Trail Conditions as of 12/28/2007

Nordic Trail System

Lindley Park

Bridger Creek/Hedvig’s Trail

Bozeman Creek

Hyalite

Lindley Park is groomed for both skate and classic skiing.  George Rice continues to do an excellent job of keeping the trails is excellent condition.

From the groomer:  Fri Dec 28, 09:32 AM

Bozeman Creek is the place to ski today.   George Rice groomed from Mystic Cabin to the trail head last night with the Big Cat – “it looked amazing out the back on the way down! Happy New Year, and can’t wait for the Hyalite tour tomorrow!”

Bridger Creek is groomed.  Dan and Stuart set the lower loops on Wednesday night, 12 feet wide with a classic track.  The routine at Bridger Creek is the same as last year:  buy a pass, park at the Golf Course clubhouse on McIllhattan Road, no dogs and enjoy the skiing.

Hyalite is the place to ski this weekend.  Amazing things are happening in Hyalite Canyon.  Major summer improvements to the trail system were organized by Terry Johnson.  The Forest Service Travel Plan is being implemented and includes less snowmobiling and more skiing opportunities.  The Hyalite Road was plowed on Thursday--the first time in 20 years.  Thanks go to the Gallatin County Commissioners (especially Bill Murdoch) and the road department for getting the work done on short notice, and the Forest Service for granting permission to plow.  Tom Kalakay is organizing a Ski Tour of Hyalite for Saturday, December 29th.  Bob Siebert and Stuart Jennings made a pass with the snowmobiles last night on the trail and it is beautiful with lots of snow.  The event will feature classic skiing as it is too narrow for skating.  The newly refurbished Forest Service Maxey cabin is on the route to Palisade Falls and will have refreshments.  There is no entry fee, but there may be an opportunity to contribute to the road plowing fund or alternately the County Commissioners (responsible for getting the road plowed) suggested a donation to the Brian Gootkin fund at First Security Bank.  Brian is a County employee and was on the front page of the paper this morning shown near the remnants of his house that burned down.  The ski tour begins at 10:00 and will feature and out and back ski route.  The long route is 14 miles from the reservoir up Wild Horse Road to Maxey cabin then Palisade Falls for a turnaround and then back to Maxey-Lick Creek-History Rock and then to the reservoir.  The short route is 8 miles up Wild Horse Road to Maxey cabin and then back by the same route.  Hyalite road will probably only be plowed one time this season, so your opportunity to ski up Hyalite is short before the road is again buried by deep snow.  It is currently plowed all the way to the Hyalite Lake parking lot so there are suddenly a great number of rarely accessible ski trailheads.  The parking areas are not plowed out so bring a shovel since there is plenty of potential for getting stuck while parking.  Skiing Hyalite is the third location on your 'must ski' list this winter.

Bozeman  Nordic  Trails