Category Archives: Whitefish

Get Your Slopside Kicks In NOW

Well, it’s that time of the ski season…closing time.

And while April is being a bit of a finicky woman so far (she’s not sure what she wants to do: skipping around between crying, throwing snowballs and being downright cheery with sunshine) this is THE WEEKEND to hit the slopes on Glacier Country’s ski resorts.

Wondering where to ride your board or get sweet air on your skis? Look no further…

Lookout Pass
-Located on the Montana/Idaho border, Lookout Pass garnered a total of 513″ of snow this season! Plus, they received 31″ of new snow since Sunday. Boo to the Yah.

Lookout Pass is open today, Saturday and Sunday, so make like freshly waxed skis and get on out to see them.

This guy knows what's up. photo courtesy lookout pass

Whitefish Mountain Resort
-This season at Whitefish Mountain Resort brought the deepest settled snow base in 20 years. We like your moves, Big.

Closing day is Sunday, so if your winter travels haven’t taken you to Whitefish this season, well…shake a leg.

Skiing the Big. photo by larry turner

Montana Snowbowl
-Located within a few minutes drive of Missoula, Snowbowl is showing us just how April skiing should be done. They’re open now through Sunday. And because they refuse to go quietly into the night, their slopes will be open for skiing Friday, April 15 – Sunday, April 17.

Can Snowbowl be any prettier? (No). photo by larry turner

Where are you skiing this weekend?

(PS: If you see a crazy haired blond on the slopes, be sure to give us a shout!)

Small Town Christmas Yuletide

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Last weekend, I packed up the car and headed north for a fun-filled weekend in the Flathead Valley. My destination? Whitefish.

First things first, I love this town! It has a certain western charm that manages to mix perfectly with ski bums, outdoor lovers and funky boutiques. Plus, it has great food and a great nightlife scene.

Coincidentally (and yet totally on purpose) I planned my weekend in Whitefish to coincide with their Christmas Stroll. I HEART Christmas and wanted to see exactly what type of festivities Whitefish put on to celebrate. And I’ll tell you what – I was not disappointed.

On arrival, I was greeted with the soft glow of lights and downtown decorations, carolers, bonfires, the world’s shortest parade, wagon rides, vendors and a K-9 keg pull.

Perhaps the finest group of carolers in Whitefish!

This puppy really wanted in on the keg pull action.

My favorite thing (besides seeing some lovely friends): chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Well done, sir, well done.

PS: They even had a float reminding attendees of the Whitefish Winter Carnival, a very fun weekend of activities. Mark your calendar for February 4 – 6, 2011 and come on up. See you in Whitefish!

Whitefish Winter Carnival

Sneak Peak At Winter

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If you’re anything like me, you like to know what type of weather to expect when you’re gearing up to play or work in Montana’s great outdoors. From my office, I can look out the window and see exactly what the weather has in store for me.

But one of the tricky things about Western Montana is that in a five mile span, the weather can be vastly different. Sure, it might be snowing and overcast in Missoula, but drive 40 miles south and it could be sunny and clear.

For my job (and for fun), I do quite a bit of traveling around the region and you can trust your pretty little head (or handsome manly face) that I like to know what kind of weather to expect when I’m hitting Montana’s open roads. And to be honest, it kind of makes my day to see what Lake McDonald looks like in winter or to catch a view of the snow-covered Flathead Valley.

Which is why I HEART webcams…in a big way.

Not only do they fill me in on what our fickle friend Mother Nature is up to, they transport me to the quiet waters of Lake McDonald on a peaceful December day or let me see the winter storm whipping through St. Mary along the Rocky Mountain Front.

View from Lake McDonald webcam, 12/9/11

And because everyone should be able to be swept away to Montana (even if just for a moment), here is a list of webcams offering views of just what’s happening in our neck of the woods. So you can be in Montana, even if you’re not actually here…

Lost Trail Powder Mountain (Bitterroot Valley)

Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Bitterroot Valley

Missoula Valley

Glacier National Park
-Includes Lake McDonald, Apgar Village, Apgar Lookout, Park Headquarters, St. Mary Visitor Center, Two Medicine

Whitefish Mountain Resort

See you soon.
TT

A Week Of Playing

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This was the year. The year we decided to take a family vacation. That’s right, a FAMILY vacation…one with my folks, all my siblings/spouses and two of the cutest nephews in all of the land.

This may not seem like a big momentous occasion, but for our family getting everyone together is no small feat. The big sis and her hubbster live in NYC and don’t make it home often, my parents have a few jobs that keep them busy, and this is the first summer the little bro has been home with his own little family without being gone for chunks of the summer.

Long story short: We were so excited to vacation as a family!

And did we ever vacation. And just to spice it up even more, we had two cousins and their families join us for part of the trip. Which for this Montana girl means pure perfection.

Our trip had us playing in Whitefish, zipping down Big Mountain, driving through Glacier National Park (combined with short hikes and numerous photo opportunities), jet skiing on Whitefish Lake and spending time together under Montana’s big blue sky.

Here are some photos from our perfect week of playing…

The crew overlooking Two Medicine

We heart Glacier Park Lodge

Ahhh

Just off the Highline Trail--We could hear them ramming each other

Logan Pass & a sea of red buses

Crusing the zips at Whitefish Mountain Resort

Happy girls after conquering the zip lines

Alpine slide at Whitefish Mountain Resort - Perfect for kiddos (and adults!)

And from our family to yours, if you’re thinking of vacationing in Western Montana, you won’t be disappointed. Heck, we’ll even help you plan your trip!

9.9.09

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In honor of today, the ninth day of the ninth month of the year 2009, I’ve put together a list of NINE thing I love about Western Montana.

1. The Big Dipper.

This place kills me softly. Sometimes I daydream about it and my all time favorite flavor: Vanilla Reese’s. Personally, I don’t view daydreaming about ice cream as a bad thing, except that it happens in the morning and then I have to justify to myself that ice cream is not that bad of a breakfast food. It’s got milk. And peanut butter. That’s okay, right mom?
2. Rafting Guides. Is it just me or are most rafting guides here adorable?
3. Glacier National Park. I spent many a summer as a young lass in the park: hiking around, paddling a canoe in circles on Lake McDonald and eating family style meals in St. Mary. Today, you may find me doing the same thing. Except that I can now paddle in my desired direction.
4. The Bitterroot Valley. Q: Do I really need to taste test the sweet potato fries from the Bitter Root Brewery AGAIN? A: Um, yes I do.
5. The Blackfoot River. Nothing beats floating the river on a hot summer day.
6. The Great Northern on a Saturday night. Have you tried it? I guarantee you’ll have a good time. Bring your boots, your sundress or your alter ego. (Sometimes I bring all three.)
7. Sitting on the deck at The Raven on Flathead Lake.
8. Griz football games. Nothing I’ve ever felt delivers quite the same feeling as sitting in Washington-Grizzly Stadium during a home game and cheering with the 27,000+ crowd. griz
9. It’s home.

Farmers Markets – Don’t Mind If I Do

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Each summer, I anxiously anticipate Saturday morning. And it’s not just because it’s the weekend! It’s because I know at the end of my street in Missoula, the Farmers Market is waiting for me. Vibrant fresh flowers, pulled from the garden vegetables and warm baked bread are waiting for me just a few steps away. Maybe it’s because I’m a farmers market lover, but the flowers always tend to smell a little better, the sun shines a little brighter and the carrots and peas are just a tad crunchier. Ahhhh, I love summer!

Farmers Markets in Glacier Country
MISSOULA
Missoula Farmers Market
Tuesday, 5:45 PM – 7:15 PM, July & August
Saturday, 9 AM – Noon, Mid-May to Mid-October

Missoula Saturday Arts & Crafts
Saturday, 9 AM – 1 PM
Clark Fork River Market:
Saturday, 8 AM – 1 PM

WHITEFISH
Whitefish Downtown Farmers Market
Tuesday, 5 PM – 7:30 PM, May – September

WEST GLACIER
West Glacier Farmers Market
Thursday, 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Mid-June – Labor Day

Forget Nap Time

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Last week, we spend a few days playing in and around Whitefish and Glacier National Park. Why, you may ask? Because it’s summer in Western Montana and that means we need to get out and play, play, play!

And with the long Fourth of July weekend coming up, it seems appropriate to let you in on some of the fun places to visit if you’re going to be around Whitefish and Glacier National Park…

Walk in the Treetops at Whitefish Mountain Resort

*Adrenaline thrills in Whitefish: Try out the new zip line and alpine slide at Whitefish Mountain Resort! We could hear the screams of excitement from our platform at Walk in the Treetops.

Glacier Raft Company in West Glacier

*Wet and wild: The folks at Glacier Raft Company know how to have a good time on and off the river! With knowledgable guides, they make any rafter feel at ease on the river. Dustin guided our boat and was awesome!

*Park it: In Glacier National Park, there are so many things to do that it’s hard to decide where to start! You can take a guided hike with Glacier Guides, take a boat cruise with Glacier Park Boat Company, tour the historic lodges in the park on a red jammer or catch one of the park’s interpretive programs with a ranger.

Loading the boat at Swiftcurrent Lake