Lick Creek, SW Montana - 1/10/21

[Duckbutter]

Noting too cool but can't sleep so thought I'd share. This is one of my local spots when I get a short hall pass. We are in a low tide right now in what seems like all of the US except maybe the PNW.

15" at 7600' in Jan? Yikes. Is this snow or surface hoar on facets? Hmmm. The snowpack structure is totally wack right now. This happened only few miles away.

I like this tunnel. Back east we call this tree skiing.

More grass than we should be seeing but the views aren't bad

Plenty deep for those without skis

 

[Ripitz]

Wow, that looks sparse. Nice country though. Have you been down to Bacon Rind? It always seems to have a little more snow

 

[Harvey]

Noting too cool but can't sleep so thought I'd share. This is one of my local spots when I get a short hall pass. We are in a low tide right now in what seems like all of the US except maybe the PNW.

View attachment 7489
15" at 7600' in Jan? Yikes. Is this snow or surface hoar on facets? Hmmm. The snowpack structure is totally wack right now. This happened only few miles away.

View attachment 7490
I like this tunnel. Back east we call this tree skiing.

View attachment 7492
More grass than we should be seeing but the views aren't bad

View attachment 7493
Plenty deep for those without skis

Great pics, man thanks!

 

[Duckbutter]

Wow, that looks sparse. Nice country though. Have you been down to Bacon Rind? It always seems to have a little more snow

Yeah it's not a good situation. I believe the Madison watershed is currently sitting at 60%. I love ? rind... just a little more of a drive. Unfortunately the snow pack is really weak from a long period of cold with no new snow.

 

[Ripitz]

That avalanche clip is frightening! That skier is extremely lucky along with anyone else in the basin that day. Bacon Rind definitely a no go. Especially after watching the recent stability tests. Unfortunately it will take a long time before it binds. There most likely will be much larger slabs breaking after the next snowstorms. Avalanches and bears are two things I don’t miss about that wild place. Head to the Park for some XCD without the D.

 

[Duckbutter]

That avalanche clip is frightening! That skier is extremely lucky along with anyone else in the basin that day.

No kidding. It's like a 32° sustained pitch with maybe a little steeper at the convex rollover, so relatively mellow. He was smart to go up into that safe zone at the bottom.

Avalanches and bears are two things I don’t miss about that wild place.

Can't let your guard down. Sounds like you spent some time in BozeAngeles.

 

[Ripitz]

I spent a lot of time in Big Sky and Cooke City. I love it there

 

[Ripitz]

I used to ski a lot with my dog back in Tepee Creek on the Park boundary towards the Petrified Forest. More wolves than people.

 

[Duckbutter]

I used to ski a lot with my dog back in Tepee Creek on the Park boundary towards the Petrified Forest. More wolves than people.

Cool. The same Teepee Creek that drains to Grayling Creek and eventually Hebgen?

 

[Ripitz]

The trailhead is between mile 31 and 32 on highway 191 25 miles south of Big Sky on the East side of the road before you get to Bacon Rind. The creek runs into the Galatin. You can also do loops to Buffalo Horn, Black Butte and Dailey. Nice moderate terrain back there. Beautiful South facing meadows not far from the road. No joke about the wolves though, keep your dog close.