Whitefish Montana 3/18-3/20 2013

[Powderqueen]

Three powder days included a bluebird day! Super snow, spectacular views fabulous terrain. Last day was a typical Montana day with no views, but lots of new snow. Great way to start off our vacation.

My 3 traveling companions, plus Denis Bogan from skivt-l

This is Denis, he's in his 70s and on telemark skis. He was rockin the steep trees until it was time for his nap.

Our last day was stormy with low viz. Fresh creamy snow. Had to stay in the trees, but it was sweet.

Drove to Anaconda. Got a motel room for $92 for 2 people that includes 2 lift tix and breakfast. Best ski n stay deal! Go to the Trade Winds Motel in Anaconda. It is basic and clean, has a hot tub, wifi, beds are comfortable.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Last day was a typical Montana day with no views, but lots of new snow.

That's what you want at Whitefish with so much sunny exposure, especially in March.

Drove to Anaconda.

Isn't that near Discovery, q's "home mountain" in Montana? When relocating from the interior Northwest to Bridger/Big Sky, that is the area that works best logistically. I suspect the skiing is not as interesting as Montana Snowbowl or Lost Trail though.

Are you on the way to Bridger/Big Sky? Are you part of the Epic Gathering there Mar. 25-29?

 

[jasoncapecod]

Great pix and nice report..

 

[Powderqueen]

Last day was a typical Montana day with no views, but lots of new snow.

That's what you want at Whitefish with so much sunny exposure, especially in March.

Drove to Anaconda.

Isn't that near Discovery, q's "home mountain" in Montana? When relocating from the interior Northwest to Bridger/Big Sky, that is the area that works best logistically. I suspect the skiing is not as interesting as Montana Snowbowl or Lost Trail though.

Are you on the way to Bridger/Big Sky? Are you part of the Epic Gathering there Mar. 25-29?

Well, I see why you might want whiteout fog and snowing conditions in the spring at Whitefish, but the cold sunny day with a foot of fresh snow on certain aspects was way more enjoyable. The locals were quite gleeful, as it doesn't get that way very often. People are still talking about Tuesday's weather, even here at Big Sky.

Discovery was a pretty sweet deal. $49 per person at the Trade Winds Motel includes lift ticket, a night's lodging and breakfast. It was clean and basic. Beds were comfortable. The skiing at Discovery was pretty nice. It's a bit of a sleeper of a ski area. Hardly 40 cars in the lot when we pulled up. Nice family area. Nice snow on the groomers. The back side was virtually unskied and no one was there except up. We found a foot of fresh snow on very steep slopes. You will find some pix here.

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/Discovery-MT-3-21-13-tp4026821.html

One more day at Big Ski. Hopefully the tram will open. Yesterday we skied on 9" of powder in the trees off Shedhorn and Dakota. This place is huge. I"m a bit overwhelmed after skiing Whitefish and DIscovery. Today is day 6 of skiing with the boys. Feeling pretty ragged. Hoping my legs hold out for some runs on Lone Peak today. Tomorrow we go to Bridger and that will conclude our week. No rest day on this trip.

 

[SoCal Rider]

Sweet photos and snow. Thanks for posting those. Love the lakeview shot and snow bunny.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I'm not sure how long those runs are at Discovery but the tree spacing looks really good.

 

[Powderqueen]

I'm not sure how long those runs are at Discovery but the tree spacing looks really good.

The runs are plenty long at Discovery with a vert drop of 2400'

 

[q]

Tony, the interesting terrain at Discovery is 1000ft vertical Limelight lift so I would treat the 2400ft with your usual sceptism :lol: . It was closed a week past Friday when I arrived due to freeze/thaw as it does not get the sun and was considered dangerous before the next storm and without it it is a pretty bland mountain but most people literally stick to the bland part.

Take that lift out its a pretty average mountain beyond groomers, but, you can easily lap Limelight 5 times an hour, there will be very few people at all skiing it beyond the "regulars" and for me its one of, if not the best lifts I have ever skied. Its steep, drops to that pincher point powderqueen posted before you funnel back to the lift. There is a cutoff though above that that takes you closer to the lift and saves the long cat track to the lift. Its been 50+ degrees the last couple days yet that lift is still delivering some great powder.

The new brewery in Town is well worth a visit too.

 

[Powderqueen]

Tony, the interesting terrain at Discovery is 1000ft vertical Limelight lift so I would treat the 2400ft with your usual sceptism :lol: . It was closed a week past Friday when I arrived due to freeze/thaw as it does not get the sun and was considered dangerous before the next storm and without it it is a pretty bland mountain but most people literally stick to the bland part.

Take that lift out its a pretty average mountain beyond groomers, but, you can easily lap Limelight 5 times an hour, there will be very few people at all skiing it beyond the "regulars" and for me its one of, if not the best lifts I have ever skied. Its steep, drops to that pincher point powderqueen posted before you funnel back to the lift. There is a cutoff though above that that takes you closer to the lift and saves the long cat track to the lift. Its been 50+ degrees the last couple days yet that lift is still delivering some great powder.

The new brewery in Town is well worth a visit too.

I was wondering what the vert was on Limelight. It still skis big. By our 4th day I didn't mind if it was shorter anyway. I seemed to be burning at the end of every run. We did find that short cut back. The rest of the place is a very family-friendly place and they did a nice job grooming.

 

[Tony Crocker]

1,000 is fine if it's expansive, uncrowded and has a good fall line for most of the vertical. Baldy's Thunder Mt. is a good example. I suspect I'll get around to Discovery sometime.

 

[q]

1,000 is fine if it's expansive, uncrowded and has a good fall line for most of the vertical. Baldy's Thunder Mt. is a good example. I suspect I'll get around to Discovery sometime.

There is pretty much 2 bowls served by Limelight, you can get to all bar the furthest terrain(Fingers) from the lift and Fingers you can hike easily upwards to the top of Anaconda lift in less than 5 minutes to save going to the base area. I did this twice today ~12pm to hit the corn. The area to the left as you go up the lift is pretty steep in places.
I'd say Limelight ticks every box, at a push I have seen 14 people on a powder Saturday in line, is expansive and has a good fall line for the most part then a cat track to the base of the lift to catch your breath. I'd say its a skiers lift generally though.

I think without looking that the 2400ft is a falicy tho too. I'm pretty sure thats from the base of Silver Chief to the top of the mountain. SC has spun about 5 days in 3 years and is a bit of a project to eventually put a road from P'burg side of the pass to a new base. It gets zero snow and not sure what they would plan to do, I'd be certain it will need snowmaking to make it viable to use as a ski in/out base. Time will tell.

Supposed to snow tomorrow, bring it on!

 

[jamesdeluxe]

2400ft

That True-Up Vertical site puts Discovery at 1,649 feet.