Bozeman area next week... any reccomendations?

**Ape_Natural** · 12-08-2011, 01:48 PM

So a couple friends and I are taking off from here in Bellingham on a nice little roadtrip that will land us in Bozeman sometime mid next week. I have checked and searched all the threads about good Bozeman tours, but due to what I have found in terms of the current snowpack I decided to make this thread to maybe get some advice from one of you guys out there who can give me some beta based off current conditions. I checked the GNFAC page, and it doesn't look very encouraging, but I was wondering if there are some good spots that might be fun and safe next week for us to hit. We are planning on getting a day in at Bridger on the lifts (website calls for a tomorrow opening) and then hopefully getting a nice day tour in one of the days. We are down to hit anywhere between hyalite canyon, Big Sky area, and as far as Yellowstone on our way out of town towards Jackson. Thanks.

**butterscotch** · 12-08-2011, 01:58 PM

I would recommend you go somewhere else. Not being a dick -- it's pretty shitty here right now.

No snow in the forecast. Bridger is having a limited opening on Friday -- just green circle groomers on the lower mountain. I wouldn't pay money to ski at Big Sky right now. And as you've read, the backcountry is sketchy.

**Jupski** · 12-08-2011, 02:01 PM

I agree, bridger will not be worth paying for. Maybe Red Lodge, I here they got some snow.

**Bobcat Sig** · 12-08-2011, 03:50 PM

It's been said; total fucking garbage here. Big Sky opened Challenger so you could go huck yourself down a meat grinder of skree if you're really gnar.

Head to Red Lodge; alleged 48inch-something base.

**Skid Lux** · 12-08-2011, 06:01 PM

Sucks here. go to canada. seriously

**racesla** · 12-08-2011, 06:23 PM

No snow in the short term forecast. Lookout and Blacktail are the only areas with a good base 50+. Backcounty real sketchy. North is were to go.

**single** · 12-08-2011, 06:31 PM

No shit dude! I am leaving this week, otherwise I would buy you guys some beers.

Everyone is right tho. Bozeman has some good meadowskipping right now, but not great skiing.

If you are interested in still going tho, I can probably hook up a place to stay if ya want. PM me for my number.

-g

**Lexi-Bell** · 12-08-2011, 06:52 PM

^^Is this the guy that recovered your stolen items?

If so I'll buy a round fo sho!

Also heard Red Lodge is skiing well though my source is questionable

**icelanticskier** · 12-08-2011, 07:19 PM

1 C, 2 M

K?

rog

**Scree Shredder** · 12-08-2011, 07:23 PM

Yep pretty sucky round here lately. If your looking to go hike beehive is still pretty thin but skiable. Aint no pacific snowpack though, still fairly sketch especially after that cold weather this week. Some low angle stuff that I heard was pretty solid lately is bacon rind just south of big sky in the park. When I say low angle I mean nearly flat, but some people have fun skiing it. Really Beehive not such a great option unless your familiar with the terrain right now.

**tone capone** · 12-08-2011, 07:24 PM

There is nothing worth driving all the way here for right now. Even the meadow skipping is all porked out and in need of refills. Bridger has a 12" base, and Big Sky, well, use your imagination.

Showdown is a cool little ski area about 2 hours north of Bozeman that is opening tommorow with a legit 36 inch base. Just cut trails and groomers but at least it's something. Again, probly not worth an extended road trip.

**Bunion 2020** · 12-08-2011, 07:30 PM

Everything said above X 10. We are currently fucked like a common house-cat through 9 pairs of pants.

Go north or towards JH.

Sorry.

**BobbyBill** · 12-08-2011, 07:41 PM

Skate skiing has been/is very good up Bozeman Creek...so there's that, which is the only skiing I've done yet this year...wish I could use them at Bridger to make the Quad interesting. Hurtling down the Mogul Mouse headwall would be a thrill.

**.jon.** · 12-08-2011, 11:28 PM

big sky's not worth the price of a lift ticket right now... unless of course you happen to have a private team of ski techs following behind you with base welders and p-tex. we need snow, and lots of it.

**TheDon** · 12-08-2011, 11:34 PM

Go to the Naked Noodle, that place rules.

**Ape_Natural** · 12-09-2011, 12:57 AM

Yeah, unfortunately this is kind of what I expected. Really the purpose of us stopping in Bozeman is to visit my sister at MSU on our way to Jackson, we were just hoping to get some skiing in while we were there... But it sounds like meadow skipping might be what we are looking at.

Does anyone have any word on anything more towards the Cooke City/ Yellowstone area or is that all pretty much the same story?

**Bunion 2020** · 12-09-2011, 05:58 AM

Cooke is better, Red Lodge is decent right now. Talking to people in W. Yellowstone, they do have more snow than Bzn and Big Sky.

If its not just a skiing trip, what the hell. Hop in the car and drive.

Any pix. of sis?

**neckdeep** · 12-09-2011, 11:07 AM

Targhee has been fun since the main lift opened. Side lifts are off so there was good in-bounds powder out on the flanks still to be had yesterday. The top of the mountain is rather shitty but there's 20-30 inches of solid, compressed base covering the rest. It's rocky and there are some places to avoid for sure but there is enough coverage to stay offtrail top to bottom on most slopes, if you keep your speed down and your eyes wide open.

**Aenigma** · 12-09-2011, 11:17 AM

I'll be checking out the snow up Hyalite this weekend, I'll let you know how that looks (even though you can look it up and it's pretty bad). If you're willing to make a detour on your way here, the mountains around Lincoln have quite a bit of snow, although I don't know if the skiing is any good right now.

**butterscotch** · 12-09-2011, 12:18 PM

Cooke City is difficult w/o a sled IMO, but there's definitely more snow there. Maybe a non-ski day to Yellowstone...drive through paradise valley, go see mammoth and soak in the boiling river?

**Ape_Natural** · 12-09-2011, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by butterscotch

Maybe a non-ski day to Yellowstone...drive through paradise valley, go see mammoth and soak in the boiling river?

My God... sitting here in my unheated singlewide trailer is making that sound like a pretty fucking awesome option...

Red lodge might also be an option and maybe a Cooke City tour as well... I guess we will just have to see what works out. Thanks for the input guys.

**montanaskier** · 12-09-2011, 02:33 PM

I'd go to Cooke and get a sled...or British Columbia

**Bunion 2020** · 12-09-2011, 07:40 PM

The Boiling River is one of the 7 wonders of the world.

And! If a certain barmaid from the Buffalo Station who is also a Lingerie consultant at Erotic in Bozeman happens to be frequenting the area on that given day!

Win/Win! Zounds!

**john c** · 12-10-2011, 11:18 PM

don't listen to anyone. They are all pussies and it is going off right now.

Try the Y off Black, NE face of Taylor hilgard, or the great one. eni mine mo is good to go. They all still have base from last year and are skiing wonderfully. I hear if u bring Bunion a 10 year old boy he will let you ride the N summit snowfeild which is skiing great as well.

**hick** · 12-10-2011, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by john c

don't listen to anyone. They are all pussies and it is going off right now.

Try the Y off Black, NE face of Taylor hilgard, or the great one. eni mine mo is good to go. They all still have base from last year and are skiing wonderfully. I hear if u bring Bunion a 10 year old boy he will let you ride the N summit snowfeild which is skiing great as well.

I love this alias, it always cracks me up!