Cary Jo Hofstad

Just had to share a the beautiful view looking in to Glacier National Park from the top of Big Mtn (Whitefish Mountain Resort) from skiing there on Friday. What a glorious day!

2 other things to take part in while in Whitefish:

1. Trivia night at the bar in the Lodge on Whitefish Lake (also a great place to spend the night)

2. Dinner by a roaring fire at the Whitefish Golf Course restaurant. Great food, old log building for atmosphere.

Okay, I am thinking about skiing a lot lately. Went up Tuesday and kept saying "1 more run" each time. It was awesome! No one there, sun peeked out, groomed powder (my favorite). Had a great lunch at Hellroaring Saloon. Made ski runs on the backside, chair 2, and Hellroaring Basin. What skiing should be all the time. Sun has been out off and on all week so looking forward to hitting the slopes again tomorrow. For web cams and current ski conditions on Whitefish Mountain Resort, www.bigmtn.com. Many events going on there this weekend as well. Love that mountain. Been skiing there for 25 years and it is still special too me.

Big Kalispell news is the ongoing discussions about road impact fees for developers. Still being talked about. Sure would hamper developers and drive up prices for commercial and residential lots.

Alpine Theater Project and the Glacier Symphony are doing a modern production of "The Music Man" the end of January in Whitefish and Kalispell. I will miss this collaboration this year but last year they did "Westside Story" and it was wonderful!

The City of Kalispell approved annexing 207 acres south of town for residential and commercial development. This land has been in 2 families for many years and is even the site of the Siderius family homestead in the valley. The acreage was slowly being surrounded by development so this is not a surprise.

I attended the first weekly lecture at the Central School Museum on Sunday afternoon. John Fraley who works for Fish, Wildlife and Game in Kalispell, has done extensive research on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Many interesting tales of intrigue and even murder back when there were few settlers around Glacier Park. Bought his 2 books and it is very interesting reading.

Back to skiing: don't miss out on near record snow and great conditions!

It is truly winter wonderland around here with the weather changing daily from a huge dump of snow last Friday, to a very cold, clear, sunny day on Saturday, and a big melt off and even rain this week. A new weather adventure everyday here in the Flathead! Went skiing at Whitefish Mtn. on Sunday and it was awesome!! No one else there, ski right to the lift. Fresh powder to make us work hard. We made fresh tracks then left when our quad muscles were talking to us. I had new K2 skis that really added to the fun factor. All the holiday visitors had left town so it felt like "my mountain" again :)

Had a showing house adventure Tuesday. It is a bank owned house so hadn't been plowed. Climbed and descended a 6' snow berm, then stepped into thigh deep snow in the driveway just to get to the front door. My client is shorter than I and I wondered if I would lose her in the snow! Trucks have been loading up snow and hauling it out of Kalispell most of the week. We got close to 20" over night last Thursday that slowed down the pace a little around here!

A little slip sliding walk to the barn this morning from the rain on the snow. Tonight though, just wet. Temps were in the low 40's today, felt like spring.

Real estate has picked up in the under $200k range. Rates around 4.25% are getting the first time home buyers off the fence.

Here is a photo taken Saturday morning of the mountains.

Downhill, x-country, First Night Flathead

Went up to the Whitefish Mountain Resort on Tuesday with MANY others. Really nice day with new snow. Warm, and the sun even made an appearance. Noticed many tourists in the lift line by their conversation. Also noticed what were wide skis when I bought them 10 years ago, now looked like cross country skis. Stopped at Sportsman Haus in Whitefish on the way home and got a great deal on new K2 skis that should make skiing really fun. Plan on testing them on the slopes this weekend.

Cross Country skiing got some new groomed trails behind Flathead Community College in Kalispell. Tracks go behind the college and along the Stillwater River. Will use those when I have a cardio workout day. Very exciting to have more groomed options.

New Years Eve had the largest First Night ever. Many preforming artists in many locations around Kalispell. A windy, snowy storm diminished the crowds but the night and weather ended up perfect for walking around town and listening to a wide variety of music. The talent in this valley is amazing. Ended the evening listening to the Good Wood Band at the Red Lion downtown. Amazing!!

As I write this on New Year's Day morning, it is snowing and will snow through Friday.

Flathead Valley real estate market: Seeing a sudden surge in buyers for the under $200k range. Guess they are realizing that the interest rates are the best in my lifetime and there are some great opportunities to get out there and become a home owner. In fact I am working with 2 buyers today and expect to write up 1 offer. Only the "tenacious" and strong agents are surviving this market and for those of us who are not only surviving but thriving, 2009 is going to be a much better year!

Christmas 2008 is past and New Year 2009 is on it's way. We have seen a LOT of snow in the last few days, yeah!! I went cross country skiing at the Whitefish Golf Course Friday. The trails were freshly groomed, it was lightly snowing, and I warmed up quickly. It was a cardio workout day for me, so I wore my heart monitor and ipod and skied away. What a fun way to get in that workout, and trust me, the heart rate definitely is easily maintained for 30 minutes. I learned the camelback for water is not good, the hose starts to freeze! Will do the fanny pack with water bottles next time. Off to Coffee Traders in Whitefish for an Americano, and it is a great morning!

Whitefish Mountain Resort is getting fresh snow daily with Monday looking at 90% chance. We plan on hitting the slopes on Tuesday, the day it should be the nicest. See how many tourists are in town. After all the shopping traffic prior to Christmas, the roads felt pretty empty Saturday.Had a lot of snow in the valley that day so people might have just stayed home and relaxed. It is nice to have some odd days without work so I can fit in the winter activities. My horses are blanketed and enjoying romping around each morning when let out of their stalls. Cleaning stalls got to be more work this weekend when the temperatures rose and a melt of the frozen stuff in the stall required a few more wheel barrow loads to be removed.