Montana has may places to ski. Beyond the well-known ski resorts, there are a number of smaller, less resorty ski areas such as Lost Trail and Discovery. With ample terrain, decent to great snow, and a downhome feel, they draw ski enthusiasts looking for something new. While I have explored many of the primary and secondary ski areas in Montana, before Thanksgiving, I didn’t realize Montana has another tier of even smaller ski areas to check out.
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Bear Paw Ski Bowl is located 29 miles south of Havre on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. I’m not sure if it's the only ski area on a reservation and a Google search did not provide a clear answer, but Chippewa-Cree Tribe has allowed the ski hill to operate here since 1959.
One truck was leaving the parking lot, which was plowed, and we had the area all to ourselves. Snow coverage was solid, we estimated there to be 12-16” of snow on the ground, and the snow was supportable so skinning was a go.
Our tour began with a pleasant skin up a narrow road/cat track at the edge of the ski area. Eventually, we cut across a steeper windswept slope and headed to the opposite side of the ski area, past the runs we were looking at from the base. The terrain was becoming more exciting, open, steeper (We measured the slope - 28 degrees) with consistent fall-lines. There was even a rock for launching.
We switch-backed up the hillside and just before the top we saw another hillside off in the distance heading away from the ski area. Visibility continued to be poor, but it looked as if there could be skiing there. Could Bear Paw offer lift-served backcountry skiing? It was hard to tell, but our interest was piqued.
Our final push to the 5,280 foot summit brought us through some wind-swept, rock-strewn terrain before going through a gap in the snow fence and to the once again solidly covered terrain. Visibility was grim, so we didn’t get a better look at the backside.
Mike and I hung around the top for water and a snack and wondered about skiing at Bear Paw. I had images of farmers and Native Americans sharing the slopes, of young shredders hucking the rock we saw on our way up, of families who could go skiing for a fraction of the price of other ski areas. Happiness and simplicity were an essential part of what I envisioned, a ski area that lacked pretension and “scene” and was full of people sharing the joy of sliding on snow and reveling in being outdoors.
Across the way, Baldy Mountain sat at 6,919 feet, over 1,600 feet above the Bear Paw summit. Between Baldy and the possible backcountry skiing from the top of the ski area, it would be worth coming back to Bear Paw to search out skiing.
Mike and I started our descent by skiing along the berm of snow left by the snow fence before the slope opened up. We made a few wind-scowered turns before we hit our skin track on the narrow road/cat track. Below it we found great coverage and consistent snow conditions. A straightforward, steady fall-line, equivalent of an easy blue run, took us all the way to the bottom. After a short shuffle, we were back at my car, the lone car in the parking lot.
Any good ski day puts a smile on my face and this one was no exception. Great snow conditions and no other people were nice but the randomness of finding skiing in North Central Montana makes this experience stand out from others. While the terrain was tame compare to what I regularly ski at home, the excitement of exploring someplace new and thinking about skiing being part of life to people in this part of Montana is something special.
If You Go…
Bear Paw is open weekends January through March. There is a webpage (http://skibearpaw.com/) but their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/skibearpaw/) seems to be more up-to-date.
Ski area stats
100 acres
24 named runs
One lift, one rope tow
Beginner friendly
Bear Paw Ski Bowl is located 29 miles south of Havre on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. I’m not sure if it's the only ski area on a reservation and a Google search did not provide a clear answer, but Chippewa-Cree Tribe has allowed the ski hill to operate here since 1959.
Bear Paw has one chairlift and one rope tow along with a respectable 900 feet elevation gain. There’s no running water at the ski area but there is a warming hut, a pit toilet, and a snack bar where volunteers sell food during the ski season. I’m always up for skiing some place new and BearPaw, with its random location and decent elevation gain, was especially appealing. Mike found a nearby SnowTel site reporting snow coverage to be at 1,500% of average. Although we knew that probably translated to less the 20” of snow, the idea of skiing conditions 1,500% above normal made us smile. We were ready to go.
Friends of my family invited Mike and I to spend Thanksgiving with them at their ranch south of Havre in North Central Montana. Located on the Highline, the ranch is in a quiet, flat part of the state neither of us had been to, and we were excited to explore someplace new. After searching the map to find things to do in the area, we discovered the Bear Paw Mountains and Bear Paw Ski Bowl.
Our trip started the day after Thanksgiving by making the 29 mile drive down Highway 234 from Havre. The weather was an intermittent rain-snow drizzle. Although we only passed a few trucks on the road, we were surprised at the number of signs of life along it. Through the fog, we passed deer, cows, campgrounds, picnic areas, and tons of cabins owned by the Boy Scouts and numerous social clubs like the Lions and the Eagles.
The road was snow-packed, the sky grey and foggy. We couldn't see the hillsides and it felt like we were on Beartooth Plateau. Highway 234 climbed before coming around a corner where the U.S. Forest Service land ended and the reservation began. There was still no visibility but within a few minutes we were at the ski area.
Friends of my family invited Mike and I to spend Thanksgiving with them at their ranch south of Havre in North Central Montana. Located on the Highline, the ranch is in a quiet, flat part of the state neither of us had been to, and we were excited to explore someplace new. After searching the map to find things to do in the area, we discovered the Bear Paw Mountains and Bear Paw Ski Bowl.
Our trip started the day after Thanksgiving by making the 29 mile drive down Highway 234 from Havre. The weather was an intermittent rain-snow drizzle. Although we only passed a few trucks on the road, we were surprised at the number of signs of life along it. Through the fog, we passed deer, cows, campgrounds, picnic areas, and tons of cabins owned by the Boy Scouts and numerous social clubs like the Lions and the Eagles.
The road was snow-packed, the sky grey and foggy. We couldn't see the hillsides and it felt like we were on Beartooth Plateau. Highway 234 climbed before coming around a corner where the U.S. Forest Service land ended and the reservation began. There was still no visibility but within a few minutes we were at the ski area.
One truck was leaving the parking lot, which was plowed, and we had the area all to ourselves. Snow coverage was solid, we estimated there to be 12-16” of snow on the ground, and the snow was supportable so skinning was a go.
Our tour began with a pleasant skin up a narrow road/cat track at the edge of the ski area. Eventually, we cut across a steeper windswept slope and headed to the opposite side of the ski area, past the runs we were looking at from the base. The terrain was becoming more exciting, open, steeper (We measured the slope - 28 degrees) with consistent fall-lines. There was even a rock for launching.
We switch-backed up the hillside and just before the top we saw another hillside off in the distance heading away from the ski area. Visibility continued to be poor, but it looked as if there could be skiing there. Could Bear Paw offer lift-served backcountry skiing? It was hard to tell, but our interest was piqued.
Our final push to the 5,280 foot summit brought us through some wind-swept, rock-strewn terrain before going through a gap in the snow fence and to the once again solidly covered terrain. Visibility was grim, so we didn’t get a better look at the backside.
Mike and I hung around the top for water and a snack and wondered about skiing at Bear Paw. I had images of farmers and Native Americans sharing the slopes, of young shredders hucking the rock we saw on our way up, of families who could go skiing for a fraction of the price of other ski areas. Happiness and simplicity were an essential part of what I envisioned, a ski area that lacked pretension and “scene” and was full of people sharing the joy of sliding on snow and reveling in being outdoors.
Across the way, Baldy Mountain sat at 6,919 feet, over 1,600 feet above the Bear Paw summit. Between Baldy and the possible backcountry skiing from the top of the ski area, it would be worth coming back to Bear Paw to search out skiing.
Mike and I started our descent by skiing along the berm of snow left by the snow fence before the slope opened up. We made a few wind-scowered turns before we hit our skin track on the narrow road/cat track. Below it we found great coverage and consistent snow conditions. A straightforward, steady fall-line, equivalent of an easy blue run, took us all the way to the bottom. After a short shuffle, we were back at my car, the lone car in the parking lot.
Any good ski day puts a smile on my face and this one was no exception. Great snow conditions and no other people were nice but the randomness of finding skiing in North Central Montana makes this experience stand out from others. While the terrain was tame compare to what I regularly ski at home, the excitement of exploring someplace new and thinking about skiing being part of life to people in this part of Montana is something special.
If You Go…
Bear Paw is open weekends January through March. There is a webpage (http://skibearpaw.com/) but their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/skibearpaw/) seems to be more up-to-date.
Ski area stats
100 acres
24 named runs
One lift, one rope tow
Beginner friendly
Lift Tickets
Kids 8 and under Ski FREE with and ADULT
Chippewa Cree Tribal members with ID $15
9-17 and college students with ID $20
Chippewa Cree Tribal members with ID $15
9-17 and college students with ID $20
Adults $25
Over 80 FREE
Over 80 FREE
Snow Phone: 406-395-4040
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Other posts in the Lost Ski Area series:
Other posts in the Lost Ski Area series:
- New Jersey: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/11/lost-overlooked-ski-areas-new-jersey.html
- Montenegro: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/12/lost-overlooked-ski-areas-montenegro.html
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