Getting some exercise at Mike Horse

Beautiful, open tele slopes

Our view of Red Mountain, largest peak in Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex at 9,411 feet

Readying for some turns

The wind blew hard on the east side, so we ventured west up the Mike Horse Mine Road just short of the old ARCO water treatment plant.
We crossed the creek and head up through the trees on a ridge line, careful not to rock up our skis.
We gained nearly 1,600 feet over almost 4 miles, enjoying spectacular views of the Scapegoat Wilderness Area's Red Mountain and the Continental Divide Trail and Rocky Mountain Front.
The snow had a pretty good base, but in the lower elevations there could have been more of it because we encountered rock.
Great place to ski, just an hour's drive from Great Falls, yet on the west side of the divide.  We were able to telemark down the slope where there weren't rocks.
Normally, this road, located a couple of miles west of Rogers Pass, is closed to accommodate reclamation work on ARCO's polluted Mike Horse Mine and Dam.  However, work must have been suspended for the winter, and we had no trouble with access.