Glacier's Web site gives skinny on ski trails
Recent storms have dumped a good amount of snow. Here, Corwyn Wyman breaks trail along McDonald Creek. - Chris Peterson photo
By CHRIS PETERSON - Hungry Horse News
With winter (finally) arriving in earnest, Glacier National Park has some great cross country skiing routes, and the Park is also maintaining a section of its Web site so folks can check snow conditions and add comments themselves.
That Web address, along with directions of how to add your own comments is: home.nps.gov/applications/glac/ski/xcski.htm.
As we write this, areas west of the Divide have at least a foot of snow or more with snow falling on a daily basis. The east side of the Park can be more fickle, as the wind has a tendency to blow the snow in huge drifts in some places and bare in others.
One easy way to check conditions on the east side is through the Park's Web camera at St. Mary or Two Medicine: www.nps.gov/glac/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.
There are many popular day-trip routes in Glacier.
Here's a look at some that the Park recommends:
? In the West Glacier area, there's Rocky Point, at six miles round trip; Apgar Lookout, 10.5 miles roundtrip; McGee Meadow Loop, 12 miles roundtrip; and Lower McDonald Creek, two to three miles round trip, depending on where you start.
? Sun Road: The Road is unplowed past Lake McDonald Lodge and offers good skiing and snowshoeing. McDonald Falls is four miles, round trip; Sacred Dancing Cascades is 5.3 miles round trip; and Avalanche Creek picnic area is 11.6 miles round trip.
? North Fork: Big Prairie — four to six miles round trip up the Inside Road from Polebridge. A spectacular ski on a sunny day. Bowman Lake is 12 miles round trip, and reporting a 20-inch base of snow at Bowman Lake itself. Covey Meadow Loop is three miles round trip with great views and some fun and easy downhill. Lone Pine Prairie is six miles round trip with some good wildlife viewing opportunities.
? Marias Pass: Autumn Creek Trail — six miles but requires two cars. You can always turn around. Reports of many trees down, but more snow should fix that. Requires a railroad crossing and it's best to put skis on after you've crossed the tracks. Report is 20 inches of base with more snow falling each day.
? St. Mary Lake: Red Eagle Lake Trail offers several loops and different routes. Problem is wind blows the snow off the trail in places, so you might have to take your skis off and hike some sections, particularly those areas where there are no trees. The Sun Road on the east side is iffy at best. The wind blows the snow off the road in many locations.
? Two Medicine Road: Mileage varies depending on where you turn around and how far you can drive in. From the Two Medicine junction to Two Medicine Lake it's a 16-mile hilly and strenuous route. A more pleasant ski is down to Running Eagle Falls. The Web cam shows plenty of snow at the Lake, but there is no report on how things are on the way in.