2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[yeahman]

50-inch settled base mid-mountain at Big Sky according to a friend.

[byates1]

That's incredible

[byates1]

It's a great thing they are so accommodating to skinning. What a loving community focused mountain.

[total_immortal]

Amazing to get into skinning/bc skiing 25 yrs ago and see the scene at bbowl today. Wow. All good, kids and old fucks all smiling and having a hoot. Thx ullr!

I was out in Wolverine all day and I was shocked at the scene when I got back to the base, people are stoked for this winter

[Bunion 2020]

It's a great thing they are so accommodating to skinning. What a loving community focused mountain.

Private property=liability they do not want.

[yeahman]

Great Divide opening this weekend.

[byates1]

Will they stay open daily? I need to ski the other half of the Mt ski areas this year. Thx!

[Shredeagle]

What will Great Divide be like for opening this weekend? Decent amount of skiing? Any sweet jumps? Never been but tempted to make the trip….thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[whipski]

[yeahman]

Will they stay open daily? I need to ski the other half of the Mt ski areas this year. Thx!

Just weekends for now, I'm sure.

What will Great Divide be like for opening this weekend? Decent amount of skiing? Any sweet jumps? Never been but tempted to make the trip….thanks!

They didn't give out much info:

Early Season Snow & Cold Temperatures
As of 7pm this evening, Great Divide has recorded over 46" of snow so far this season! With the cold temperatures this week, we have been running our snowmaking 24/7. Making for a beautiful start to winter!

Montana's Ski Season starts this weekend right here at Great Divide! We will be operating Good Luck Chairlift and the Backyard Rope Tow both Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 4pm. With $20 Lift Tickets and live music in the Missing Lynx Saloon from 1pm - 4pm, there is no other place you should be this weekend other than at Great Divide!

Be sure to watch your email for more details to be coming out soon!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

[yeahman]

And I would add that if you are making the trip to "ski Great Divide," come when the place is fully open and I'll happily give you the deluxe tour. Same goes for anybody on here. It's not great, but as with most ski areas there is more to it than meets the eye.

[Shredeagle]

Man. For $20 bucks and some apres that sounds like fun. How often can the whole family ski for under $100? I might have to make that happen! Even if that looks like a pretty little lift.

Yeahman, figured you were the guy for the terrain park tour, but maybe not...

Here's a fun one from the kids last weekend....working on iron cross backflips....and learning how to focus a camera, apparently

[Ted26]

Anyone check out Schlasmans this week?

[Shredeagle]

I skied out there Saturday Ted. It got wind hammered pretty bad the night before. All the snow was blown onto the north faces and the lift line was in rough shape. My plan was to ski off the top but the upper 1/3 was basically rock. Probably better now but it seemed like it got a lot more wind stripped then the Bridger lift zone on Friday night. So might be a bit less snow under the new stuff then you were expecting on the south and east facing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[byates1]

20 bucks. That's tits. May have to take the day off

[usdatele]

Anyone check out Schlasmans this week?

Yamon! Me n superior made it over there yesterday and Og showed up for a little fingers 2 south bound action today. I didn't see the face before yesterday, but I can confirm it's pretty good. I'm not going above halfway yet though. Skied a couple phazer banks and a dinos. I'm sure the wind will blow alot of the snow off the face, but maybe it'll land someplace closer than clyde park. 4" of floof fell during the day today. Looking forward to tomorrow!

And I found some treasure on the skinner over there today. Hmu if you know whose they are!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Trackhead]

Wait, Great Divide is claiming 46”? Not centimeters? Looking at there bade webcam all week looked good but not THAT good. If it’s accurate that’s more than all last season

If I feel well enough I’ll take my kid up there next weekend. Got him a pass at Showdown this year. Maybe I need to buy one again at GD. I like the place, fun tree skiing when there’s snow.

[byates1]

I might be there Sunday for the scene and a few laps. Finding out if I can get off work in a bit.

What a storm. Snowed Mon-Thur, now -3. This seasons start is legit.

[Shredeagle]

Stoked for bluebird pow today!! Just got to survive a few hours of work first.

We are headed up to Great Divide tomorrow with a van full of kids. My wife said the lift that is open is pretty lame. But I did call and they said they will have a few sweet jumps ready to go I'm also going to bring my skins and hope to be able to run a few laps up to the top if they let you do that. Excited to sit on a chairlift either way. 46" at Great Divide - more than Disco gets in a season. Haha.

[S_jenks]

Just keep expectations low and make sure to spend some time kicking it in the base lodge and bar if you can.

I'll be visiting family in Helena this weekend, so will try and sneak some laps in sunday.

[byates1]

I'm a go Sunday. Get in touch

[yeahman]

I'll be around for a few runs both days just for the fuck of it. Will keep an eye out for the best skiers on the mountain.

[lifelinksplit]

Drove by Lost Trail early today and the tracks looked nice. Prob a dozen vehicles at pull off. Unfortunately didnt have the time/gear to jump a few laps.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using TGR Forums mobile app

[SUPERIOR]

Anybody been south of Big Sky in the park area this week?

Considering a trip to beat the brush around Bacon Rind… Beehive area has been good touring, and surprisingly good snow.

One of my buds from yesterday out enjoying some fresh there…

[Bunion 2020]

I know that guy....

A proposed land exchange would allow permanent public access and improved trail connectivity in the eastern Crazy Mountains, where a checkerboard of private land—first federally granted in alternating square-mile plots in the 19th century—has caused years of access disputes and legal conflict. The land swap would also involve two miles of the Inspiration Divide trail near Big Sky where it currently crosses Yellowstone Club property.

The U.S. Forest Service (Custer-Gallatin National Forest) issued a press release announcing the long-discussed proposal on Nov. 9, opening a 45-day period for public comment on the preliminary environmental assessment.

The online portal for public comment will remain open until midnight on Dec. 23. Public meetings are scheduled in Bozeman on Nov. 15, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Commons at Baxter and Love and in Big Timber on Nov. 16, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Big Timber Elementary School.

In the Crazies, the Forest Service would exchange about 4,135 forest acres for 6,430 acres of private land mostly at high elevation that allows for trail improvements in the Crazies. Among the improvements are a connector between Big Timber Canyon and upper Sweetgrass Canyon and 22 miles of trail to complete a loop around the Crazies and allow public access to Smeller Lake.
The existing “checkerboard” of property ownership in the eastern Crazy Mountains. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE
The proposed land exchange would consolidate Forest Service land (green). Proposed connector trail is shown in yellow. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE

In a press conference, Custer Gallatin Forest Supervisor Mary Erickson expressed her desire that the public “take a hard look at [the] documents” to avoid disinformation. By reading the preliminary environmental assessment, she hopes the public will respond with informed questions and comments and attend the public meetings.

“There’s some pretty wild rumors out there,” Erickson said, including one about the YC’s involvement. She said she’s heard concerns about a possible ski resort development in the Crazy Mountains.

“The Yellowstone Club is helping facilitate an assembled land exchange. They would acquire property in exchange for federal lands only in the Big Sky area,” Erickson said, pointing out that the exchanged land in the Crazies will remain under ownership of the six involved ranchers.

The Yellowstone Club has hired land exchange consultants and would pay for trail construction in the Crazies, according to a 2021 report from the Montana Free Press.

“As a life-long Montanan and an avid outdoorsman, I know the significant role that our public lands play in our way of life and local economies,” YC executive Mike DuCuennois wrote in a statement to EBS. “This land exchange is about improving access to quality public lands in both the Crazy Mountains and the Madison Range.”

While supporting the exchange in the Crazies, the YC offered 600 acres to the Forest Service to improve Big Sky’s public-access Inspiration Divide trail where it crosses that private land. In exchange, YC would receive 500 acres of Forest Service land adjacent to their property to develop lift-access expert ski terrain.

The land exchange was facilitated in part by the Crazy Mountain Access Project, a coalition of ranchers, conservationists and hunters that was formed in 2019. DuCuennois is a member of the project.

Erica Lighthiser, member of the coalition and deputy director of the Park County Environmental Council, noted in a release about the proposal the long-term importance of consolidating public land in a checkered landscape vulnerable to development.

“The improved public land consolidation in this land exchange will not only clarify where the public has legal access, but will allow the U.S. Forest Service to better protect and steward the wildlife habitat and important cultural sites in the Crazy Mountains,” Lighthiser stated in the PCEC press release.

The Crazy Mountains also have spiritual significance to the Crow tribe, among others, but private land ownership has complicated their modern-day access.

“This Crazy Mountain Land Exchange is an important agreement negotiated by local Montanans, and it deserves [public] support because it is a win-win for both public and private landowners and settles decades of conflict around access to the mountains,” Dr. Shayne Doyle, Apsáalooke (Crow) and a member of the Crazy Mountain Access Project, stated in the release.

“As one of Montana’s most iconic and centrally located island mountain ranges, they’ve been locked up and off-limits on the east side for long enough,” Doyle stated. “It’s time to move forward with this plan that will connect people to one of our state’s greatest treasures—the sacred Crazy Mountains.”

Written public comments may also be submitted by mail to ATTN: Forest Supervisor Mary Erickson, PO Box 130, Bozeman, MT 59771

The 500 acres is very Challengeresque type terrain and northeast facing