Beartooths

Beartooth Pass
Memorial Day Weekend, 2007

The view looking into a canyon above Red Lodge from about two thirds of the way up the Beartooth Highway from Red Lodge.

Stuff like this is what I was looking for. Park and ride ski access. It only got better.

Our rig, parked at a rest area, a ways up the road from Red Lodge.

Mandy and Tally enjoy a break from the road. Eventually a few hours later, we did find place to camp. We were oooed and ahhed by the pass and surrounding country so much though, it wasn't until we were nearly in Cooke City that we decided it was time to stop.

Sunday I got up early and headed back up towaords the pass. This was view out across Bear Lake, on the Wyoming side of Beartooth Pass. Beautiful country.

A look out across some country on top of Beartooth Pass. Can you guess what I was thinking?

A look towards Wyoming from up on top.

There's a Bear's tooth in there somewhere.

Finally, my objective for the day.

Yea, I brought skis. "Be prepared"... might be only thing I remember from boyscouts. Ha!

Getting ready to tackle the Gardner Lake Couloirs (in the background).

Looking down one of the couloirs.

Aiming.

The view after a few turns into the main couloir.

Looking up the main couloir from about halfway down. The snow was great! Nice soft corn. This couloir got so much traffic though, it was almost like there were moguls. It was bumpy. Great fun though!

The next objective was the couloir top to bottom on the left. Looker's right was the main one that I did first.

Dave Clark looks down our second couloir for the day.

I met Dave while hiking out, after my first run. Since he was living in Worland, Wyoming- I figured he couldn't be that bad. Did have a funny order about him though. Sugar beets? Ha! We partnered up and used our vehicles to save some hiking. You can actually drive to the top of this couloir. You still have to hike out of it once you ski it though. Kinda like the resort at Casper.

Anyhoo... this is what Dave was looking down.

Dave, after sliding off the cornice lip, prepares to ski a great couloir.

Weeehoo! Good stuff! No bumps on the top third of this run, just good plain corn.

Dave rips on by.

My turn.

Turns out Dave was quite the photographer. Thanks Dave!

Nothing but 1000 feet of corn!

A look back at the first two couloirs of the day.

The boot track up out of Gardner lake, from the base of the couloirs. We still got our exercise. After a couple couloirs Dave helped me scope a third one out, but then he heard his fishing pole calling his name. I dropped the next one solo.

This would be my third coulior of the day.

Looking down number three.

Dropping.

More great, steep corn!

A look back at what I just skied (looker's left).

Packed up and ready to hike again.

To get back up to the highway, I hiked up another couloir. It was okay for hiking, a little boney for skiing though.

A final look back over the Beartooths. After three couloirs, I decided to put the skis up.

Then I got the board out. Gotta great lower angle fun run in on this slope, before the rain started and the snow became too sticky. All in all- a great day!

Pilot Peak dominates the view on my drive back to camp.

Back at camp, mom and Tally share a cold one on the front porch.

They had a great day snoozing and playing the forest.

Never did end up riding the tandem much on this trip- but it looked cool.

Monday, on the way home through Sunlight Basin, we stopped at a rest area above this canyon- the Clark's Fork running below. Pretty impressive.

A look down the Clark's Fork.

Tally and mom stretch their legs a bit.

A hiker is born.


The end.