Reaching the Top

The local Bridger Bowl ski area isn't scheduled to open until December 11. 

SKI AREA CLOSED
NO SKI PATROL SERVICES
CONTACT GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFF FOR RESCUE
PHONE 911

Season Passes now on sale.

But the weatherman doesn't follow a published schedule. Early season snows are pelting northern Rocky Mountain ranges throughout Montana. 

Screenshot of southwestern Montana, weather.com Doppler radar, Tuesday November 3, 2015.

And backcountry skiers and snowboarders won't be held to a schedule either. Two intrepid snowboarders hiked 3 miles and 2,700 vertical feet to the ridge above Bridger Bowl yesterday afternoon. 

Download from Bridger Bowl webcam, north view, November 2, 2015.

We hope they had a good run down. With more snow expected throughout today and overnight into Wednesday, we expect there will be more than a few additional hearty souls climbing the eastern face of the Bridger range for a pre-season run in early winter 2015/16.

Epilogue.

The cloud cover has lifted to the point where we can see the accumulation of snow over the last four days, disturbed only by the tracks laid by subsequent backcountry enthusiasts.

And while we are at it, here is the south view from November 6. We live about 15 miles out towards the horizon.