Lack of snow cancels Turner Mountain opening on Dec. 22

Turner Mountain Ski Area was set to open on Dec. 22, but due to lack of snow, it has been cancelled. 

They do not have a date yet as to when they plan to open.

“It is a waiting game at this point as to when we will get more snow to be able to set a date to open,” Bruce Zwang said. 

Officials at the mountain will continue to monitor conditions with an eye set on providing skiers with a quality experience.

When it does open, families looking for to get outside with their kids for fun winter activities and fresh air, Turner has several exciting programs to take advantage of this winter. 

Ski and snowboard school lessons are offered Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $20 for the two-hour session. 

They also offer their "Learn to Ski in Three" program where people can get three day lift tickets, three daily equipment rentals and three two-hour lessons.

Turner recently had a fundraiser at the Pastime Bar to raise money to keep their programs and events going and give their guests the best quality and experiences they can offer. In March, Turner Mountain will have their annual Crazy Days event where kids can come and play games, win prizes and enter in contests for the whole family to enjoy.

The resort, which opened in 1960, started off with just the essentials – a rope tow, a warming hut and a snack bar.

Shortly after building what many referred to as “the longest T-Bar in North America,” the resort became a destination for visitors in the winter months, providing a boost to Libby’s economy during what was previously a seasonal lull, according to Turner Mountain officials.

Since its start in 1960, Turner has become a non-profit and so improvements are funded through donations or business profits, Zwang said. Although not all donations are monetary – the resort operates with the help of volunteers who donate their time and have formed the Kootenai Winter Sports Ski Education Foundation, Inc.

With a base of 3,842 feet and a summit elevation of 5,952 feet, the resort features nearly 2,110 feet of vertical drop. Despite a lower elevation, Turner boasts over 200 inches of annual snowfall, according to Zwang.

The ski area continues to provide “the same spirit of camaraderie, volunteerism and desire for great alpine skiing on which it was started in the late 1950s,” Turner’s website said.

For more information, see their Facebook page.