Blacktail Mountain Ski Area.gif)
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| Skiing
the slopes at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area |
The Mountain
Blacktail
is a bit different than other ski areas in the country.
The base lodge for Blacktail Mountain is located
on the TOP of the mountain, not at the base. This, of course,
makes for an excellent view from the lodge – with numerous
mountains and Flathead Lake all readily visible on a clear
day. Having the lodge – and the parking – on
top of the mountain, though, also makes for a rather long
ride to reach the ski area.
The
road to Blacktail Mountain, while it isn’t bad,
isn’t great, either. The road up to Blacktail begins
in Lakeside. For the first several miles, the road is paved.
But then the road turns to gravel and begins a 3000 vertical
feet climb, 14 mile drive, up to the summit of Blacktail
Mountain. During the winter months, the road is well plowed,
but it is not salted or anything. Additionally, the road
makes lots of fairly sharp curves on its way up to the top
of the peak. In sum, the road is pretty safe provided you
drive slow. Also don’t plan on leaving Lakeside and
expecting to reach the summit in 20 minutes!
Blacktail Ski Area also has a great lodge. The lodge at
Blacktail has a ski school and ski rental on the first floor,
a nice cafeteria and changing area on the 2nd floor and a
bar/grill on the third floor. Unlike some of the lodges at
the mega-resorts, the lodge at Blacktail is inviting and
enjoyable to spend some time relaxing in.
Parking
is generally a snap at Blacktail Mountain. Except on weekends,
you can usually find parking within about 50
feet of the lodge. On the weekends, Blacktail Mountain does
fill up a bit more with people (many flathead valley residents
make their way up to the mountain on the weekends), but the
ski area is still far from crowded. In other words, you won’t
have to worry about parking when heading up to the ski hill.
Summary
Overall, Blacktail Ski Area is a great place for family
skiing. The affordable lift tickets, combined with weekly
specials, make Blacktail a great place to go for families
in search of downhill skiing on a budget. Beginner and intermediate
skiers will also enjoy the wide variety of well groomed trails.
The lack of crowds at Blacktail also eliminates lift lines,
crowded slopes and takes the hassle out of parking. In short,
Blacktail Ski Area is a fun place to go.
View
the Blacktail Mountain Photo Gallery
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