Come winter, the region is blanketed in feathery snow, making for great skiing at The Big Mountain , the large yet underpopulated ski area just 10 minutes from Main Street. With an airport 12 miles from downtown, Whitefish is a paradise for urban refugees cum alpine adventurers. It's no surprise that the region's population has nearly doubled in just the past 10 years. But Northwest Montana winters can be harsh, and endless snow, fog and subzero temperatures have been powerful forces in shaping the soul and character of Whitefish. Ever since the late 1800's, when the Great Northern Railroad first brought in loggers, ranchers and farmers, locals have had to be anvil tough to survive year-round living here.
Most newcomers last hardy two winters before limping hack to their former homes.
The key to wintertime psychological survival is skiing. He helped found the Hell-Roaring Ski Club, whose members hauled a primitive rope tow up the slopes in 1938. By 1947, local interest in skiing had boomed, and many members of the community helped finance and build a T-bar and ski lodge they hoped would transform Whitefish into a second Sun Valley. By almost any standard, Mully struck on perfect raw material Most winters, the 3,000 skiable acres of The Big Mountain are beset by blizzards that dump 300 inches of snow onto slopes challenging enough to train the likes of Tommy Moe, who learned to ski here and now has his favorite run named after him. At its best, Whitefish powder is rivaled only by that of the Wasatch.