Glacier In Winter Beckons Cross-Country Skiers It’s Beautiful, It’s Quiet And It’s All Yours

A strong breeze pushes pine trees to and fro on the summit of Marias Pass in Montana’s Glacier National Park.

Sheltered from the wind, a ski trail meanders through the forest. It opens now and then, permitting spectacular views of Little Dog Peak. The snow is perfect, the day brilliant. Welcome to winter in Glacier.

If you are seeking solitude, spectacular scenery and great skiing, Glacier National Park is the place to come. There are dozens of ski trails throughout the park, most of which are virtually deserted. And, unlike Yellowstone, snowmobiles aren’t allowed in Glacier. Nowhere else will you find so much silence.

Up on Marias Pass, the six-mile Autumn Creek ski trail will take you though pine forests, across mountain drainages and down some challenging hills. Although wind can turn open areas to ice, snow on the mostly forested trail is often powdery and light.

Skiers usually start at the railroad tracks across Highway 2 from the Theodore Roosevelt monument. From here, the trail rises slightly as it passes Three Bears Lake, then continues downhill most of the way to its end at mile marker 193.8 on Highway 2. If you prefer to avoid the sometimes-icy downhill section (the last two miles), you can just ski a portion of the route. For those skiing the entire trail, you can usually hitch a ride back to your car, but I recommend shuttling if you have two cars.

Glacier’s west side offers some of the best skiing in the park. There is often more snow there, and the terrain is almost flat - perfect for beginning cross-country skiers. Trails start on the north end of McDonald Lake on the Going-to-the-Sun Highway (which is closed for winter at this point). From here, Mount Cannon, Bearhat Mountain and dozens of other snowy peaks fill the horizon.

If you have powerful binoculars or a spotting scope, you may catch a glimpse of a mountain goat, known as the “beast the color of winter.”

The two-mile Sacred Dancing Cascade route starts at Going-to-the-Sun Highway and takes you across McDonald Creek and through stately cedar forests. More experienced skiers might enjoy a jaunt up the road to the Avalanche Picnic Area, a six-mile trip. From there, you can add another three miles and ski up to Avalanche Lake and back, but watch for steep, narrow parts of the trail.

There are several scenic trails on the south side of McDonald Lake, most offering gentle terrain. A six-mile trip out to Rocky Point on the southeast shore will earn you a magnificent view of the park’s western peaks. If you really want to stretch your legs, take the 11.5-mile McGee Meadow loop or the ten-mile Old Flathead Ranger Station trail.

I recommend a ski trip along St. Mary Lake on the park’s east side. If solitude is what you’re after, this is it. Few winter visitors journey to the east side, which is accessed by taking Highway 89 north from Browning, or traveling south from Cardston, Alberta. Three loops take off from the St. Mary ranger station (known as the Hudson Bay District office). Lion loop is one mile long, Eagle, 2-1/2 miles, and Elk 3-1/2 miles. These ski trails will take you across flat ground, through aspen forests and open meadows, and into rolling hills west of the lake.

The view is nothing short of awesome here - St. Mary Lake gives way to a cathedral of peaks standing white against the blue sky. The eight-mile Red Eagle Lake trail follows an old fire road along the east shore of the lake and up a bluff which offers even more spectacular views up the St. Mary and Red Eagle valleys.

On Glacier’s ski trails, you’ll likely see signs of winter denizens. Rabbit and squirrel tracks punctuate the snow, and if you’re lucky, you may even run across signs of a wolf orcoyote kill.

“We don’t recommend people approach wildlife of any type,” warns Roger Semler, wilderness manager for Glacier National Park. Wild animals need to conserve all their energy, especially in winter, he said. It’s against park regulations to harass wildlife, and domestic animals are prohibited on park trails - winter and summer - so keep dogs in the car.

Park Service rangers emphasize the need to be aware of the dangers of avalanches and changing weather conditions. They recommend staying off steep slopes and away from open areas, watching for signs of recent avalanches, and carrying rescue equipment on potentially dangerous routes. Also, it’s a good idea to call for an update on snow and avalanche conditions.

MEMO: This sidebar ran with story: IF YOU GO Glacier National Park is located in north-central Montana, about 265 miles east of Spokane. Kalispell, 30 miles west of Glacier, is the nearest city with an airport. You can find grocery stores, hotels and restaurants there or in Columbia Falls, the closest community to the park. A small gas station and restaurant remain open in West Glacier (park entrance) all year. Ski tours: Izaak Walton Inn. For day trips, call Brian Miller before 9 a.m. (406) 888-5700. Glacier National Park: For a ski brochure, snow conditions and general information: (406) 888-5441 After hours emergency: 911 Hudson Bay District ranger office: (406) 732-5571. Avalanche information: (800) 526-5329.