Glacier Mountaineering Society

Fri, Mar 27 2026 - Backcountry Ski Elk Mtn (View Original Event Details)

Coordinator(s):		E Boxer
Participants:		Grisha N.

Write Up:
Grisha (Grigory) and Eric started on foot from the Fielding trailhead at 10AM - we had scouted the east side Hungry Horse Rd on the way to let the day warm up a bit from a 22 deg F morning low temp. At the trailhead, we were surprised at the lack of snow, after having seen quite a bit at similar elevations along the drive. Hiked in to the Fielding ranger cabin, and found the trail heading northeast to Elk. Went another mile here (Grisha in trail runners, Eric just walking in ski boots) until we reached long stretches of very firm snow on side slopes that were too difficult to walk, and found patches to skin up in the trees. It was a mix of skis and walking in very windy conditions from there across thin snow cover on the south ridge to the summmit. We found a continuous patch of snow to ski from 7200' down alongside the west facing drainage for about 1200' of fun turns on corn snow. From there we took off skis and carried them about 2 miles back to the car.

Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Tim Anderson at twamontana@gmail.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.