All are accessible via Chair 3 (Tenderfoot). Minnow Park is the smallest, followed by Depot and 2nd Street which include small and intermediate features. Central Avenue Park & Railyard is the largest, and includes 3–5 jumps, plenty of rails, and other medium to large features. Additionally, the Goat Haunt Skier and Boardercross Course opens at some point in December and offers an exciting, rolling ride with banked turns and jumps. It’s in the North Side area, so you’ll need to navigate there first, then ride Chair 7 (Big Creek Express) for laps.

Eating Out

Summit House, at the top of the mountain, is the only on-mountain dining option. It has pretty standard options for an on-mountain, service counter restaurant, but includes a full-service bar and indoor and outdoor seating. Food is served until 4 and drinks until 4:45.

The base of the mountain has 2 cafeteria-style restaurants serving standard burgers, pizza, and chicken tenders—Ed & Mully’s in the Village and The Base Lodge Cafe in the Base Lodge area. Both also have full bars. Just above the bottom of Chair 1 (Big Mountain Express), in the Village, sits Hellroaring Saloon & Eatery, known for huge plates of nachos but also serving soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers in the Chalet—the oldest structure in Whitefish. Hellroaring Saloon is primarily a lunch spot, but is sometimes open for special dinners.

Those looking for something more than basic pub fare will have to venture into the town of Whitefish, where they’ll find everything from tacos to sushi. Visit Blackstar BrewPub for great local beer, a crowd-pleasing menu, and rooftop seating overlooking downtown Whitefish. Tupelo Grille is a great option for southern-inspired food, Jalisco Cantina serves authentic Mexican food and margaritas, and Indah Sushi’s menu extends beyond excellent sushi to dishes like a wagyu beef tenderloin. Abruzzo Italian Kitchen is the best spot for a warm bowl of pasta and a glass of wine, while Whitefish Lake Restaurant, at the Whitefish Lake Golf Club is the place to go for a more sophisticated dinner featuring local ingredients.

The best breakfast spots in Whitefish are Buffalo Cafe and Loula’s Cafe for traditional, hearty breakfasts, Swift Creek Cafe for a slightly more refined start to the day, and Fleur Bake Shop for pastries.

What is the Après Ski like at Whitefish?

Whitefish has a lively après scene that begins on the mountain and moves to the town of Whitefish in the evening. The Bierstube is the spot for on-mountain après. An institution that rivals any après bar in North America if not the world, don’t miss out on a rowdy night at the ‘Stube if you have the chance.

If packing into a loud bar with other smelly skiers and snowboarders isn’t your jam, Hellroaring Saloon is a great option for calmer après without sacrificing the vintage ski vibe of the best on-mountain bars. The food is also better here than the Bierstube. Ed & Mully’s Lounge in the upper village and The Base Lodge also have bars with calmer après.

When the après scene at the mountain winds down, the party crowd moves to town. The Great Northern Bar and Grill is, well, a great bar with a strong local following, frequent live music, and decent food. It’s been open in downtown Whitefish in one form or another since 1919, and its walls are covered in the signs of local businesses that have gone out of business in those hundred-plus years. Other solid options downtown Whitefish include Bulldog Saloon, a dimly-lit sports dive bar, and The Remington Bar, another old school saloon with live music and gambling.

To sample local beer, head to Bonsai Brewing Project or Blackstar Brewing, for local spirits, check out Spotted Bear Spirits, and to taste locally-produced wine head to Unleashed Winery. Those in search of a higher-end cocktail should check out Herb & Omni.

Family Friendly

Whitefish is set up incredibly well for beginner skiers of all stripes and ages. What’s more, the real partying on the mountain is isolated to just a few bars (Bierstube and maybe Hellroaring), so families won’t have to worry about the party crowd disturbing the peace. The town of Whitefish is very family friendly and there are plenty of activities for non-skiing members of the family.

Activities for Non-Skiers at Whitefish

Adventurous non-skiers or those just taking a day off will find plenty to do in the Whitefish area. Located just 25 miles from the western entrance to Glacier National Park, visitors to Whitefish shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to see the Park at its most peaceful. Many of the roads in Glacier are closed to cars during the winter, which allows snowshoers and cross-country skiers to adopt the normally jam-packed Going-to-the-Sun Road as their own avenue for exploring the park. Those who prefer the warmth of a car can still access the Apgar Visitor Center and Village for superb views of Lake McDonald and a snack or cup of hot cocoa. Lodging is not available in the park during the winter.

Outside of Glacier’s boundaries sits a huge amount of National Forest and other public and private land ripe for exploring. Whitefish Lake, located just outside the town of Whitefish is a great place for ice skating and ice fishing. Groomed cross-country skiing trails are available at the Glacier Nordic Club and Whitefish Lake Golf Course, the latter of which features illuminated night skiing. The aptly-named Dog Sledding Adventures in Olney offers dog sledding tours of the Flathead Valley, and those looking for more horsepower can rent a snowmobile from one of many vendors in the valley.

Activities for those less willing to brave the winter elements include shopping in downtown Whitefish, bowling at the Pin ‘n Cue, catching a movie at the Mountain Cinema 4-Plex, or learning about Whitefish’s history at the Stumptown Historical Museum. Art lovers can create their own pottery or fuse glass at the Stumptown Art Studio or take a tour of Whitefish Pottery.

Accommodation Options

The 2 main options for accommodations are at the mountain and in town. Those who would like to emphasize access to skiing should stay at the mountain, while those planning on including a heavier dose of dining out and nightlife might want to stay in town.

For a small resort, Whitefish has a solid number of ski-in ski-out options and lodging for every budget, including a pretty standard mix of hotels and rental properties. There are plenty of options in and around the town of Whitefish, including some downtown hotels. Rental properties mostly sit in the neighborhoods surrounding downtown, but getting to town is pretty easy so long as you have a car. Most hotels in town offer shuttle services to ferry you to and from the mountain, and the S.N.O.W. bus system provides free rides between the resort and downtown every day of the winter.

Environment and Sustainability

As an independent resort, Whitefish isn’t subject to top-down sustainability initiatives like the resorts owned by the big ski conglomerates. They don’t detail many specifics on their site, but they do work with the Forest Service on preservation and restoration of the white bark pine in the Flathead Valley, and have had a partnership with Protecting our Winters (POW). In addition, the town of Whitefish has sustainability initiatives in place.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Huge in-bounds area, including excellent intermediate and advanced terrain
• Great beginner area that enables progression
• Reliable snow
• Independent resort that maintains local feel
• Amazing bang for your buck (unless you already have an Ikon or Epic pass)
• Not too crowded
• Lively après scene
• Stunningly beautiful natural area including close-by Glacier National Park
• Town of Whitefish is a classic ski town

Cons

• Weather—the fog and cold can be relentless
• Poor lift arrangement makes lapping some of the best terrain difficult
• Limited expert terrain
• Very remote