WINTERSPORTS -- This year's bounty of snow paid dividends to the region's ski resorts, confirmed this week as by the likes of Whitefish Mountain Resort's report of record visits.

The northwestern Montana resort says it had a season record of more than 346,000 skier visits in 2016-17.

The Flathead Beacon reported Monday the resort beat its previous record by about 1,000.

The resort had 407 inches (10.3 meters) of snow, the second-highest total in 20 years.

The resort closed for the season on Sunday.

During the offseason, the resort plans more than $2.6 million in improvements, including moving an unused chairlift and renovating a bar.

Work on moving the chairlift is underway.

The resort will open this summer for zip-line tours, mountain biking and chairlift rides.