Sherpa ride suffices for fizzled skiing season

It’s early March and I took my bike out of the storage shed and rode it two days ago. In case you don’t comprehend the magnitude of that statement, I only take my bike out when my skis just won’t slide anymore. That can only mean one thing: It’s just about time for me to say goodbye for the season.

But not quite.

Like the snowpack and some of the local ski areas, I’m hanging on to a fine thread of snow flakes.

Mt. Spokane wasn’t able to open back up this year and I know those of you who live in the area are still shocked to look up and see it bare this time of year. Both Schweitzer and 49 Degrees North closed their lifts for the season last Sunday. The shortest and least “snowiest” season in recorded history is slowly fizzling out.

However, there is still more fun to be had on the snow.

Last weekend, other than enjoy the last day of lift-served skiing at Schweitzer Mountain for the year, I had the opportunity to go out on a Sherpa ride with Selkirk Powder Company. A Sherpa is a European snow machine that comfortably carries five people. When the sleigh is added, you’ve just added four more passengers.

Ken Barrett, chief guide at Selkirk Powder Company, guides back-country ski and snowmobile tours from his headquarters at the summit of Schweitzer Mountain.

With the current snow conditions, ski tours are on hold until the snow freezes.

“Right now, the snowpack is isothermal,” said Barrett, “which means it’s at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and cannot withstand the weight of a person or machine. It really takes away from the back-country ski experience, so we’re focused on snowmobile and Sherpa rides for now.”

Barrett took us on a two-hour Sherpa tour from one summit to another, pointing out geologic and natural historical phenomena along the way. At the summit of Little Blue, with a 360-degree panorama of spectacular scenery, Barrett was able to show us all about the Great Missoula Flood that has carved the landscape from here to the West Coast.

My friend and I relaxed back into our bucket seats and drank in the scenery and the newfound knowledge of the area.

During a normal year, when there would be 100 inches of snow up there right now, Selkirk Powder Company would be dropping us off on top of moderate-to-steep runs with perfectly spaced trees and a down blanket of untracked powder. The Sherpa would swing around to the bottom of the run to take us back up for more.

Then I wake up to 2005.

Barrett explained to me that what is truly unique about his operation is offering a back-country experience within such proximity to the amenities of a ski resort. Guests can enjoy comfortable lodging and great restaurants only seven minutes away from the back-country terrain he accesses.

It softens the hardcore experience, making it a perfect adventure for a first-time back-country skier. Barrett is a licensed guide and provides all the necessary avalanche safety equipment as well as a safety discussion at the beginning of the session. He can cater the tour to the ski ability, from intermediate to expert. At $225 for a full day, it is an affordable alternative to heli-skiing for anyone.

The Sherpa and snowmobile tours are taking place daily, even though Schweitzer is closed. The Sherpa tours are $25 per hour with a minimum group of three. Other packages and all the details can be found at www.selkirkpowderco.com, where you will also find streaming video of the latest excursions.

Having said that, if you want to go skiing this weekend, you’re left with a couple of local options. Silver Mountain is open Thursdays to Sundays, and Lookout Pass is open weekends only. Fernie, Whitewater and Red Mountain are all reporting decent coverage and spring conditions. Can you believe it, in early March?