The annual Pond Skimming event at Whitefish Mountain resort signals the end of the season on Big Mountain. Photographer David Marx captured the highlights below. Many more photos after the jump.
Copyright David Marx
Copyright David Marx
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WISDOM – The last trail grooming of the season took place Friday (March 29) at Chief Joseph Pass, west of Wisdom.
Groomers report six inches of new snow since last week and a base of 70 inches. The groomers are volunteers from the Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club.
Chief Joseph Pass has a 24-kilometer cross-country-ski-trail system, along the Continental Divide, that’s open free to the public in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Bitterroot, and Salmon-Challis national forests.
A warming hut will be open until April 15, one mile in from the parking lot. It offers skiers a chance to warm up and enjoy their lunches out of the weather.
For more information, call the Forest Service in Wisdom, at (406) 689-3243.
Drop by www.glacieravalanche.org or call (406) 257-8402 before heading into the hills of northwest Montana. In the Missoula area, visit www.missoulaavalanche.org, or call 329-3752.
KALISPELL – With winter’s weight still hanging heavy overhead, avalanche experts are warning that dangerous snow conditions persist, despite the arrival of warmer weather at lower elevations.
“Currently, we’re seeing enduring winter-like snow conditions, similar to those found in February,” said Stan Bones, avalanche analyst on the Flathead National Forest. “A persisting buried weak layer exists,” he said, “particularly on steep and sun-shaded northerly aspects.”
On Tuesday, Tony Willits at the Glacier Country Avalanche Center reported that “on northerly aspects, within the Flathead and Glacier Park areas, between 5,000 and 7,000 feet of elevation, the avalanche danger is currently being rated as considerable.”
On other aspects at the same elevation, risk is “moderate,” he said, and below 5,000 feet danger is rated “low.”
The problem, Willits said, is that while sun has consolidated the pack on south-facing slopes, the shady north sides of Montana’s mountains continue cold. That means an icy hoar frost layer – the “weak layer” Bones noted – remains buried in the pack, where it has hidden for some six weeks.
Put enough pressure on that layer, either in the form of wind-blown snowload or a skier or snowmobiler, and things could start to slide. Throughout the past month, Bones said, several skiers and snowmobilers have triggered slab avalanches on the frost layer. (more…)
Friday’s fresh snow and empty slopes at Snowbowl are sign of great things to come this spring.
Chris West, Missoulian
Copyright David Marx
Jaimie Davis enjoys a powder day at Whitefish Mountain last week. Photographed by David Marx. See more of his work at davidmarxphotography.com. More photos after the jump.
WISDOM - Eight inches of fresh snow fell at Chief Joseph Pass this week. The pass is west of Wisdom and is a popular cross-country ski area.
There’s now a base of 72 inches at the pass. Volunteer groomers have set tracks on all trails and say the skiing is probably best in the morning before things warm up.
Chief Joseph Pass has a 24-kilometer cross-country ski trail system, along the Continental Divide, that’s open free to the public in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Bitterroot and Salmon-Challis national forests.
A warming hut one mile in from the parking lot offers skiers a chance to warm up and enjoy their lunches out of the weather.
For more info, call the Forest Service in Wisdom at (406) 689-3243.
- Missoulian
The NCAA men’s and women’s skiing committee on Tuesday announced the 74 men and 74 women who’ll compete at the 2008 National Collegiate Skiing Championships, which are being hosted by Bozeman’s Bridger Bowl and Bohart Ranch March 5-8.
Montana State, which sponsors collegiate skiing, has six competitors entered. For a list of competitors, events and additional information, follow this link.
Highlights of the Nordic and Alpine events will be shown on CBS television on Sat. May 3 at 11 a.m.
- Nick Lockridge
The weather may be warming up, but there are plenty of ski days left in the season. The warm air will be perfect for the Beach Party at Lookout Pass on Sunday. So why not grab your suit and skis and head up the pass. Here’s a roundup of what’s happening.
Montana Snowbowl: The Bowl is now closed on Tuesdays for the rest of the season. Below is a YouTube video of some of the “Snowbowl Characters” from this season.
Lookout:The Northern Division Masters Alpine races come to the pass this weekend and on Sunday the ski area is throwing a beach party featuring the Big Kahuna Downhill.
Discovery: Disco has received a foot of snow in the last week. Friday is College Day with $16 lift tickets for students with a valid ID. Don’t forget about the 1 hour season pass sale on March 1 at midnight.
Lost Trail: The Powder Mountain has a slopestyle competition planned for Friday and a mogul freestyle comp on Saturday and Sunday. Results and photos from the last Rail Jam Series are posted at ltpark.com.
Be sure to check out the Radical Reels Tour when it stops at UM on Friday night at 6 p.m in the University Theatre. Here is more information. Below is a promo for the show.
For those who couldn’t make this weekend’s Snowbowl Cup Gelande ski jumping championships, here’s a look at how Sunday’s victory tasted for winner Rolf Wilson.
- Nick Lockridge
Arthur Mouratidis
Photographer Arthur Mouratidis captured these shots at the Snowbowl’s Gelande Championship last weekend. They prove the sport is a little more difficult than the pros make it look. More photos after the jump.
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