Lolo Pass

BOU AVENUE
Lolo Pass

On 2 January 2025, Zosia Zgolak and I drove to Lolo Pass (US Highway 12) on the boundary between Montana and Idaho to do some backcountry skiing. The pass is renowned for its abundance of snow and offers a variety of winter recreation opportunities including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The visitor centre at the pass is the main hub for most activities, and a winter recreation pass ($5 USD daily per vehicle) is required to park here (for more details, visit the USDA website).

After purchasing a day pass at the visitor centre, Zosia and I headed for our first objective of the day, a forested hill to the southeast unofficially-named "Mount Fuji". We first followed cross-country ski trails eastward for about 600 metres before veering off onto a skin track going southward. Ascending the lower forested slopes of Mount Fuji was initially easy, but the skin track soon entered steep and bushy terrain. Although we managed to muddle our way through to more open slopes higher up, I was already considering the difficulties of skiing back down the same way. Perhaps we would find a better route for descent, but for the time being, we simply pushed uphill until we reached the mostly viewless high point of Mount Fuji.

Skiing down Mount Fuji was a bit of a mixed bag. Much of the upper slopes had already been skied out, but Zosia and I still managed to find some pristine powder. As I had feared, the real challenge was descending the bushy lower slopes, and we inevitably resorted to survival skiing to get through here. At one point, I flopped awkwardly into a tree well and spent several frustrating minutes trying to extricate myself. Fortunately, only my ego was bruised as I stumbled down to reunite with Zosia who had doubled back to look for me. We ultimately rejoined our original skin track and easily cruised back to the visitor centre without further grief.

	Zosia begins skiing from the visitor centre at Lolo Pass.
	The semi-open slopes of unofficially-named Mount Fuji appear ahead.
	Zosia climbs up a steep skin track surrounded by snow-laden trees.
	The upper part of Mount Fuji is more open.
	Zosia stands on the high point of Mount Fuji (1848 metres).
	Zosia begins descending from the top of Mount Fuji.
	The ridge across the valley is a designated snowshoe objective.
	The thick trees and bushes on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji can be challenging to ski through.
	Total Distance: 6.1 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 3 hours 25 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 268 metres GPX Data

When Zosia and I were skiing down Mount Fuji, we noticed a lower ridge across the valley to the west. This unnamed ridge is actually a designated snowshoe objective, but to us, its eastern slopes looked very enticing to ski. After taking a luxurious lunch break inside the warm visitor centre, we went out again on our skis, and this time, we headed southward to follow a snowshoe track up the unnamed ridge. Unable to find any naming references, I am simply calling it "Snowshoe Ridge". The snowshoe track was surprisingly easy to climb, and in less than an hour, we were already standing on the high point.

With low clouds limiting far-reaching views, Zosia and I only stuck around long enough to snap a photo on top of Snowshoe Ridge before removing our skins and skiing down the eastern slopes. Unlike Mount Fuji, we did not have to contend with bushes or thick forest here, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the descent through copious amounts of champagne powder. At the bottom, we intersected a forestry road--probably mainly used by snowmobilers--and turning left, we easily cruised back to the visitor centre without trouble.

This was a great first taste of what Lolo Pass has to offer for winter outdoor enthusiasts, and I am keen to return in the future to explore more of the area.

Ready for Part Deux! Zosia follows a designated snowshoe trail into the forest.

Easier than the skin track going up Mount Fuji! The snowshoe trail is easy to climb up.

Glad we weren't breaking trail! The snow is undeniably deep on this ridge.

Would've been glorious here with full sunshine. The ridge top is mostly open.

In my opinion, a more satisfying summit than Mount Fuji! Zosia and Sonny hoist their skis in triumph on the high point of "Snowshoe Ridge" (1728 metres).

Looks like we're not the only ones that ski this ridge! Zosia enjoys lots of deep powder while descending Snowshoe Ridge.

Zosia looks very relaxed here, doesn't she? The great snow conditions make for very relaxed skiing here.

That was very fun!

Zosia finishes off a glorious run down Snowshoe Ridge.

	Zosia heads back to the visitor centre along a snow-covered forestry road.
	Total Distance: 2.8 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 1 hour 28 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 127 metres GPX Data

	Zosia follows a designated snowshoe trail into the forest.
	The snowshoe trail is easy to climb up.
	The snow is undeniably deep on this ridge.
	The ridge top is mostly open.
	Zosia and Sonny hoist their skis in triumph on the high point of "Snowshoe Ridge" (1728 metres).
	Zosia enjoys lots of deep powder while descending Snowshoe Ridge.
	The great snow conditions make for very relaxed skiing here.