Hebgen Lake Beta?

[sshores]

Heading up to Montana to visit the parents on 4th of July, camping in the Hebgen Lake area, outside the west entrance of Yellowstone. Any report of what the snow is like in that area right now? Want to do some b/c skiing if it's worth dragging my skis with me from the Bay.

[stuckathuntermtn]

map of the area, with snow depths
If you can get into the Taylor peaks, it might be worth it. I think you can drive in there from Gallatin Canyon (rt 191), but I don't know the whole deal, especially this time of year.

[sshores]

Thanks for the map! I will watch the conditions as the 4th gets closer. Will bring my gear just in case, no matter what my wife says.

[nateski]

you are quite close to the beartooths there, which i skied in august last year. patch skiing, for sure, but fun.

[Tye 1on]

And bring bear spray. Pretty solid mauling up Denny Creek, by Lionshead, just north of the lake...

[John Smoke]

Looks like the closest access to Hebgen would be up Beaver Creek or up Watkins Creek. I never been up Watkins and dont know where its gated. Beaver Creek you can drive up 5 miles or so and take a little vertical off your hike. Then you have to hike 5 miles to get to a high alpine area with snow on July 4. I've hiked up there and it should have something as far as snow goes. Might not be a very big area.

That area the gates are down low in non wilderness area. Not many places you can get up in elevation in a car.

If you have 4 wheeler you might be able to get up higher on the Lionshead side.

Beartooths are a 3+ hour drive E from there unless you go through the park at night/pre dawn. Then watch out for bison. July 4th during the day it would take a loooong time to get through to Cooke City entrance. Nice drive though.

Fairy Lake road 30 miles north of Bozeman has some sort of skiing July 4th usually. You can drive up to 8'000 feet or so. You can probably get there in 3 hours from there. One of the nicer places in the entire region.

If you go up 287 for a hour or so and look NW there is a range that holds snow until July as well. The name has been said here but I wont say it. A 5 + mile hike.

[sshores]

That bear info is pretty burly. Good to keep things in perspective. Looks like we'll be staying in the Island Park area. I may start heading up 87/287, check Sheep Mountain and then decide if I should continue into the Beaver Creek area and check that out. This may turn into a little bit of a mtb/ bc trip so the possibilities of adventure are endless.

[Mudfoot]

I worked just above the Lake for a summer. Lots of big moose around there too. Not usually a problem, but give them plenty of room. They can be ornery.