MISSOULA, Mont. – Ski season has officially kicked off at Montana Snowbowl, surprising many with an early opening on Thursday. The popular ski destination announced on Facebook that skiers and snowboarders could hit the slopes sooner than expected.
The decision to open came after a team meeting, where it was decided that they couldn’t wait any longer. The opening is expected to draw mostly local visitors for the remainder of the calendar year, with busier weekends anticipated in January and beyond.
However, there are some restrictions in place. Skiers and snowboarders can use the top of the mountain briefly and must exit via the chair lift by the middle of the mountain. Despite these limitations, the atmosphere remains positive.
“Stoke’s high right now… Both up here with our employees, the people I’ve talked to in town… Just everyone is really excited coming into this winter… The most common comment I’ve heard ‘The snow’s already better than it was in January of last year’ Which I can concur with,” said Sarah Duncan, the Base Area Manager at Montana Snowbowl.
While the snow isn’t quite ready at the bottom of the mountain for full access, Snowbowl officials say they need consecutive days of temperatures below 24 degrees to make their own snow and fully open the mountain.
In addition to the early opening, there’s a new change this year. Hikers are allowed to hike up the mountain between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. for those eager to enjoy the outdoors.
