Blacktail Ski Area - Glacier Country's Best Kept Secret

Blacktail Mountain Ski Area

Depending on how you count them, Montana has 15 downhill ski areas and most Montana skiers haven't even heard of half of them.  Of course, Big Sky and Whitefish get all the publicity.  Snow Bowl and Red Lodge Mountain get traffic because they are close to large population centers.  Mountains like Bridger Bowl and Lost Trail have a reputation for consistent snow and shorter lines so many Montana skiers consider these the secret spots.  There are several smaller ski hills around Montana that can be good if there is a snow storm but many are only open a few days a week and the snow isn't always consistent.

Swan Mountain and Flathead Lake from the lodge

Blacktail Mountain Ski Area stands out from this last group because it does have consistent snow!  In the Flathead and Kalispell area, Whitefish Mountain gets so much press that some skiers never even hear of Blacktail Mountain.  Here are 5 reasons you should plan to visit Blacktail Mountain on your next ski vacation!

1. Snow- Blacktail Mountain typically gets 250 inches of snow per year which isn't quite as much as Whitefish but its pretty great when you look at other mountains across Montana.  Also, because it is closed on Monday and Tuesday, there is the potential of several days worth of untouched powder if you can make it on a Wednesday!  Even if you can't make it till the weekend, because of the lower traffic volumes, there is often still untouched powder.

"Above the Clouds"  Inversion facing West from the lodge

2. Lines- Blacktail has pretty short lines, regardless of the day of the week.  The lodge and parking area are located at the top of the mountain so traffic on the lift regulates itself because of the varying speeds of people going down the mountain.

3. Price- Blacktail Mountain charges $40 for a full day adult pass which is about half of what Whitefish charges.

4. Family Focus- Blacktail Mountain is a family mountain.  This doesn't mean there aren't advanced runs, but it does mean they're more understanding of your kid having problems getting on the lift.  Also, they offer some cool promotions like 5th graders ski for free!

5. Views- From Blacktail Mountain you can see into Glacier, the entire Flathead Valley and Flathead Lake.  I don't think there is a better view from a ski resort in Montana and I have been to most of them!  Even if you're just hanging out in the lodge while the rest of your family skis, you're sure to enjoy your day because of the views!

"You are here"

If you are coming to Kalispell to ski, check out our hotel Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  We offer full day tickets at half day prices for Blacktail Mountain!  We have full Montana breakfast in the morning to fuel your day on the slopes and  a hot tub for your sore muscles when you come back.  We are the closest branded hotel to Blacktail and we're not too far from Whitefish Mountain either if you want to hit both ski areas while you're in the area!

6 Fun Winter Events in the Flathead Valley

So you might be wondering, "what do people in Kalispell do for fun in the winter?"  There's no dragon boat race or sailing on Flathead Lake, you can't drive over Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, the cherry festivals are over and all the huckleberries are gone.  While these attractions are great, the events that happen every winter may be just as fantastic.  Here are the top 6 events that happen during the winter in the Flathead and near Kalispell, MT:

1. Bigfork Parade of Lights December 5th-  This is the main event, but there are several winter events surrounding this weekend in Bigfork.  Downtown Bigfork displays more lights in one area than any other town in the Flathead!  It is the prettiest place in the valley to go for a winter stroll.  Businesses are open late and hot drinks are available too!  There are also great Christmas plays surrounding the Christmas season in Bigfork at the Bigfork Center for Performing Arts.

2.  Whitefish Winter Carnival runs February 5,6 and 7 and includes a parade, a gala, a pie social, the penguin plunge in Whitefish Lake and a variety of other fun winter events.

3. Whitefish Parade which takes place during the carnival is one of the most unique parades you will probably ever witness.  The floats range from strange to creative, but always entertaining. The grand marshal is typically a celebrity, 

4. A Chocolate Affaire takes place in downtown Kalispell on February 5th.  Several downtown businesses keep their doors open late and provide chocolate and other hot beverages.  It is a fun and entertaining event for the whole family.

5. Skijoring, quite possibly the wildest event on snow happens every year just outside of Whitefish near the golf course.  In this fast paced event, skiers are pulled by long ropes tied to horses at speeds close to 50 mph through a course that includes jumps and obstacles.  As of this writing, they haven't set the dates for the event or the practices (which are almost more fun to watch than the event), but it generally happens in February.  Click on their facebook page, to find out more.

6. Lakeside Winterfest has a variety of events for the whole family.  There is a kids ice skating rink, an outdoor movie, hot chocolate and chili, a pig roast at the Tamarack, cross country and down-hill ski races and even a trap shoot!

Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!

8 Fun Things-To-Do in the Flathead Valley this Winter (Outside)

You might not be able to swim, sail or boat on Flathead Lake (unless you enjoy hypothermia).  Driving up Going-to-the-Sun Road might prove impossible.  Mountain biking might be kind of tricky (unless you have those really thick tires).  But trust me, there are still many fun things-to-do in the Flathead Valley during the winter!  In Northwest Montana, winter means snow and most of the events on this list revolve around snow!  Check out our other blog on indoor activities

, if you'd rather be in a warmer place during your trip to the Flathead Valley!

1. Skiing!  Between Blacktail Mountain and Whitefish Ski Resort, the Flathead has some of the best skiing in the Northwest!  Tons of powder!  Blacktail is more of a family mountain and often has shorter lines.  Whitefish Mountain is a top 20 rated US ski area.
2.  Skiing (Cross Country)!  Want to glide through the snow but not pay as much dough?  Or maybe you want more exercise and only a half day commitment.  Try cross-country skiing!  Easier to learn and there are several places that will rent you equipment including Lakeside Ski and Sport!  There are free (donations accepted) groomed trails on your way up to both Blacktail and Whitefish mountains that offer excellent views of the valley!

3. Dog sledding!  No, dog sledding isn't just for Alaskans!  There are a couple places that will take you out and even let you steer a sled pulled by several hard running canines.  It is an incredibly experience you shouldn't miss out on!  Check out the Basecamp for more information!
4. Winter Festivals! There are several winter festivals in the valley!  Many include parades, sleigh rides, hot drinks and snacks in local businesses, Christmas lights, skijouring and so much more!  Here are links to a few of them: Whitefish Winter Carnival, Bigfork Parade of Lights,  Lakeside Winter-fest,  A Chocolate Affair in downtown Kalispell, and the Whitefish Christmas Stroll to mention just a few!
5. Sledding!  There are several great sledding hills in the Flathead Valley, including "the gully" off of Woodland Drive and the hill near Herron Park.  You can buy sleds fairly cheaply at Murdoch's.
6. Ice Skating!  Ice skating is a great way to experience winter fun!  Skating is free at Woodland Park in Kalispell and rental skates are available there as well!  And if you are a hockey fan, be sure to check out the Pond Hockey Classic!
7. Explore Glacier National Park in the Winter! Here's a secret:  Glacier is always open!  You can drive to Lake MacDonald and take in the amazing winter Glacier views!   You can also snow- shoe or cross-country ski anywhere you want in Glacier!
8. Snowmobiling! There is an amazing winter wonderland out there waiting to be explored!  Explore with speed and have a blast!  Check out Swan Mountain Outfitters for more information!

Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!

7 Fun Things-to-Do in the Flathead Valley during the Winter (Indoors)

Picnics on the beach at Flathead Lake just aren't as fun in the winter and a huckleberry shake might give you a serious brain-freeze!  If you prefer indoor activities in the winter to playing in the snow, here is a list of great indoor activities for winter in the Flathead Valley!


1. The Theater!  The Flathead Valley, for its population size has some great options if you want to see a play!  Check out the Whitefish Theater Company, the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts!

2. Bowling Alleys!  The Flathead Valley has several great bowling alleys including Pick's just east of our hotel!
3. Cinch Rodeo Series!  Rodeos aren't just for the Summer!  Check out the indoor Cinch Rodeo Series at the Majestic Valley Arena, just north of Kalispell!
4.Art galleries!  The Flathead Valley is home to several great artists who consistently produce nationally recognized art!  Downtown Bigfork, Lakeside, Whitefish and Kalispell all have several galleries that are open year round!

5. Breweries!  Kalispell, Bigfork, Lakeside and Whitefish all have local breweries that produce some of the finest microbrews in the Northwest!  There's no better way to spend an afternoon in the winter than watching the snow fall outside the window and sipping on great brew!
6. Coffee Shops!  Relax with a cup of joe and a cozy, inspiring setting!  Kalispell, Lakeside and Whitefish all have great coffee shops and bakeries where you can relax, catch up with friends or enjoy a good book in a great atmosphere!
7. Museums and Mansions!  The Hockaday Museum is a great place to check out a variety of Western Art! You can also jet down to Polson on the south end of Flathead Lake and visit their Miracle of America Museum. It has a vast collection, from WWII planes, Native American artifacts, classic cars and homestead antiques!   Don't forget the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell either.  Built by the founder of Kalispell, it has been maintained just as it was built in the late 1800s.  Winter tours are generally available during the holiday season!

Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!

Uber Comes to Kalispell?!?

Getting around in Montana without a personal car has always been difficult.  Public transportation is extremely limited and taxi services are spread thin (huge areas to cover, but insufficient demand to increase in numbers).  It can take over an hour to get a taxi to pick you up in the Flathead.  While renting a car is still the best option for seeing all Glacier Country and Flathead Lake have to offer, if you want to spend a night on the town, a new, better option will soon be available: Uber!  The crowd-sourcing taxi service that has been sweeping the nation is on its way to Montana.  Last spring the Montana legislature paved the road legally and now uber is "driving" down that road to Montana.

Uber is currently registering drivers for Montana (I tried contacting Uber to see when they will be in Kalispell and they haven't go back to me yet, I'll update this when they do).  The registration process is fairly easy, but it does require a driver's license and proof of insurance.  You also have to watch a short training video and have a "newer" car.  If this description of the driver selection process isn't exactly building up your confidence, take a deep breath driver (and passenger) reviews are a key part of what makes this system work.  User reviews will help you determine the trustworthiness of a driver.  If you read a review that makes you nervous, you don't have to get in the car.  Plus, depending on the city you're in, you can request different kinds of cars.

If you're new to the concept of uber check out this link that walks you through exactly how the process works.

So get excited!  Uber is coming to Montana and will make transportation in cities much easier than it was before!






Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!

Flying to Montana as Cheaply as Possible -When and What City

In the last couple months I have thought a lot about flying in and out of Montana.  I recently visited my sister in Boston, MA and was trying to buy the tickets for the lowest possible price.  A flight is such a large percentage of the cost of most vacations that it is worth doing some research.  I read a great article that explained what day of the week to buy (Tuesday 3pm ET), what day of the week to fly (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) and how far in advance to buy (about 1 month out).  It used a huge data set from hundreds of thousands of flights and averaged it altogether.  The problem is, it varies from city to city and while that might give you some guidelines you really have to do your own research for your area and where you'd like to fly.  So I did some research for those of you traveling to Montana.

There are so many variables in the equation so I decided to focus on a couple and collect the price points on Kayak.  I looked at flights from Boston, MA to 6 locations in western Montana and flights from Miami, FL to those same locations.   Then I looked at how the price changed depending on how many weeks or months out you were booking.  I may not have used the city you are flying from, but I think the information will give you an idea of how far out to buy and possibly what city to fly into when you visit Montana.

Observations

When flying into Montana from Boston, the further out you book, the lower price you'll pay (in general).  The best prices for every city were between 4 weeks and 4 months.  Kalispell, was the average cheapest place to fly into and Butte was by far the most pricey.

When flying into Montana from Boston, it seemed best to book last minute or book 4 months in advance.  The best prices for every city were booked 4 months in advance.  Missoula and Helena seemed to be the cheapest places to fly into, while Butte, Kalispell and Bozeman seemed to be the most pricey.

Overall, Butte seemed to be the only city that was significantly more expensive than the others and no city had a corner on the cheap tickets.  If you want the best deal and can plan far out, your best bet is to buy 4 months out.  

Controlling for Variables

I had all flights starting and ending on Tuesdays.  As it happened, none of the flights directly coincided with traditional holiday traveling times (or at least the busiest holiday travel times).  Holiday flight information behaves differently.  All flights were booked for 2 adult travelers.  I did not look at total flight time or stops.


Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!

10 Fast, Fun, Facts about the Flathead (the Valley, the Lake, the River and the County)

Here are some fun, fast facts about the Flathead Valley.  For clarification, when people say “the Flathead” they could mean one of several things: the Flathead Valley, the Flathead River (or one of its 3 forks), The Flathead Lake or Flathead County.  Flathead County encompasses most of the Flathead Valley and some of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex to the East but does not include the land bordering the lower half of Flathead Lake.

The Flathead Valley from Lone Pine State Park

1.  Flathead Lake, to the South of Kalispell is the largest freshwater lake West of the Mississippi (in the continental US).
2. Flathead County has an estimated population of 94,900.  3^rd most populated county in Montana.
3. Only about 30,000 residents live in the incorporated towns of Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish.  The rest live in the country and in smaller communities.
4. 94% of the 5,000 + square miles of land in Flathead County is National Forest, State Forest, Corporate Timber, Wilderness or Agricultural.  Only 6% is developed.
5.  The total population of the Flathead increases by 40% from June through August.
6.  Dorothy M. Johnson, a Western Novelist, who had 3 of her books made into movies was a long-time Flathead Valley resident.
7.  The town of Kalispell (the largest town in the valley) was incorporated when the Great Northern Railway was built through the valley in 1891.  Prior to 1884 there wasn’t even a post office in the Flathead Valley.
8. The Flathead River and its 3 forks (North Fork, South Fork and Middle Fork) have 219 miles of designated scenic river.
9. Between 3 and 5 million pounds of cherries are harvested in the Flathead Valley every year.
10.  The Flathead Valley is named after the Native American tribe known by that name that now resides on a reservation bordering the south end of Flathead Lake.

Article written by Matt Harrington, marketing specialist at the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites in Kalispell, MT.  If you're coming to the Flathead, to Kalispell or to Glacier National Park, check out Kalispell's best hotel!