Northwest Montana ski resort sets record for visits

KALISPELL, Mont. – The Whitefish Mountain Resort in northwestern Montana says it had more than 346,000 skier visits during the 2016-17 season, a record.

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

The resort had 407 inches 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.