HELENA — No snow? No problem. Showdown Montana is offering season pass holders for other Montana ski areas to ski for free.
This year's lack of snow has made it difficult for those who ski, snowboard, and snowmobile, causing Montana ski areas like Snowbowl, Blacktail, Maverick, Turner, and Teton Pass to remain closed.
Katie Boedecker is the President and General Manager of Showdown, and she said, "Their season pass holders have made an investment in their season, and they're looking for a return on that. We want to add value for those season pass holders and take some of the sting away from their ski areas not being open at this time."
Showdown Montana offers free lift tickets for season pass holders until their ski area opens; you only have to show them your pass.
One ski area that is closed down is Maverick Mountain, which is owned and operated by Erik Borge. He said the help that his ski area has had from the ski community has made his season better.
"It's something you really don't see anywhere else in the ski industry. You see the ski industry get swallowed up by these big conglomerates. I don't even have to name them; you know which ones. We here in Montana are hanging out and having each others backs. Nobody is getting any money out of it, but it's pretty cool the love we have throughout the state here," said Borge.
Other ski areas that have reached out to Maverick are Discovery, Lost Trail, and Bridger Bowl Ski Area.
Even if the low snowpack remains for the rest of the season, Showdown Montana will continue to give out tickets to other area season pass holders.
Boedecker said, "I don't see that we would stop doing this for the entire season. There's no reason to, and that support is just much needed, I think. And I hope that other ski areas will take a look at it and see what they can do."
If you do plan to hit the slopes at Showdown, The Edith Hotel in White Sulphur Springs is offering a 15% discount to all season ticket holders whose ski area is not open yet.
We are supposed to get some snow this weekend, so the offer may end next week if ski areas can open.
