Whitefish Mountain Resort is ranked the No. 10 ski area in North America in SKI Magazine’s 2017-18 resort survey.

The ranking is a step up from the resort’s No. 11 spot last year, and keeps it in the company of other legendary mountains out West, including two former Olympic venues: Utah’s Deer Valley (first place) and British Columbia’s Whistler Blackcomb (third). No other Montana ski area made the top 10, although Big Sky in southwest Montana came in at No. 12.

“I love this hill so much I have a tattoo of it!”, stated one comment on the magazine’s website. “There’s no way of even describing how perfect Whitefish is, it’s truly second to none.”

For its 30th Resort Guide, SKI readers ranked the continent’s resorts in 10 different categories. Whitefish placed seventh for service and grooming, eighth for kid-friendliness, 10th for character and lodging, 16th for dining, 20th for snow and challenge, 25th for variety, and 26th for lifts.

Whitefish Mountain Resort CEO Dan Graves said in a press release that it was an honor to make the top 10.

“We are grateful that the experts — our guests — consistently express high praise for their experience at our resort,” he said.

The resort is scheduled to open for the 2017-18 season on Dec. 7, with the addition of a new lift in the East Rim area and upgrades to its lodges.

An adult season pass costs $645 if purchased by Sept. 30.

Reporter Patrick Reilly can be reached at [email protected], or at (406)758-4407.