Ski bowl opening day brings Havre out

Bear Paw Ski Bowl had its opening day Saturday and more than 100 skiers and snowboarders visited it to test the new snow.

"Opening day's been really good," said Dave Martens, the mountain manager. "We had three inches of old snow and three and a half inches of new snow with an 18- to probably 36-inch base."

The lift has two stops, Martens said. The halfway stop allows skiers to take the more intermediate and beginner-level courses, while the last stop at the top of the mountain is reserved for more advanced skiers who are looking for black diamond runs.

The slopes were sunny and calm Saturday, and participants were able to get a few hours of runs in before high winds forced the crew at the ski bowl to shut the lift down.

Martens said preparation for the season went well, and the bowl would not have been possible without the volunteers who work the mountain and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, upon which the ski bowl sits.

Read and see more about the Bear Paw Ski Bowl in the Hi-Line Living section of Friday's issue of the Havre Daily News.