Turner Mountain now open daily until Jan. 5

Turner Mountain Ski Area is open, and sufficient snowfall couldn’t have come at a better time.

The ski area located about 25 miles north of Libby on Pipe Creek Road opened Monday, just in time for holiday skiers and snowboarders.

“We’ve opened, and we’ll be open every day now through Jan. 5,” said Bruce Zwang, chairman of Turner Mountain’s board of directors. “The holiday season constitutes a large percentage of the season’s business. We want to be open while the kids are out of school.”

Turner Mountain will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. It will be closed on Christmas Day. It will be open every day from Dec. 26 until Jan. 5.

After Jan. 5, Turner will go back to its regular schedule of being open to the public only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

An upbeat Zwang discussed the holiday schedule for those who receive skis and snowboards from Santa.

“Our rental shop and ski schools will be open, too,” said Zwang, for those people who didn’t and did get skis from the jolly ol’ elf.

Turner Mountain will have Skier Appreciation Days on Presidents’ Day on Feb. 17 and then Crazy Days later in March. During Skier Appreciation Days skiers 18 and younger who still are in school are admitted free.

The fee schedule for this year is $37 daily for adults; $25 for skiers aged 13 to 18 and $20 for skiers aged seven to 12. There is a special fee for seniors older than 62, students with a college ID and active-duty military. That special price is $30 daily.

Zwang said skiers who want to take advantage of their Holiday Shopper Special have until the end of business today, Dec. 24, to purchase. The special allows for five days of skiing for the price of four. This special is only available at Libby Sports Center or Zwang’s CPA office at 519 California Ave.