Missoula Events

Lost Trail Rail Series kicks off

Photo courtesy of Will Moss

Men’s skiing division winner Willie Nelson flies over the Lost Trail Terrain Park on Saturday. It was the first competition in the 2008 series. The next one is set for Feb. 16. Check out www.ltpark.com for complete results and more photographs [...]

Weekend outlook: Just warming up

The clouds have returned to western Montana and the temperatures are expected to climb back above 30 degrees just in time for a busy weekend on the slopes. Here’s a roundup of events.

Snowbowl: The USSA Master’s competition arrives at the Bowl this weekend for some Slalom races.

Blacktail Mountain: It’s Winterfest on Saturday at Blacktail with many events including ski and [...]

Featured snow photo: Clear and cold


Copyright David Marx
Jaimie Davis enjoys the powder under clear skies at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Photographed by David Marx on Wednesday. You can see more of his work at www.davidmarxphotography.com. More photos after the jump. Continue reading Featured snow photo: Clear and cold

Pro skier Billy Poole dies

Billy Poole, who spent part of his childhood learning to ski at Marshall Mountain, Snowbowl and Big Mountain, was killed in Utah performing a jump while being filmed by Warren Miller Entertainment on Tuesday. He was 28. Here is the Salt Lake Tribune’s coverage and here is the New West story. Below is a short [...]

Smooth ride at Skalkaho Pass


Tom Bauer/Missoulian

HAMILTON – Back in the winter of 1987, Russ Englund got an unexpected phone call.
It was one of his snowmobiling buddies and he had news.
The folks who’d been busy grooming the snowmobile trails on Lolo Pass were bringing their machine to town. They planned to smooth over the Skalkaho Pass road just outside of Hamilton.
He was insisting they take a night ride up and over the mountain.
“That’s really how we got started with our grooming program here,” Englund said.
Soon thereafter, the fledgling Bitterroot Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club received its first groomer in the form a used workhorse Ski-Doo and a small pull-behind groomer from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Continue reading Smooth ride at Skalkaho Pass

Featured snow photo: Finding the fresh stuff

Copyright David Marx
Despite the crazy wind storm and the cold temps, Stephen Shea finds plenty of great skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Photographed by David Marx on Tuesday. You can see more of his work [...]

Weekend outlook: Snow and cold

The snow continues to pile up around western Montana. The latest dump came just in time for a long holiday weekend and more snow and colder air are on the way. Snow conditions should be excellent and all the ski areas will be open on Monday. Here is a look at what is happening.

Snowbowl:The Trail Head will [...]

Snow roundup: New cross-country ski area

A new Nordic ski resort has opened at Homestake Pass, the Montana Standard reports. (The owners, Chris Axelson, right, and Mandy Bowden, are pictured above. The area’s Web site is www.homestakelodge.com.)
If you find yourself sitting in front of a computer wishing you were up at Snowbowl, here’s a YouTube channel to check out. It has some [...]

Featured snow photo

Kurt Wilson/Missoulian

A snowman thumbs for a lift in Missoula on Tuesday as a cyclist rides on by. The valley received a dusting of [...]

More snow on the way

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the mountains of western Montana. The storm is expected to dump 6 to 14 inches of snow and will be accompanied by strong west winds. Click here to read the warnings for [...]