Whitefish Mountain Resort will look to the future with $2.6 million in capital improvements this year while preparing for its 70th anniversary next season.

The upgrades include relocating Chair 5 from Ptarmigan Bowl to the East Rim, renovating the historic Ed & Mully’s and Bierstube buildings, and adding a new lift-accessed bike trail to the Bike Park’s Bad Rock Zone and a “Strider Park” bike trail for kids in the Base Area.

“With the recent improvements to the Summit House and Base Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort we are pleased to give our third mountain restaurant, Ed & Mully’s, a complete exterior remodel and improve its access from the slopes and connectivity to the upper village,” Whitefish Mountain Resort CEO Dan Graves said. “This project, along with the Bierstube’s renovation project will create a more modern feel for the village as we enter into our eighth decade as a ski resort. With the village improvements and the relocation of Chair 5 we continue to enhance the experience for our guests.”

Architects from Montana Creative architecture + design have completed exterior design for the improvements of Ed & Mully’s, which will include new siding, windows and doors. The atrium will be replaced with a new roof and floor to ceiling windows. The “ski-in” entrance will be redesigned to improve access, and there are plans for a new entrance from the village with a new covered stairway, walkway and improved connectivity to and from the boardwalk and the village.

The Ed & Mully’s construction will begin the week of April 10 after the ski season comes to a close. The lower patio and upper deck of that building will be razed to create space for a new stairway. New parking spaces and a new covered bus shelter will be constructed this summer.

The Bierstube will see new siding, doors, windows, roof and deck as part of a renovation project that will begin this spring and be completed by the 2017-18 ski season.

The relocation of Chair 5, which was announced in January, is currently underway, with dismantling of the lift having started. The lift will also see a new electric motor, drive, braking system and hydraulic tension system, as well as a rebuild of the gear box and restraining bars for chairs.

Chair 5 will run from near the intersection of Russ’s Street and Moe-Mentum ski runs and take skiers up to the “knob” just west of Don’s Descent on the East Rim. Skiers can access the bottom of the lift from “Inspiration Ridge” via the No Name run and the North Bowl area as well as from Flower Pint via One Grand Parade and Russ’s Street and everywhere in between. From Chair 5, skiers will be able to access the East Rim, North Bowl and North Side Chairs 7 and 11 and T-Bar 2. The lift will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

For more information, visit www.skiwhitefish.com.