GOLD CREEK/LOWER BLACKFOOT EAST OF MISSOULA

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Sunday Feb 16, 202

MORE SNOW, better riding, no one out there ? Was way way tooo good.

Ride from the hiway, ride from the gravel pit. When we left crossing some main roads, not a track or bump. Upper west fork no sign of tracks from last week.

 

[nproell82]

Is this snow comparable to around Seeley? Heading out there March 5th and am worried about there not being any good snow. Looks like it's going to be very warm there for the next 10 days or so.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Is this snow comparable to around Seeley? Heading out there March 5th and am worried about there not being any good snow. Looks like it's going to be very warm there for the next 10 days or so.

This area is the south end of the Seeley riding area which extends from Hiway 200 at Gold Creek, North to the Mission wilderness boundry North West of Seely lake. Up behind the warming hut at Seeley you get to the base of some Alpine riding.
AT Gold Creek there are 5 canyon of Alpine riding, we never go there due to Avalanche danger. 20years ago we lived there everyday on our chute climbers, some have died, we got lucky, but all ride able. Alpine skiers there every day.

From Gold Creek turn off of hiway 200 it is 30 air miles to Marshall Lake North West of Seeley Lake, at Marshall lake and back to Placid area the riding area is roughtly 9 miles wide East to West.
In the BOLES MEADOW area which most would consider the South end of Seeley and North End of Gold Creek, the riding area is 20 miles wide and 15 miles North to South. Now, 80% of that never gets rid.
No groomed trails at Gold Creek. Small parking area thats' empty. No groomed trails to ride to riding area.

This end of the area, like Seeley is a Montana snow belt ( check snotel sites STUART PEAK/NORTH FORK OF THE JOKO, not the epic fluff dumps down low, but twice this year fluff dumps where the latest 174 sleds had to turn around and find lower elevation riding.

You can ride from Gold Creek to the town of Seeley lake. You can ride from Gold Creek to the riding areas North West of Seeley, without a guide some days you won't have enough gas to get there, with a guide you don't have enough gas to get there and back.

March 5 , the start of the fourth quarter of riding, more sun, max snow widely varied snow conditions.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Feb 22 23 2020

More new snow, best general riding conditions of the year. Not much added down low, but tracks from week before faintly visible up high.

Road still snow covered even after the 3 days of sun. So drive to gravel pit with trailer. Most riders out I've seen in the area in a couple of years. The sun really brings out the sleds, and family groups, and older iron...........looked great out there.

 

[nproell82]

Still looking good? Heading out there tomorrow night. Looks like a wet week for in town (Seeley), hopefully snow up high!?

 

[saskrenegade]

We are in seeley right now it’s warm and spring riding. About 8 inches of powder in trees on top of super firm base. Exposed areas pretty much wind striped and solid

 

[nproell82]

We are in seeley right now it’s warm and spring riding. About 8 inches of powder in trees on top of super firm base. Exposed areas pretty much wind striped and solid

Lame... we'll be there tomorrow sometime. Heading out from MN tonight.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Best snow of the year last week for many riding the Missoula to Seely Lake area, new snow on hard base, 6" in some areas, 18" or more further North ( Seeley ). Lolo pass to the South /Beaver ridge, foot or more of new snow. For sure not one around, maybe at Seely, Sat morning talked to guys headed that way.

Anyway, typical Mountian spring riding, rock hard one day, new snow when you least expect it.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

One small storm after another. The stuart Peak snotel north of Missoula is 2ft./ North Fork Joko snotel a few inches more. That means the higher reaches of Gold Creek have rideable snow. BUT, I am waiting for the hunters to clear out, my riding partner has his elk in the freezer so we are free to enjoy the snow in a couple of weeks. Going to drive up that way this week and check it out.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

OK.......this sat morning drove up to see what's up with the snow.

1. road icey and old hard snow pack on the road from hiway 200 on up, that suprised me, thought it would be bare gravel.......not so.
2. a couple of sleds ran up the main road sometime last week when we had warm weather, tracks up Mineral Mtn rd.
3. Mineral Mtn road, hard snow about 4 or 5 inches deep to start........say concrete, I could drive on it with my RAV4. Scratchers down you are not going to hurt your wear bars.
4. 2 miles up old snow when wet, hunters rutted it up and dragging big time on the bottom of my suv.Thats as far as I went. Experience tells me drive another mile to the North facing slope and unload.Guess now I have to try that.

The two snowtel sites in the area around 30", so that whats up top and likely a pretty good base.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

saw pictures of my pals snow biking at Seeley in what looked like about 3' of snow up by the lakes. Looked great, but I have not heard any other reports. OK, also some bikes at Lolo Pass, road riding and gingerly feeling there way on some trails.

 

[Scott]

Pretty meager snow conditions.

 

[Scott]

2020-21 West Central Montana Avalanche upates: 4/29/2021 END OF SEASON PARTING WORDS

The most recent update will always be the last post in this thread. West Central Montana Avalanche Center https://missoulaavalanche.org/

www.snowest.com

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Went up Gold Creek sat. still snow packed/icy road from hiway 200. Turned up Mineral Mtn road, old hard pickup tracks with 1" of new fluff. Drove up the road 2 miles and unloaded our snow bikes. Skimpy old hard snow that was likely 16" or better thats been compacting in the warm weather and sun for two weeks.

Off we go, I can year some gravel the next couple of miles, edges of the road good for a bike, middle of the road concrete snow pack from sleds last weekend.

6000 ft around the Shoofly meadows area, good snow in the shade, watch the tops of any rise because wind and sun have knocked some places down to a couple of inches. Of course nice snow the last few miles headed up to Mineral Mtn lookout.

Overalll, yeah a little test ride on the roads on your sled, don't need your scratchers, just need to be careful.
We need more snow.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Sat Dec 20 2020

road snowpacked from hiway but hard and washboardy from traffic, you could unload a sled anywhere and proceed with caution. Met a trapper running a little sled from hiway and has been for a month.

4 bikes, warm and damp snow down low so eventhough it had snowed since last week, the level was down and dense.
As we rode up in elevation on Mineral Mtn rd, more snow, but tracks from last week visable, stay on roads........cross country travel risky, at 7000 ft lots of snow and not much area to ride in. Checked out several of our favorite trails, big downed trees, so next ride is likely a chain saw maintenance ride. Checking snowtel sites in the area history the last 4 or 5 years, right about on average.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

still waiting for the big snow, ok some last week, good way up high, but we need snow to ride the West fork and all the other areas.

So that means this time of year trail maintance, Dan and I spent all day , Sat the 26 cutting trail until we just got tired and went home. Lots and lots of big down timer. Cut into the back side of Shoo fly that good, cautious until we get another foot, so many to cut we left a lot of trees laying on the ground soon to be covered. 513 out to above Twin creek, not all the way to the trail head but so you can ride from Shoofly to the clear cuts.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

check the snotel sites, Stewart Peak at 4ft, North Fork Joko 5 ft. , so while we have no snow in town and its warm, been snowing up high.

Rode last two weekends at Lolo Pass and over into Idaho, got snow. Ok, I've seen more this time of years but no that bad. Lots of fun.
Checked with other riders for Gold Creek report, only report was from guys skiing the backcounty, they seemed happy, found snow in the Wisherd Ridge area.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

4 of us up into the West Fork last SAT. The snow from the week before had settle out, nothing up there except stumps and logs, went high, tried low...................a no snow year so far. Road ride ok, but them some places bared to the dirt from the high wind.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

played around in the Shoo Fly meadows area, a dozen sleds and bikes out. Due to the high winds from the previous Tuesday we planned a tree cutting day and it was necessary. The trails we cut out a few weeks back had a lot of new trees down. We cut trees until 3 pm then headed out. Main road had trees, trails had trees a mess. we cut the big leaners that 10 feet of snow won't cover, ease over the rest until they are buried, not going to be good for trail bikes this spring.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

OK, area got slammed on Sat the 6th, snowing really to hard to see, but 14" to maybe 20" depending on where you where at, but blinding snow coming down all day.

Cold and howling winds on Sunday...............didn't go.

Avalanche conditions now due to the old snow pack, be careful next weekend.