With near record snowfall and gas prices down Whitefish Mountain Resorts management are hopeful of meeting their budget for 2009.  In the midst of the current economic environment, however their hope may be just wishful thinking.  View their recent article on resort and snow conditions at this link.  For the sake of the local economy, I hope their optimism catches on and we can all start breathing a welcome sigh of relief.

The latest news from the mountain is 5 new inches of snow and a 29"  base.  Some good skiing can be taken advantage of on the north side of the mountian.  If you are interested, check out the following links:

http://www.skiwhitefish.com/snowreport.php

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/praying_for_snow_and_skiers_to_spend/7099/

That's a laugh--I haven't even started.  This four week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas has thrown me for a loop--we were just remarking the other night how we really only have two weeks left.  So far the retailers aren't complaining too much, but if everyone is like my husband and I they will get slammed right before the holiday this year.  It appears that we will be amongst those last minute shoppers.  Check out these links to keep up with the holiday traffic  reporting:

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/holiday_season_off_to_a_modest_start/6947/

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/early_data_shows_strong_black_friday/6943/

Well the first dusting of snow did finally come down yesterday.  Some areas of the valley were worse than others, and Whitefish Mountain Resort says they might have a bit of terrain open by Saturday, but it will be very limited.  View their report here.  As the forecast is for cold and snowy weather for the next week, I'm sure they will be able to create some snowy conditions and open some more runs before the Christmas holidays--Keep praying! Hopefully we'll be seeing terrain that looks like these shots below very soon!

     

Update:  As of today 12/9/08, the mountian has opened two runs--well its a start!   See the full article at this link

Check the full snow report at this link

I for one will not be baking on Thanksgiving--I will be buying my rolls, breads and pies at the new Avalanche Creek Bakery otherwise known as the Polebridge Bakery made famous at the Polebridge Merc to anyone frequenting that side of Glacier National Park or traveling up the North Fork Road.  It is heartening in these uncertain economic times to see young entrepreneurs step out and use their ingenuity and expertise to keep our Kalispell downtown thriving.  Besides the fact that even spending considerable time and money my pumpkin pie would never compare, I feel good in supporting this new Kalispell business.  Join Me!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Read about it here

Similarities between a pre-oil boom Calgary and Missoula, Montana are compared in this article. Canadians visiting the US will find Missoula friendly, close and comparable with cities they are used to.  Come down and give it a try this holiday season!
Enjoy the photos--
                                                                                                               

Everyone in Kalispell knows that Moose's Saloon is the place to go for pizza, however now the whole nation knows it as well.  Local flavor and casual lifestyle are two reasons why we all choose to live here, but this video link sums it all up perfectly.  People living in cities may never understand, but anyone who has ever watched Cheers can recognize Moose's Saloon as the real life place "where everybody knows your name".

View the video here


Contact us for other "local flavor" recommendations at relocation@cbwrealestate.com

The over 100 foot Christmas tree that will grace the US Capital this year was provided by the Bitterroot National Forest in the Sapphire Mountains.  It will propel Montana into the national news, as the last time a capitol Christmas tree came from Montana was in 1989.  Montana school children hand-crafted many of the Christmas ornaments that will be placed on the tree.  Read more about this event, and how the tree was chosen here.  

Visit the official website where you can track the tree's journey here

With the national economy faltering it is not surprising to see some local fallout.  This week we learned that the Flathead Valley's largest venue for sports events and banquet events will be closing its doors for the first quarter of 2009.  It seems crazy to think that an area as large as the Flathead with no convention center can't support one major venue.  Hopefully closing for the first quarter will be all Jan and Bob Parker will have to do to get their costs back in line and help the area realize we need some sort of major site for events and conferences to take place.

Read the full story at this link:

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/majestic_valley_arena_to_close_doors/6417/

Here is an event that will rev up your Christmas spirit and support a historic landmark in downtown Kalispell at the same time. Enjoy!