2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[Norseman]

thin cover @ Disco





history schrock upper meadow





main fork H

[Trackhead]

thin cover @ Disco

So probably not worth spending $$ on lift tickets yet this year? Wanted to get my kid out there again, but backside is sparse, ,eh?

[Norseman]

Yeah it's sparse but most of it is skiable. Groomers are mostly fine, couple gravel patches and some pubes. Steeps are ok until the lower runouts. Off-trail woods are not skiable. Both backside chairs are open.

[rudy]

[Trackhead]

^^^awesome POV

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Gallatin Valley area networking groups/volunteer ops etc etc?

[Gnar_Shralp406]

Sick dude! I'm itching for a big lap.

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[upallnight]

Thanks!

And you are absolutely correct about slowing down the group. Ski down > pull out camera > hopefully your partner nails it and you get "the shot" > pack up > move on. Nobody wants to wait around when it is good so it helps to be efficient.

Getting something decent is so much easier though when you actually have a partner(s) willing to work with ya.

Shooting randoms...shit, might as well be hunting unicorns.

It also has to be said that shooting amateur skiers and getting images to stand out is non-trivial. Even a "good" skier by our standards can easily look out of balance in a single frame or ski at an angle that won't translate, or, or, or... Huge difference when photographer and skier are REALLY in sync — so easy to get lots of "this would have been perfect if ..." shots.

Everyone on this forum is a pretty jaded group in the sense that we've seen lots and lots of ski imagery. For something to have impact is meaningful.

Personally I think that very challenge is part of the fun — and what makes it really exciting when it all comes together.

@swimmy does a great job, consistently!!

[Bunion 2020]

Good skiing at Big $ky yesterday. Lower mountain going to be a bit rough again by Sunday.

[Crippity]

Advice please. Been waiting to book flight to Bozeman and hit big sky bridger and then either red lodge or snobowl/lost trail. I know you havent had best year but seems like filling in? Im flying on miles and going solo so i have all the flexibility i need. Never been to Montana. 52 year old advance snowboarder however on a trip like this, no backcountry just whatever is safe in bounds, is all good. Current forecast has some snow coming end of weekend. Pull trigger for next week or keep waiting? Thank you.

[RootSkier]

Don't waste your time heading to Snowbowl/LT at this point. It's better than it was two weeks ago but not worth traveling for this season.

[Trackhead]

Went up to do weekly road maintenance or access becomes really hard due to growing drifts.


Then promptly broke my skis and added some rocker. I've always hated these skis anyway. Superlight, but horrible by every other metric.

[Bunion 2020]

Advice please. Been waiting to book flight to Bozeman and hit big sky bridger and then either red lodge or snobowl/lost trail. I know you havent had best year but seems like filling in? Im flying on miles and going solo so i have all the flexibility i need. Never been to Montana. 52 year old advance snowboarder however on a trip like this, no backcountry just whatever is safe in bounds, is all good. Current forecast has some snow coming end of weekend. Pull trigger for next week or keep waiting? Thank you.

I would not bother with us here in MT. Things have improved but that is only because it was so bad 3 weeks ago.

[byates1]

Went up to do weekly road maintenance or access becomes really hard due to growing drifts.


Then promptly broke my skis and added some rocker. I've always hated these skis anyway. Superlight, but horrible by every other metric.

I love how you've skied those for a half decade and hated them the entire time. Oddly masochistic and amusing!

[Trackhead]

I love how you've skied those for a half decade and hated them the entire time. Oddly masochistic and amusing!

I just wanted to see the fuckers actually break before I gave up. Surprised they didn’t break sooner.

[Solo_Skier]

Advice please. Been waiting to book flight to Bozeman and hit big sky bridger and then either red lodge or snobowl/lost trail. I know you havent had best year but seems like filling in? Im flying on miles and going solo so i have all the flexibility i need. Never been to Montana. 52 year old advance snowboarder however on a trip like this, no backcountry just whatever is safe in bounds, is all good. Current forecast has some snow coming end of weekend. Pull trigger for next week or keep waiting? Thank you.

Alta has the most snow in the lower 48. Snowbird is not that far behind. Was there last week and it was awesome. Go there. Montana is not doing so well this year and this summer could be very smoky.

[Trackhead]

Season is probably gonna come to a very rapid close both with snow and public motivation to continue. I’m about ready to be done with it….feels like late March psychologically.

[Crippity]

Thanks for all the advice and quick replies. A bit more info. when im solo on trips like this i like hitting new spots as i age i love just going to new places. i have indy and ikon and dont mind spending a day on lift that isnt on those (have had epic and not going to any of those). if i didnt do montana and pivoted to utah for example, i would have to hit beaver mtn at a min (have been to all the other utah players) or another example if i went to jackson (been to jackson) but could also include new spot of snow king or grand targhee. So if you think montana is out in as we speak in next ten days or so, i would prob leave 28th, where would you go? Coming from new york (i behave and stay quiet whole trip promise). could do SLC-get a pow mow day and beaver and the bird etc. Jackson and targhee white pine kelly canyon. portalnd and bathcelor? could do denver and do winter park gransby as never been but worried on elevation as in short trip and partying and im not a kid anymore. elevation never got to me but who knows on short trip. i have good friend moving to montana end of march so prob does make sense to save that for next year if you guys think so. Thansk again

[byates1]

I'm about to be on a 3 week Indy Pass circuit in Mt, WY, id, ut. Maybe it turns on and is epic. Maybe I scrape down hard pack for 3 weeks. Get in touch if you are on the road. I personally intend to have a good time.

[kinkilla]

Through circumstance I'll also be in the Big Sky area 2/29-3/3 with a few days on either end to explore around Indy/Ikon resorts. Excited to be catching up with my college roommates, lack of snow be damned! Driving out from Bend and probably hitting Sun Valley on 2/28 to split up the drive. Hoping to catch the second day of the 22 Designs tele demo tour at Big Sky on 2/29. Then based off of how the season is going will probably be migrating south for some Utah snow. Happy to share turns with anyone while I'm not with my crew. I'll be drifting tele turns around on some Segos, Deathwishes, SGNs or Jeff 110s with Kartel topsheets. Already picked the Segos to be sacrificed to the rocks of Lone Peak

[Talisman]

QFT. Not to be Dougie Downer but the local MT snow pack is again in retrograde from sun and warmer than usual temperatures.

I would not bother with us here in MT. Things have improved but that is only because it was so bad 3 weeks ago.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

QFT. Not to be Dougie Downer but the local MT snow pack is again in retrograde from sun and warmer than usual temperatures.

And wind. FTS.

[Bunion 2020]

Through circumstance I'll also be in the Big Sky area 2/29-3/3 with a few days on either end to explore around Indy/Ikon resorts. Excited to be catching up with my college roommates, lack of snow be damned! Driving out from Bend and probably hitting Sun Valley on 2/28 to split up the drive. Hoping to catch the second day of the 22 Designs tele demo tour at Big Sky on 2/29. Then based off of how the season is going will probably be migrating south for some Utah snow. Happy to share turns with anyone while I'm not with my crew. I'll be drifting tele turns around on some Segos, Deathwishes, SGNs or Jeff 110s with Kartel topsheets. Already picked the Segos to be sacrificed to the rocks of Lone Peak

Its a big place, you will be entertained.

[Gnar_Shralp406]

The best thing about Bridger is it will always humble you. Qski led me to the goods out north (even though I about chickened out).
Sometimes, I end up precariously perched above a narrow notch --see below.

https://youtube.com/shorts/rXNK_YeoN...qyaA04Dq3SE56F

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[yeahman]

^^Nice one