Winter ends with ski to Mizpah and hike to Cochrane

A tough way up

At the Mizpah bowls

 Winter ended with a ski to the Mizpah Bowls in the Little Belts to enjoy some fresh snow and brilliant sun a day before the Solstice.

Earlier in the week I hiked to Cochrane Dam along the River's Edge Trail connecting the Chaos, Mayhem, and Rocky Road side trails, also on a gorgeous late winter day.

What a contrast!

Skiable snow and trail within a couple of days of each other.

How would I describe this winter?

Positively, because there was good snow, although there were long stretches of brutal cold that made getting out difficult.  It was a better winter than last year by a long stretch.  The snow we got laid down a good base.  Last year the base was horrible all winter.

My biggest regret this year was not doing old favorites like Nugget Creek, Stemple to Flesher, Rogers Pass, Marias Pass and Looking Glass Pass.  I'm not sure I'm even up to Nugget or Stemple/Flesher any more.

My back country trips were definitely less lengthy --- in the 6-8 mile range, where I had been doing 10-12 mile runs in past years.

Age is taking its toll.

While the Little Belts and other Island Ranges got great snow, the Front was a disappointment.  Too darned much wind, in addition to the brutal cold.

Although we've normally skied into early May, I see open South-facing slopes inviting early Spring hiking trips.

The Cochrane hike reminded me of how fantastic our River trail in town is.

The MIzpah trip reminded me of the tremendous snow at the Great Falls doorstep.

Chaos side trail on way to Cochrane

On the Rocky Road side trail

Ski, hike, snowshoe in late winter

 

 

The North Fork Teton Country near the West Fork needs a blast of snow

 

 

 

 

The ice encrusted lower Falls Creek Falls

 

 

Our snowshoe group at the oddly featureless Kings Hill Mountain summit

Things lined up just right in the past week so that I could backcountry ski, hike, and snowshoe all in one week.

Some of this is thanks in part to retreating snow, particularly on south and west mountain exposures.

I skied a Waldron Creek loop near Teton Pass Ski Area in the Front one day, hiked the Falls Creek Trail in the Rocky Mountain Front's Dearborn Country another, and snow shoed Hill Mountain in the Little Belts.

The wind and warm weather has really carved up and hardened the Front country.  The Mount Wright summit, one of the highest in the Front, looked as though it had been sandblasted and accessible for climbing.  The snow up Waldron Creek was hard and horrible, particularly on the side trail back to the ski area.  It wasn't so bad skiing the West Fork Road, however.

The Falls Creek Trail was relatively open for hiking.  Skiing it is out of the question.  Some of the ground cover is starting to green up.  The big waterfall was particularly impressive because of ice formations.  Bear Den and Monitor peaks looked climbable from their east faces.  There is still good snow toward the Continental Divide Trail in the high country.

 The snow off Kings Hill Pass exceeded my expectations.  Yes, it was icy down low, but the near one got to the ridgeline, the better the snow.  I wished I had brought my skis rather than snowshoes.