Upcoming trail work days

The beauty and safety of our trails rely heavily on the dedicated efforts of our community. As the snow starts to blanket the landscapes, the preparation of our trails becomes paramount. Every hand, every minute you dedicate, helps in making our trails a joy for every skier.

  • Chief Joseph Pass on October 7, 9 AM: Beyond the thrill of skiing, there’s a unique satisfaction in preparing for the season. We’re gathering to stack firewood for the cabin and clear trails. Your participation not only ensures warm shelters but also smooth trails throughout the season.
  • Lake Como on October 14 & October 21, 9 AM: The extensive mileage of trails at Lake Como’s trails requires concerted effort to keep clear. With downed trees, fast growing willows, and other debris to clear, we need as many hands on deck as possible. The more work we do now the less time our grooming crews will have to spend off their snowmobiles, and the more time they can spend grooming.

If you’ve never joined a trail work day before, this is your opportunity to experience the behind-the-scenes camaraderie. It’s also a great way to meet fellow skiers, share stories, and be an integral part of our skiing community’s heart and soul.

Tools will be provided, but you will want to bring gloves, lunch or snacks, and weather appropriate clothing. If you have a pruning saw or loppers, feel free to bring them along.

Chief Joseph Pass, thats a wrap!

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

3/31/2023

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!

Chief Joseph Pass 3/10/23

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.