Backed by its affordable prices and small-town vibe, Whitefish Mountain Resort has cracked the top-10 of Ski Magazine’s annual resort guide for the first time ever.
Coming in at No. 9 overall, Whitefish scored the most points for its value and service. The magazine uses a reader survey to calculate the results.
“The prices aren’t Colorado-glamour-resort high and the service is genuinely small-town friendly, not corporate-training-course cold,” the magazine writes about Whitefish.
Resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said Whitefish has always been recognized for its value and service, so it’s not surprising that’s where the resort garnered the most praise.
She notes that only one resort in the top-30 offers a lift ticket less expensive than Whitefish.
“And it’s long been our reputation that we make people feel at home,” Polumbus said. “Since the days of Ed Schenck, that’s been our thing.”
The magazine applauds the skiing terrain, as well.
“It’s host to probably fewer skiers per acre than any of the other top-10 resorts,” it reads. “Yeah, there is more than the occasional foggy day here. All the better to see what real skiing is about.”
Polumbus said breaking into the top-10 could pay off with increased interest in the resort.
“This list carries the most weight — it always has,” she said. “We can expect the phones to ring a little more and more traffic to the website. People who have never heard of us or who have thought about coming here will give us a closer look.”
Whitefish is the highest ranked Montana ski resort. Big Sky Resort came in at No. 21 in the West.
Whitefish’s previous high ranking in the resort guide came in 2012 when it was ranked No. 11. Last season Whitefish topped out at No. 13.
