The Whitefish Ski Heritage Center and Musuem's new podcast, “Soul of Hellroaring,” is keeping – and making – oral histories of Big Mountain alive.  

It’s only one of the Heritage Center's efforts to preserving firsthand accounts of skiing traditions.  

“We’re excited about the response, and this giant list of things we have to podcast about,” said Tim Hinderman, director of the Heritage Center.  

The podcast premiered in December with the episodes “What’s up on the mountain” and “It happened last winter,” featuring Whitefish Mountain Resort staff, as well as Opensnow forecaster Bob Ambrose.  

The most recent episode, “They came from Whitefish,” features Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation freestyle coach Kyle Taylor and up-and-coming freestyle athlete Townsend Reed. 

An upcoming podcast episode will dive into the Doug Betters Winter Classic, a beloved, 30-year tradition put on by football star Doug Betters, with various events raising money for children’s health care.  

First held in 1985, “It’s one of those events that falls halfway between ancient history and yesterday’s history,” Hinderman said. “A lot of people will relate to it, and a lot of people are new and don’t have a clue what it is.”  

Whether it’s a podcast of an up and comer athlete, an interview with a Big Mountain pioneer, or a look back at a legendary volunteer, it’s all history.  

“It’s all following a timeline and moving around on it,” Hinderman said. “It’s documenting things that are a part of the whole story. 

“History is what happened last week, as well as a hundred years ago.”  

Hinderman said the process, co-producing with Kathy Sullivan, has been fun. 

“We don’t have a background in journalism or media production, so it’s been a learn as we go.”  

The podcast is available for listening on YouTube and is linked on the museum's website whitefishskimuseum.org.

Also upcoming for the Museum’s digital efforts is a showing of “Raising Hellroaring,” a documentary film that showcases the history of skiing in northwest Montana, spanning from Logan Pass to the Cabinet Range.  

Sometimes hilarious and sometimes tragic, the film draws on movies, photos, books, letters and first-hand accounts. 

First debuting in March 2024, this encore will be the third-ever opportunity to watch. The showing is Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at whitefishskimuseum.org/events.