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Thread: Flathead MT Back Country Skiing
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11-20-2021, 10:20 PM #1Registered User
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Flathead MT Back Country Skiing
I just relocated back home to Montana after living 10 plus years in Salt Lake. I'm living in the Whitefish area. I'm looking to meet folks that backcountry ski up here. I haven't found a thread dedicated to Northwest MT or the Flathead touring/skiing? About myself, I work in tech as an engineering manager. I've back country skied for over 12 years and have skied ALL the Wasatch and Utah classic lines! I'm also down to ski Whitefish resort since I have a pass. Hoping you guys can help get me pointed in the right direction!
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11-21-2021, 06:07 AM #2
Try posting in the general 2012 Montana thread. The Flathead people are in there. A few years back an informal meeting of the minds decided to make the whole state one big thread. But Missoula wanted to be different...
So there is also a Missoula thread, but that’s because Missoula isn’t really part of Montana. The Missoula thread tends to be specifically focused on Snowbowl and bitching about the lifts breaking down.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums"Zee damn fat skis are ruining zee piste !" -Oscar Schevlin
"Hike up your skirt and grow a dick you fucking crybaby" -what Bunion said to Harry at the top of The Headwaters
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11-21-2021, 07:03 AM #3
Maybe check out Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center on Facebook, they have a few events coming up where you could perhaps meet people. Also the Montana Backcountry Alliance. Good luck.
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11-21-2021, 08:59 AM #4Registered User
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Consider helping others while you further develop your backcountry skills with the Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol : https://www.facebook.com/FlatheadNordic/
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11-22-2021, 01:12 PM #5Registered User
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huff hills fo lyfe
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11-22-2021, 03:10 PM #6
Place is mysterious.
It's nothing like the wasatch in terms of access, snowpack, "scene" or general vibe. Long approaches, alot of trees.
Access in the park is difficult especially in winter.
Big Mt is fun but more of a mellow, intermediate-advanced ski hill. Lots of fun glades. Lots of south facing terrain. Sidecountry BC off the Big is fun but rather hohum and limited.
There was a pretty good moutaineering /bc ski shop in kalispell when i lived there 12+ years ago. They had a rinkydink guidebook available. They were a good resource for beta, regardless.
There was a newish shop at the time "whiteroom"? In whitefish. Could be they've got their act together at this point.
If you're willing to put the time in to figure out routes and trailhead access it's worth it.
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11-22-2021, 03:23 PM #7
^^^ All more or less still accurate.
RMO in Kalispell is still there and is still a great mountaineering / BC shop. The Whiteroom is defunct. Great Northern in Whitefish is the best ski shop in the valley. Not backcountry specific, but they have a modest assortment of BC gear and the staff more or less knows their way around. Also probably a decent place to meet people as they have a coffee shop in there and they're generally down to hang out and chat.
A snowmobile is very useful for accessing backcountry areas. Pretty much necessary for any of the stuff north of Whitefish. Some of the stuff in the middle fork is (relatively) easy to access without a sled.
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11-22-2021, 03:27 PM #8
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11-22-2021, 03:33 PM #9
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11-22-2021, 03:51 PM #10Registered User
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you can get up to backside of big with a sled , think about getting a noboard pow surfer, watch that Cody show on utube about skiing in the park
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11-22-2021, 04:24 PM #11
Congratulations on removing yourself from SLC. I successfully did that about 8 years ago. I went to AK, now also back in MT as of this year. Have also skied everything (more or less) in the Wasatch. I live in the dusty shithole of Townsend. Would be up for spring tours in the park this year.........I'm now old as fuck, but can still move around the mountains well enough.
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11-22-2021, 06:12 PM #12
damn trackhead in townsend! try to make the big sky bbi. we skied together yrs ago. hope all's well!
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11-22-2021, 06:53 PM #13
Trackhead will be shredding the old Grassy Mountain ski area. Actually not a bad drive to Bridger. And you approach from the north and avoid the line of cars coming up from Bozo.
And skating on Canyon Ferry last winter was insane. Hoping for more of that this year..
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11-22-2021, 07:48 PM #14
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11-22-2021, 07:49 PM #15
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11-22-2021, 08:04 PM #16
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11-22-2021, 08:35 PM #17
First off Missoula is the heart of Montana. Go Griz, what was the score again of the brawl of the wild saturday? Second the lifts at the bowl have sucked since I was a little kid, I'm 63 now. I was skiing the first day the quote new Grizzly chair ran, it broke down within the first couple hours. Hasn't gotten any better. Now to Jdolls question. Welcome back home. RMO in Kalispell is good, talk to the folks there. Check out yeahman suggestions. Have some beers at the Great Northern, plenty of folks there who can steer you in the right direction. Snowmobiles not a bad idea for better BC access. Just ignore those sad bitter negative types. Cheers
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11-22-2021, 08:51 PM #18
Second the snowmachine idea. Meant to say that too😉
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11-22-2021, 09:09 PM #19Registered User
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Flathead MT Back Country Skiing
I love the valley. I still have Waterski buds on Talley Lake, Sean in Big Fork and had a lot of fun on Koocanusa.
I’d probably spend a lot of time skiing Fernie, if I lived in the area.
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11-22-2021, 09:26 PM #20
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11-23-2021, 05:59 AM #21
That's good to know, want to take our truck camper down there with my kid and ski but figured it was all locked up and shut down for dirtbag access. Doc I work with lives there, can park in his driveway, but would prefer to be independent. Shoot me a PM of locations. Also, yeah, I'd be up for some touring up there this winter.
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11-23-2021, 06:01 AM #22
We don't have internet in Townsend, I had to drive to Bzm to post this. I'm living the rural life, and I love it. But yeah, I have history in Bozeman and know the area fairly well from 30 yrs ago climbing in Hyalite before ice climbing was a fad. Looking for touring partners, will travel, as the skiing immediately around this dust bowl is obviously not great.
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11-23-2021, 02:31 PM #23
Flathead has excellent spring and summer skiing
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11-23-2021, 09:01 PM #24
That checks out... I moved to BZN after living the rural life and I'd go back pretty quickly if the opportunity arose.
What are you after for touring? I'm always on the lookout for more partners and am happy to ski just about anything.People here are typically assholes (it's part of the charm) - dan_pdx
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11-24-2021, 06:38 AM #25
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