The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Blacktail Mountain's summit reaches 6,680 feet, dropping 1,444 vertical feet to a base at 5,236 feet across 27 runs spread over 1,000 acres above the western shore of Flathead Lake, Montana. Terrain splits 65 per cent intermediate, 20 per cent advanced and 15 per cent beginner, with no expert-rated runs, and average annual snowfall of roughly 220 inches. The resort carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation. Four lifts, including two double chairs and one triple chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Blacktail Mountain was deliberately designed as a smaller, more affordable alternative to the larger Big Mountain resort in nearby Whitefish, and its intermediate-weighted, expert-free terrain reflects that founding vision. Its position above Flathead Lake gives skiers sweeping valley views uncommon among Montana's ski areas. The resort's comparatively lean lift count relative to its acreage keeps operations simple and costs manageable.
Blacktail Mountain opened in December 1998, notable as the first new ski area granted a special-use permit by the US Forest Service since 1978. A group of local enthusiasts, including Steve Spencer, Tom Sands, Dennis Carver and Jeff Sorg, founded the resort specifically to offer a smaller, more affordable option relative to Whitefish's Big Mountain.
In November 2021, the Spencer-led ownership group sold Blacktail Mountain to Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort, a Washington-based operation owned by Larry Scrivanich, bringing the Montana resort under common ownership with the Washington mountain. Adult daily tickets run from 40 to 50 US dollars, among the more affordable pricing structures in the region, consistent with the resort's founding mission.
1,440ft
Vertical
27
Runs
1,000 acres
Skiable
18ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
27 runs across 1,000 acres skiable
Blacktail Mountain spreads 27 runs across 1,000 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 65%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 5 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
27
runs
27 runs across 4 grades
Beginner4 runs · 15%
Intermediate18 runs · 65%
Advanced5 runs · 20%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Blacktail Mountain
The 2025-26 season at Blacktail Mountain ran from 6 December 2025 to 13 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 220 inches. This snowfall total supports reliable conditions across the resort's intermediate-weighted terrain throughout the season. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the mountain's approachable terrain. Given the resort's founding mission as an affordable alternative to Whitefish's Big Mountain, Blacktail draws primarily from the broader Flathead Valley region rather than national destination traffic, keeping crowds notably lighter than the area's larger resort.
As an independently operated resort without major pass affiliation, Blacktail's visitor base skews heavily toward local and regional skiers seeking straightforward, budget-friendly access. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's substantial intermediate terrain and absence of expert-only zones. Weekend crowds draw primarily from the Flathead Lake area.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since the 2021 sale to Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort's ownership group, the resort has continued to operate consistent with its original founding mission of affordability and simplicity. Blacktail Mountain's views over Flathead Lake remain a defining seasonal backdrop for visitors throughout the winter.
Season 2026 - 2027
26 Dec 2026
Opens
28 Mar 2027
Closes
92
Days open
18 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Blacktail Mountain, and where to stay
Blacktail Mountain sits above the western shore of Flathead Lake near Lakeside, Montana, with a base elevation of 5,236 feet and a summit at 6,680 feet across a 1,444-foot vertical drop over 1,000 acres. This northwestern Montana setting places the resort within easy reach of Flathead Lake, one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the western United States.
Lakeside and the broader Flathead Lake shoreline communities provide local lodging and dining, while Kalispell, a larger regional centre, offers more extensive services a further drive away. Whitefish, home to the larger Big Mountain resort, lies within the same broader Flathead Valley region, giving visitors a choice between the two mountains' distinct characters.
US Highway 93 provides direct access to the resort from the Flathead Valley, with the ski area easily reached from the highway along the lake's western shore. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled highway is regularly maintained given its role as a major regional corridor. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell is the nearest airport with commercial service, offering a practical option for visitors flying into the Flathead Valley region. Most Blacktail Mountain visitors, however, are local and regional skiers from the surrounding Flathead Lake communities rather than fly-in destination travellers.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Blacktail Mountain, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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4 Oct 2026
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4 Oct 2026
Vail Resorts Counts the Cost of a Thin Winter as Pass Sales Slide Further
A historically poor western winter cut Vail Resorts' annual net income from $280 million to $147.5 million and skier visits by 13.4 per cent. Now 2026-27 pass units are down 12 per cent as of 18 September, worse than the 10 per cent flagged in spring. Vail blames the weather and thinks some buyers are simply waiting, and it forecasts a rebound if the snow behaves.
3 Oct 2026
Arizona Snowbowl's $1 Lift Tickets Are Hard to Find, but $9 Days Are Not
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2 Oct 2026
Whitewater Brings Its Short Side Inbounds, With Six New Runs for 2026-27
For years, Whitewater's Short Side was where you ducked a rope and hoped for the best: unmapped, ungroomed and unpatrolled. This winter it's inbounds. Six new runs of glades and fall-line skiing add 190 acres (about 77 hectares), taking the resort past 1,400 acres in total. F2 Logging spent a month in the trees to make it happen, and opening day is pencilled in for 4 December. Bonanza now needs less snow to groom, too.
1 Oct 2026
September Dusting Hits Mammoth Mountain Six Weeks Before Opening Day
Mammoth got its first snow of 2026-27 on Monday 28 September - and promptly lost it by Tuesday morning. Barely an inch fell at McCoy Station, but with opening day pencilled in for Friday 13 November, it's the first sign the Sierra is waking up. Last year's date slipped from 14 November to 20 November, so nobody's booking flights on a dusting just yet. Here's where California's early openers stand.
1 Oct 2026
Blacktail Mountain Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 6 Oct 2026
6,677ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear50°F / 67°F · SW 5mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
0in
Total lifts4
Live open status isn’t available right now.
26 Dec 2026 - 28 Mar 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 38 hours· Updated Oct 6, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
6,677 ftUpdated Oct 6, 2026 at 6:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.5"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Wed, Oct 7
Overcast
Temp67° / 50°°F
Snow0.0"
Wind5 mph SW
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Blacktail Mountain snow report
Blacktail Mountain snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this Montana resort.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Blacktail Mountain is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 439m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Blacktail Mountain's 1596m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Blacktail Mountain snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 4 lifts in total.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Blacktail Mountain's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.