Spring Skiing: Lolo Peak, Pyramid Peak, and Matt Mountain

Matt nearing the summit of Pyramid Peak.

I'm always slow to transition between seasons, resistant of both the heat in spring and the cold in fall. With these last couple of 80-ish degree warm spells, the summer season seems to be upon us, and as usual, I am finding the heat to be oppressive, but I'm getting used to it. The valleys are green; pollen is in the air and my throat is itchy; and the sunscreen is flowing. Nonetheless, I'm still keen to get up where the snow lingers. Over the past week-and-a-half, I skied Lolo Peak, Pyramid Peak, and Matt Mountain. 

Lolo was the Sunday before last, on a bluebird day, and there must have been 30 people up there. I got a late start and was in a hurry to get up and down. On the way down to the car, I hooked up with Joshua Phillips and Aaron Teesdale, and we had some good conversation.

I did Pyramid with my friend Matt Roscoe mid-last-week, and we weren't in a rush, but got an early start and were back in Missoula by 3pm. The access to Pyramid is straightforward from Pyramid Pass trail head. Matt is my age, but he has young girls and is several years behind me in his academic career. Thus he's in a different stage of life than I am. As was the case when I had little ones, Matt is happy to recreate on the margins of life, only backcountry skiing a couple of times a year. I remember feeling the same when my kids were little, finding enough fulfillment in work and family that the activities that once defined me faded into the background. And honestly, I miss those times, when the kids were young and my duties were clear. But, I'm also happy to be free again, rediscovering my old (and some new) passions!

And finally, this week, I drove up to Condon on Memorial Day evening and stayed at Ashby Kinch's cabin. We chatted, hit the hay, and then drove back down to Seeley and skied Matt Mountain on Tuesday. Matt Mountain is just north of Pryamid Peak on the Swan front, and the trail that accesses it is quite close to the Pyramid Pass trail head. It was another nice outing, with great views into the Bob and some enjoyable skiing. Also, Ashby and I have a lot to talk about, as we are in the same stage of life: our kids are roughly the same age and we started at UM the same year. All in all, it was another great day in the mountains. 

Skinning up Pyramid.

Summit views into the Bob Marshall.

Selfie.

Walking the west ridge. In hindsight, we would have skied over to the south ridge and to the top.

Skiing down.

Lolo Peak

Pudge on Lolo's summit.

Ashby on top of Matt Mountain with the Bob Marshall behind him. I forgot my camera, so this is the only shot I have of the day, thanks to Ashby.