Category: Trail Report

Grooming has finished up at Chief Joseph Pass for the season, but there is still plenty of snow. Trails were last groomed saturday, and it has snowed 2 feet since then. Today I was on the snowmobile putting away benches and the emergency sleds and did the best to pack down a 4 foot wide lane on a few of the trails, so for now most of the trails near the trailhead can be skied without having to break trail.

As of 2pm tuesday the parking lot was a mess. Only passable with a high clearance 4×4. You can get in with a Subaru, but be prepared to shovel your way out after parking.

The cabin is open until April 15.

Thanks for a great season everyone! And a huge thanks to all our partners for helping keep the dream of a high quality free XC ski area alive: Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, Bitterroot National Forest, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and Lost Trail Ski Area.

– Jesse

This will be the final weekend of the season for trail grooming at Chief Joseph Pass. Trails will be groomed today and as needed for the rest of the weekend. Thanks for a great season!

Ski Trails at Chief Joseph Pass were groomed today. We have 1 more weekend of grooming, so get out there and ski while you can

Ski trails at Chief Joseph Pass were groomed Thursday morning.

Ski trails at Chief Joseph Pass were groomed this morning, but you probably can’t tell that now because of all the wind. We are currently planning on grooming again Saturday morning, which should last longer, because the storm is supposed to be winding down by then. It should be a great weekend for XC skiing, but if you can please don’t come up first thing saturday, fewer skiers makes it much easier for the groomer to work.

Ski trails at Chief Joseph Pass were groomed this morning, one loop of the multi use trails(overlook to sunshine) was groomed yesterday.

Ski trails at Chief Joseph Pass are being groomed this morning. Should be another great day for skiing!

We decided not to groom Como today as was planned, there is about an inch of snow over very firm snow. The skiing is pretty good and grooming would only make things worse. Conditions are also ideal for skiing on Lake Como right now.

Trails at Chief Joseph Pass were groomed Thursday and we will be regroomed as needed over the weekend.

Larry Creek grooming update.

From the lower gate to the cattle guard is rough, there is about 30ft. of bare dirt a few hundred yards from the parking lot (take off skis type), otherwise it’s all snow the rest of the way to the upper gate.

I was able to make several passes on the road from the cattle guard up to the upper gate, it came out well. Below that I made one pass in and out.

Due to thin snow, mud and rocks I did not attempt to go on the skid trail routes.

More snow possible next week!

If you like skiing freshly groomed trails there are lots of options in the next few days. This is tentative schedule and definitely subject to change:
Wednesday: Lost Horse (Bitterroot Ridge Runners)
Thursday: Chief Joseph Pass Multi Use Trails. Larry Creek. Skalkaho-Rye(Bitterroot Ridge Runners)
Friday: Chief Joseph Pass Ski Trails. Como Trails. Skalkaho (Bitterroot Ridge Runners)