2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[totaliboard]

AVALANCHE WARNING: Gallatin range, Madison range, Lionhead area, and Cooke City.

Heavy snowfall over the past three days has created highly unstable conditions. In addition to the new snow, strong winds have transported snow onto leeward slopes causing additional stress. Weak facets near the ground will be unable to support this new load making both natural and human triggered avalanches likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended and avalanche runout zones should be avoided.

[the_kid]

How about this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=712579838775110

Wow.

[totaliboard]

thats where the name bronco comes from.

[mtflyer]

Holy crap this thread makes me realize how lame my handle is.

Glad I found it tho!

Anyone around here venture north? Lincoln, Belts, Elkhorns areas? Tough to find beta on snowpack, public access, etc. I've got a few areas scouted out but looking to expand my close-to-home options. There's some skiing to be had...if you can get to it.

What rockcreek said. Also, check out Stonewall Mountain (and the ridge just west of it) and Copper Creek - both are just north of Lincoln.

I've heard people ski the chutes coming off the east side of the Occidental Plateau - just south of Helena above the Montana Tunnels mine.

[tarrl]

AVALANCHE WARNING: Gallatin range, Madison range, Lionhead area, and Cooke City.

Heavy snowfall over the past three days has created highly unstable conditions. In addition to the new snow, strong winds have transported snow onto leeward slopes causing additional stress. Weak facets near the ground will be unable to support this new load making both natural and human triggered avalanches likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended and avalanche runout zones should be avoided.

Ugh

How about this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=712579838775110

Wow.

and double ugh. Bridger closed everything but PK for a while again today on account of wind.

I was hoping to get some more backcountry in this year, but it seems like the snowpack is just looking for any excuse to slide. Anyone here getting out around bozeman, or are you sticking to patrolled slopes until things calm down? I'm pretty new to traveling in the backcounty and pretty spooked right now. Even places I would normally consider safe because they're low angle, like lick creek in hyalite, I'm staying away from.

[Super G]

I had an invite from Scot Schmidt to come stay at the Yellowstone Club for a few days so I brought the wife and kid over to come and check it out. What happened next was pretty much the best ski weekend I have ever had. Fresh snow each day and no one home was the recipe for untracked lines off the ridge all weekend.
It all started with me and the wifey gearing up each day and pushing off into the storm from our slopeside cabin

Since she is still learning how to ski off the groomers, the shoulder was a perfect place for her to experience untracked pow. Not a track in sight and no crowds breathing down our necks, tracking everything up.

After a couple of runs, I told her I needed to go ski something steeper, and when I got to the top of the ridge, a ski patroller
taps me on the shoulder and says in a very serious voice, "come with me". I followed him over to a sweet run called Stein's and he peeled back the rope for the first time all year. He tells me to have at it and I looked around and there was no one behind me, so I savored the moment, then proceeded to open up the run, scoring knee deep all the way down.

Looking back up Stein's

I then went over to a steeper, narrower run called Luke-n-ator and had first tracks down that as well

The rest of the day was spent chasing Scot around all of his private pow stashes and at the end of day he wanted to take one more run but I had to decline. You see, I ran into Warren Miller at dinner the night before so he invited me over to his house for apres. I ditched Schmidt and grabbed my grom to head over to Warren's house and he entertained us with amazing stories of all his ski adventures over the last 70 years. It was awesome being able to hang out with Warren and my 6 month old son Huxley at the same time. I tried to take it all in stride, and I think I played it cool, but deep down inside I was like a little girl at Bieber concert

That night we went to some dudes mansion and I started snooping around his closet and found this jacket, made from real lynx tails...not sure what to think about that, and PETA complaints aside, I was having a blast hamming it up in this fat crib.

The next two days the storm continued to rage so I skied more untacked pow down the steep runs off the ridge, getting another first shot at the rope drop down Stein's and watching the Broncos dispatch the Chargers in total comfort.
More fresh lines await...

All in all, it was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on and I cant say enough good things about the place and people at the Yellowstone Club.

[RegCT]

^Well isn't that special. Looks like fun.

[RegCT]

Ugh



and double ugh. Bridger closed everything but PK for a while again today on account of wind.

I was hoping to get some more backcountry in this year, but it seems like the snowpack is just looking for any excuse to slide. Anyone here getting out around bozeman, or are you sticking to patrolled slopes until things calm down? I'm pretty new to traveling in the backcounty and pretty spooked right now. Even places I would normally consider safe because they're low angle, like lick creek in hyalite, I'm staying away from.

I am not touring at all around Big Sky. Some slopes are sliding that I would never consider dangerous. Not even walking my dog beyond the parking lot at beehive.

Super deep hard as hell wind slabs sitting on sugar. Everywhere.

I'd prefer not to read about any of you when checking the forecast in the morning. Be safe. BC is fuct.

[bushman]

I stood in the parking lot at Bridger yesterday morning looking up the mountain, I figured they would shut down the lifts, went home instead. It was fucking howling.

[Bronco]

and double ugh. Bridger closed everything but PK for a while again today on account of wind.

I was hoping to get some more backcountry in this year, but it seems like the snowpack is just looking for any excuse to slide. Anyone here getting out around bozeman, or are you sticking to patrolled slopes until things calm down? I'm pretty new to traveling in the backcounty and pretty spooked right now. Even places I would normally consider safe because they're low angle, like lick creek in hyalite, I'm staying away from.

Check out Goose Creek on the East side of Chestnut Mountain, if you can get to the trail head. Head up the road past the gate about 150 yards, take a left on the skin track that cuts pretty much straight up the hill avoiding the switchbacks on the road. You'll eventually find a 5 year old burn and mellow terrain with good anchors. I toured up there a lot for the 6 winters I lived there and never noticed avalanche activity, either snomo or skier triggered. Watch out for the moose, there was a bunch who lived up there. If you're at all worried about the conditions, you can stick to skinning the logging roads, the views are nice.

[WAlove]

Saw mommy moose with her baby last winter, haven't seen them or tracks this year. I'm down for some mellow laps Wednesdays or Thursdays AM all year.

[totaliboard]

i havent gone past bradleys/wolverine since december. i dont know the area well, but am learning slowly. the new gate on alpine offers a nice bootpack (broke trail this morning. plenty of windblown) and access to the ramp/meadows.

[tarrl]

Check out Goose Creek on the East side of Chestnut Mountain, if you can get to the trail head. Head up the road past the gate about 150 yards, take a left on the skin track that cuts pretty much straight up the hill avoiding the switchbacks on the road. You'll eventually find a 5 year old burn and mellow terrain with good anchors. I toured up there a lot for the 6 winters I lived there and never noticed avalanche activity, either snomo or skier triggered. Watch out for the moose, there was a bunch who lived up there. If you're at all worried about the conditions, you can stick to skinning the logging roads, the views are nice.

I forgot about goose creek. I ride the bike there all summer, but only tried skiing it once a couple years ago. It started raining and we were looking at hiking to find snow anyway, so we turned around. That actually could be a decently safe place right now. I doubt the slope even gets to 25 degrees on that eastern side.

[CallMeAl]

SW MT Stoke:

[FreakofSnow]

I had an invite from Scot Schmidt to come stay at the Yellowstone Club for a few days so I brought the wife and kid over to come and check it out. What happened next was pretty much the best ski weekend I have ever had. Fresh snow each day and no one home was the recipe for untracked lines off the ridge all weekend.
It all started with me and the wifey gearing up each day and pushing off into the storm from our slopeside cabin

Since she is still learning how to ski off the groomers, the shoulder was a perfect place for her to experience untracked pow. Not a track in sight and no crowds breathing down our necks, tracking everything up.

After a couple of runs, I told her I needed to go ski something steeper, and when I got to the top of the ridge, a ski patroller
taps me on the shoulder and says in a very serious voice, "come with me". I followed him over to a sweet run called Stein's and he peeled back the rope for the first time all year. He tells me to have at it and I looked around and there was no one behind me, so I savored the moment, then proceeded to open up the run, scoring knee deep all the way down.

Looking back up Stein's

I then went over to a steeper, narrower run called Luke-n-ator and had first tracks down that as well

The rest of the day was spent chasing Scot around all of his private pow stashes and at the end of day he wanted to take one more run but I had to decline. You see, I ran into Warren Miller at dinner the night before so he invited me over to his house for apres. I ditched Schmidt and grabbed my grom to head over to Warren's house and he entertained us with amazing stories of all his ski adventures over the last 70 years. It was awesome being able to hang out with Warren and my 6 month old son Huxley at the same time. I tried to take it all in stride, and I think I played it cool, but deep down inside I was like a little girl at Bieber concert

That night we went to some dudes mansion and I started snooping around his closet and found this jacket, made from real lynx tails...not sure what to think about that, and PETA complaints aside, I was having a blast hamming it up in this fat crib.

The next two days the storm continued to rage so I skied more untacked pow down the steep runs off the ridge, getting another first shot at the rope drop down Stein's and watching the Broncos dispatch the Chargers in total comfort.
More fresh lines await...

All in all, it was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on and I cant say enough good things about the place and people at the Yellowstone Club.

Holy ballz, nice weekend I'll say. Epic picture with you, the kid and Warren.

[WAlove]

I have two big sky vouchers good till 1/16 and 1/24 to 1/31. Buy me some beer and they are yours

[Climber Joe]

Be safe. BC is fuct.

No kidding. Skiing Bridger a week or so ago (you know that really cold day) you could see a slide scar in the Crazies. THE CRAZIES! They are like 30+ miles away? HUGE slide.

And to think I just pulled the trigger on some Vipecs.

[totaliboard]

thats a trip. where abouts in the crazies? seems pretty far to be able to spot a slide.

[Bobcat Sig]

In light of the abominable avalanche conditions ... from the GNFAC:
TONIGHT, BOZEMAN: Wednesday, 6:30-7:30 p.m., MSU Procrastinator Theater, Sidecountry IS Backcountry lecture.

[Z]

I want to be Super G when I grow up. All-time.

[up_down_all_around]

SW MT Stoke:

Noice.

Been rad in Red Lodge

[axebiker]

Noice.

Been rad in Red Lodge

Good work!

[Scrubadub]

Are there any Big Sky lift tix deals around? Have some friends coming into town this weekend looking to hit it up. I've got the full dealio up there, can I buy discounted tix with my pass? Do they sell passes at Costco? Friends have Big Mtn passes, does Big Sky offer discounts to other MT pass holders? Anyone got some vouchers?

[Bobcat Sig]

Are there any Big Sky lift tix deals around? Have some friends coming into town this weekend looking to hit it up. I've got the full dealio up there, can I buy discounted tix with my pass? Do they sell passes at Costco? Friends have Big Mtn passes, does Big Sky offer discounts to other MT pass holders? Anyone got some vouchers?

No deals. However, I believe that Big Sky will sell passes to other season pass holders at the half day rate, according to the MT Ski Area Association.



In other news; free wax & tune at the Pour House again tonight. 4-8pm. I won't' be there as I'm fighting off the flu. But there will be beer specials. Hooray beer!

[Scrubadub]

No deals. However, I believe that Big Sky will sell passes to other season pass holders at the half day rate, according to the MT Ski Area Association.



In other news; free wax & tune at the Pour House again tonight. 4-8pm. I won't' be there as I'm fighting off the flu. But there will be beer specials. Hooray beer!

Yup called them up...$89 for other season pass holders, or I can purchase up to 2 a day for $89...