Beacon Park

Backcountry users now have a "beacon park" at the Whitefish Mountain Resort near the summit of Big Mountain. A special practice area is available for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and others to learn and test their avalanche beacon search skills. Glacier Country Avalanche Center secured the park with a grant from Flathead Electric Cooperative's Round Up for Safety program. The avalanche center, Flathead National Forest and Whitefish Mountain Resort Ski Patrol have cooperatively joined together to make this beacon park available to the public.

The beacon park is a self-guided experience that offers a safe practice area. It operates with several buried transceivers connected by wire to a central control panel. Park users can turn on one or more of the buried beacons to simulate a rescue situation with one or more buried parties.

To use the training area, bring your avalanche beacon and probe pole. Simple instructions to operate the unit are located near the control panel. Once users find the buried signal, they're asked not to dig up the buried box that houses and protects the beacon. Leave it in place for the next participant and fill in the dug up area after the beacon/signal is found.

The beacon park opens once there is enough snow and will operate during the regular ski season. If you need assistance at the park, users can contact the Whitefish Mountain Ski Patrol at the summit patrol cabin.
Advisory Hotline : (406) 257-8402