Whitefish, MT has a lot to offer with awesome terrain and a great town, but this place isn’t just a normal ski town. It is a mecca for anyone that loves being in the outdoors. The detour to Whitefish before the Powder Highway was no accident. This is the location that my wife-to-be and I chose to get hitched, before heading to the Powder Highway. Since we are avid snowboarders and love the outdoors this region has many activities to choose from within only a few minutes of town. The idea was to make it easy for everyone coming to the wedding to plan their own adventure. For example, some of the more popular options include snowmobiling, dog sledding, snowshoeing, ice fishing and cross-country skiing.
The Wedding – On a frozen lake in the middle of winter
There were two major requirments on our list for our wedding. First, the wedding must be outside on Whitefish Lake overlooking the mountains. Yes, OUTSIDE in the middle of winter. Second, the food at the reception must have ingredients that Montana is known for such as wild game. To pull off such a unique experience there is only one person that we could depend on and that was Tanya, of Tanya Gersh Event Design. She planned the entire wedding down to the very minute detail. Thanks to her it was truly a special event. The highlights that stood out were having wooden pews on the frozen lake, providing blankets, and hot totties to keep everyone warm it was perfect.
Elk, Bison, Wild Turkey… Now That’s How You Celebrate
For the reception, the food was artistically done by the Cuisine Machine at Crush in downtown Whitefish. Tim Good the owner and chef is as truly local as they come. For you to understand what I am talking about, here’s an example. After a long day of catering and making great soups for places like the Great Northern Brewery he is known to get up early go backcountry skiing with his yak farmer. Talk about going from farm to skiing to table! For the appetizer course he served Oyster Mushroom Rockefeller. For those unaware it isn’t a real oyster, but rather an Oyster Mushroom! It was incredibly tasty and was a good introduction on what was to come. Another creative item on the menu was the carving station filled with elk, bison, and wild turkey. All of the food was amazing. When in Whitefish and you see food prepared by the “Cuisine Machine”, be sure to check it out!
To end the evening right with fun and excitement we hired the band 1985. They weren’t just a cover band, but rather an experience. Dressed in white and armed with all the instruments required to play all the best 80’s songs they rocked the house. The band was extremely interactive with the crowd and used video clips from the 80’s to add another dimension to the show. It’s well worth taking in a show if you see them playing.
Snowmobiling up Whitefish
When your legs need a breather from riding/skiing all that amazing powder see what other outdoor adventures Whitefish offers. One option is to take a snowmobile to the top of Whitefish Mountain Resort. Starting in the Flathead National Forest it is about a 20 mile journey deep into the Flathead Range filled with great scenery and crazy trails. For those willing try it be sure to reach out to J&L Snowmobiling. They are a one stop shop with all your snowmobile needs from gear to machine. Pricing includes fuel, clothing, and any other accessories required to go on a snowmobile excursion. Local Freshies Tip: Be sure to take a guided tour if you are inexperienced with snowmobiling. This truly is the wilderness and it’s very easy to get turned around and lost. Also, some of the more adventurous sledders got stuck going off trail. Without the guide providing help we could’ve been there for hours. From ice fishing to dog sledding to snowmobiling Whitefish has it all.
Stumptown Snowboards
Every ski-town needs a shop filled with dedicated staff that know the new technology and products that have come out to help make sliding more enjoyable. For Whitefish this is Stumptown Snowboards. The staff is incredibly cool and friendly. They are masters at tuning your gear and making sure it is ready the same day. If you’re lucky you may see a pro or two drop by as prior to heading into the backcountry around Whitefish.
After an awesome week in Whitefish it was time to finally begin our journey into Canada. Follow Local Freshies as we venture north into Canada through The Powder Highway by signing up for our newsletter, twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram and Twitter feeds!
