The 2010 Ski event will be held in Whitefish, Montana arriving 28 Feb (Sun) and departing 6 Mar (Sat). The schedule is designed to allow for 4 ski days of skiing plus an activity day assuming attendance over the entire period. Whitefish Mountain (formerly "Big Mountain") is a typical large Western ski Mountain quite similar to Big Sky but with a quaint ski town nearby and without the crowds. Just a few miles West of Glacier National Park, Whitefish is on the Western side of the continental divide with a consequent milder climate. The base area of the ski mountain is about 25 minutes from town.

The reunion hotel will be the Grouse Mountain Lodge which is on US Hwy 93 a couple miles west of the town center exactly 60 mi south of the Canadian border. This is an elegant yet rustic structure inspired by the great hotels in Glacier National Park. It has a great restaurant and lounge, 2 huge fireplaces, heated pool, sauna, 2 hot tubs, an outdoor fire pit, and large, comfortable rooms. Our price for the basic room will be $84. More deluxe rooms are available for slightly more money, but the primary difference is just the view and room location. There are also a few larger corner rooms with more sleeping accommodations up to a maximum of $154. I have always found the basic room more than adequate. When a contract with the hotel is signed, I will provide you with a name and number to make reservations. Please do not call them yet. I will give you complete information in September.I should tell you the Lodge also provides pick up and drop off at the airport and transportation to and from the ski mountain, so unless you have some special desire, there is no need to rent a car. If you do rent a car, expect to pay at least $75/day and be sure you get a 4WD.

The activity day is not yet planned, but Jack and Linda Crandall (M-2) who live here will be joining us and will have some good thoughts. We are looking at shopping tours, the Railroad Museum, and a drive out to the Park. Most of the Park is closed in the Winter, but some of it might be open. Wednesday is what I am planning as that would break up the ski days in equal parts. Of course anyone wanting to ski independently could do that. This is probably a good time to tell you that lift tickets for Super Seniors (over 70) are FREE!

Everyone should have received a copy of the msg I sent to Karl Oelke concerning flight arrangements. Glacier International Airport (FCA) serving Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls can be accessed via Salt Lake City (Delta), Minneapolis (Northwest/Delta), Seattle (Alaska), and Denver (United). The best connections are on Delta via SLC with several flights a day. Flight time from SLC is 1+40. The airport is about 15 min from the Grouse Mountain Lodge.

I need to get an idea of who is coming ASAP. (It would also help me to know if you are not coming, in which case you can simply reply to this email.) If you are coming, please complete the attached form and mail to me with an activity fee of $50 per family made out to Class of '58 Ski Reunion. It would also be helpful to know if you are just "leaning". I will make every effort to refund any cancellations.

While we just finished a log home near Whitefish, we are still living here in Atlanta due to more economic reasons than I can enumerate, but our mailing address is: 841 Flat Rock Road, Covington, GA 30014. Tel 770 786-5230, Cell 770 841-7504. Please call if you need more information. We look forward to March, 2010!