Posted on Feb 09, 2010 in
Montana Guide
Whitefish, Montana Whitefish Mountain Resort (formerly Big Mountain Resort) has some of the coolest hidden ski and snowboarding stashes in all of the Rockies. After several years of riding there, I´m prepared to share a couple of these spots with you, although it could mean ostracization by my fellow riders.
Whitefish Mountain Resort has some great secret stashes.
As Whitefish locals know, the mountain gets awesome snow and low crowds, meaning there’s usually lots of fresh powder tracks to be made. Still, once you’ve skied out all the obvious spots, such as Good Medicine on the front side (in the trees skiers left just after you pass Ptarmagin Bowl) or Black Bear on the backside, you’ll probably be thirsty for more. Thus is the viscous cycle of powder snow addiction.
Here are a few of my favorite hidden spots on the mountain:
Mario World: On the backside of the mountain, head toward the Grey Wolf. trail You’ll ride down a cat track on your way there. You´ll come to a spot where the cat track dead ends, and Grey Wolf begins with a relatively step drop that leads to a roller coaster like hill. Tuck, get as much speed as you possibly can going down, keep that speed over the hill, and look to your left. You’ll see a spot next to an old dead tree where others have surely passed under the ropes. Duck the rope, retaining your speed (in Montana it is legal to ski out of bounds, but you do so at your own risk) and you’re in Mario World, a magic powder land of rolling hills, glades and a few small cliffs. Mario World is not that long of a run, so your first time you may want to take a few turns, then head skier’s right until you can see Grey Wolf again.
Mt. Lodi: First of all, don’t do this one unless you’re in good shape, and can handle trees and steep slopes. If you even had to think before answering those questions, don’t bother. You can see Mt. Lodi when standing on the top of Big Mountain and looking east. It´s the steep peak just across the small valley where most of the back side runs start. Check out a map and find where the Bigfoot T-bar is, and head over there. When you get to the top of the T-bar, turn left. You´ll be at the base of Mt. Lodi, and if you look around on the edge of the woods, you should see a bootpack heading up. It’s a very steep climb that lasts about 10-15 minutes. From the top, the best way to go is north, toward the backside of Whitefish Moutain Resort. The run starts off very steeply, with rather thick trees, but if you know what you´re doing, it’s a wild ride. From there the trees thin and the angle is less severe, but the powder is still very sweet. To get out, just hang a left. If it’s your first time back here, take that left sooner than later, until you get an idea for how big this area is.
Tipi: I believe this run is actually on the trail map, but for some reason, no one ever thinks to take it. From the top of Big Mountain, check out the big trail map and find a run called 1,000 Turns. It’s on the front side, opposite of Good Medicine. When you get to 1,000 Turns, keep a watch on your right. There will be a rope at first, but that will end. From there, you can choose any spot to drop down. This is another very steep run, that begins with some thick trees, so if you’re not sure, wait. While this run is not all that long, it often has some of the deepest snow on the mountian. I’ve ridden back here with snow up to my waist at times. At the bottom, keep riding straight ahead, and you’ll end up at the bottom of Hell Roaring basin, a long, fun run full of hidden jumps and fun obstacles.
Tags: Ski Montana, Whitefish
