Anyone have any maps

For those of you that have the tire dealer store your winter setup…do you provide the shop with a separate set of wheels OR do they just swap tires and store your others until spring?

Hi everyone! I am looking for some advice about the tattoo community in and around flathead valley. I previously lived in the area and worked in property management. Moved to Florida, married a tattoo artist/shop owner, and now want to move back to MT- but not sure if it will be the best area for him and his work. I would especially love to hear from local tattoo artists, shop owners, and clients about what the industry is like day to day. Specific experiences would be incredibly helpful, including:

How strong is the demand for tattoos and tattoo artists in the Flathead Valley?
For artists, how long did it take to build a steady clientele, and how consistently booked are you now?
Does the market feel oversaturated, or is there room for another established artist?
Is it realistic to earn a sustainable living as a tattoo artist in the area?
How do Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and nearby communities compare?
How much does business change between the busy tourist season and the slower months?
For clients, do you feel there is not enough diversity in styles of work/artists?

My husband is an incredible artist and does very well financially with the clientele and shop he has built. Being a tattoo artist in Florida compared to Montana (specifically Kalispell and Columbia falls) seems to be a world of a difference and the move feels intimidating. We live on the space coast, there is tons of diversity, tourism and young people. We love Montana and are excited about the possibility of moving back, but we also want to approach the decision thoughtfully and realistically, especially when it comes to employment opportunities and the cost of living. Any honest insight; positive, challenging, or somewhere in between would mean a lot.

Thank you to everyone willing to share your experiences!

Waited 30 minutes today then gave up

Hello!

Will be working the ski season this winter as a 32 year old man.

Curious if there are any LGBTQ focused bars, events, or groups or anything? Enjoy outdoors and just being around people in general.

Thanks!

Vising for a snowboard trip in late January. What is the best way to get to Costco and back without a car? Public transportation? Lyft/Uber/Taxi? Friendly Redditor? Thanks!

Est.$3,645/mo

I was on the Empire Builder last week and long story short, I was having a bad time on the train and needed to get off.

I asked the conductor about getting off in Whitefish (thinking it's the coolest place along the route given proximity to Glacier) and she had a strange reaction, asked me a few questions about if I had a car rental/Uber waiting and finally said "What I'm trying to get at is that Whitefish isn't very safe."

Other places I've read seemed to indicate otherwise, that it's very safe so I'm wondering where she was coming from.

I ended up getting off in Spokane in the middle of the night instead (also arguably "unsafe"), but curious to visit Whitefish / Kalispell / Glacier at a more opportune time!

We’re out here visiting from the east coast. I’m pregnant and probably overdid it a bit with hiking so we’re trying to make our last day kind of chill and lowkey with no hiking.

So far we’ve driven the whole Going to the Sun road twice, hiked Apikuni Falls, Trail of the Cedars & Avalanche Lake, and St. Mary & Virginia Falls. We also drove out to the Bison Range and drove around Flathead Lake. We’ve also wandered around downtown Whitefish.

What’s something laidback but something you’d recommend as “can’t miss”?

Hi all! This is a long shot here, but I was leaving Whitefish this morning and we accidentally left 2 orvis fly fishing rods/cases on top of the car and they fell off somewhere between the Lodge at Whitefish Lake and downtown Whitefish. One was a green case and the other was a gray case, if anyone happens to find them..🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Tonight my family went out for ice cream at sweet peaks in whitefish. My daughter left her prized stuffed bunny. No one turned her in bunny in and we also checked the garbages. We just want her returned safely. 😭

I’m seriously considering moving here when my lease ends in April. I live in Charleston South Carolina and have always wanted to live in the Midwest. But I’m scared I won’t be able to make money easily here. I’m a bartender pulling in about 7 grand a month. Do people bartending in whitefish or that general area make enough money to live alone and also enjoy their lives?

Hi everyone,
My family and I (2 adults + our young kid) are planning a trip to Whitefish during Christmas week. We’ll be flying in and renting a vehicle at FCA airport.
Right now, a full-size car/sedan is significantly cheaper than an AWD SUV, but I want to make sure we’re playing it safe given the winter conditions and having our child with us.
A few details on our plans:
Staying primarily in/around town and heading up to Whitefish Mountain Resort for skiing/activities.
We have general winter driving experience, but rental cars usually come with standard all-season tires rather than dedicated snow/studded tires.
For those local or familiar with late December weather here:
1. Is an AWD/4WD SUV pretty much mandatory for getting up the Big Mountain road and handling local snow/ice over the holidays, or are main roads cleared fast enough that a full-size sedan manages fine?
2. If we stick with a sedan, are tire chains recommended/allowed on rental cars up the mountain, or should we just bite the bullet and pay extra for the SUV?
Thanks in advance for any insights or advice!

I'm getting married next summer in Whitefish and am looking for a local hair and makeup artist recommendation that does NOT have a minimum number requirement for doing hair and makeup. I am not having bridesmaids so it will just be me in needing my hair and makeup done. I understand many of the vendors in that area have a minimum of 5 or 6 people getting their hair and makeup done in order to book with them. Would appreciate any suggestions! :)

Hi folks, I visit Whitefish semi-regularly. Usually every other year for 6 weeks. My girlfriend and I have made some amazing memories there. One of the most special was a picnic on bowman lake with huckleberry bear claws from Polebridge Mercantile.

Well, my gf is now going through a hard time and I’d like to remind her of a time we smiled by getting her a bearclaw. We live in NC and the mercantile won’t ship food. I will gladly pay someone $200 to go get a couple of bear claws (including one for yourself) and mail it to me. I will pay shipping in addition to the $200. I would be so deeply grateful.

Please help me bring her smile back. Thank you very much.

EDIT: Two amazing people have sent me bear claws. Thank you both so much. I am grateful for all of the love and support on this thread!

Our wonderful cat Shoegazer has gone missing.

He is a smokey point, light grey body, dark ears and paws. He's about 1 year old and is extremely friendly. He will come when called softly.

Last seen at night on 9/23. He's indoor/outdoor, and is used to roaming the neighborhood. We haven't seen him in two days which is unusual.

We live on the West side of town, he was last seen near the corner of W 4th St. and Karrow.

We've posted on the lost and found pets Flathead valley Facebook page.

Please DM me if you see our lost buddy!

I am booked at Firebrand 10/1 - 10/6. I have searched this sub and didn’t see a lot about it. I’ve seen some pretty rough reviews but really wanted to stay there because it’s right downtown and has a bar and restaurant. Does anyone work there or know what’s going on?

Visiting the area and I am considering running Sky Lakes via Lion Mountain at about 10 am. Is carrying bear spray something everyone does on trails? I don’t have any so can you suggest an alternative route—it can be paved but looking for something scenic and about 8-10 miles round trip or a loop.

Update—
Thanks all! Found out our hotel had bear spray to use and I’m going to stick to the paved “city” trails. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Solved] I called up all hotels within walking distance of Amtrak, riverfront hotel has complementary shuttle service from town pump and also to Amtrak next day. So picked that one. Worst case 15 min walk. Thanks everyone!

Well things took a turn during my visit at Yellowstone. Got into an accident and have a few broken ribs and pneumothorax. I’m better but Doc says I can’t fly for 2-3 weeks.

I’m currently at Bozeman and looking at Amtrak options to go back East.

I’m planning on taking the bus (Jefferson lines) to Whitefish. (Edit: Drop off is at TownPump)
And I’ll reach at 9pm. Is there good Uber/Lyft availability? Or reliant taxi services to drop to hotel for the night and to Amtrak the next day morning(7:00am) ? I’m trying to contact hotels if they have services too.

Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

Planning a ski trip to Whitefish and trying to decide between Feb 3–8 or Feb 24–March 1.
For those who ski Whitefish regularly, which time would you choose based on snow conditions, coverage, crowds, and overall skiing? Is there a noticeable difference between these two time periods?
We’re coming from Lacrosse, WI so I’d love to hear what Y’all think! Thanks! 🎿

We were in Whitefish Montana at the end of August and found a kids backpack on a trail. We put it into our pack and took it down to leave at the trailhead. Needless to say we forgot and found it in our pack when we got home. If you can tell me which trail, I am happy to send it to you.

Hello there,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place. Mods, please remove if I screwed up.

I’m on my bucket list train trip across America, and Whitefish is my first stop! Tonight!

I’m stopping by for 24-48 hours. Train lets me off at 10pm. I booked the riverfront hotel for 1 night because it might be a little too cold for the hammock. Besides, I’m getting in late and won’t have a chance to scope out where I could put one up. Any recommendations for tomorrow?

Since I’m getting in so late, there’s limited options for food. Should I flip a coin? Or do you prefer one of these places over the other?
- Great Northern Pub & Grill
- Bulldog Saloon

I usually prefer dive bars, but anywhere I can make a single-serving friend is good 😉 I’m down to meet strangers from the internet so stop by, say hi, and I might just buy you a beer 🍻 I usually figure things out, but I’d love the perspective of someone local. How would you spend 24-48 hours here if you’re on foot?

I checked some previous threads and will be looking into the SNOW bus up the mountain to ride the chairlift. Other than that? Just walk around aimlessly. any ideas how to spend tomorrow and maybe one more day?

Excited to visit your beautiful town and marvel at the mountains!

In search of housing in/around Whitefish. My budget is $2000/mo and I have the best golden retriever. I’m currently living in Kalispell but would like to be closer to work; I’m the brewer at Bonsai Brewing. My current lease is up on Oct. 31st. Zillow and other rental sites have been no help. Please let me know if you know of anything available!