Winter treasures of Yellowstone country - includes related accommodation and ski resort information

Sunset, Nov, 1994 by Lora J. Finnegan

Wildlife watching, Western shopping, and plentiful skiing make a journey from Bozeman to Yellowstone memorable

FOR DECADES AFTER TRAPPER John Colter stumbled across Yellowstone's dancing geysers, pulsing fumaroles, and reeking mud pots, travelers avoided the rigors of winter there. Its first official winter inspection didn't occur until 1887--15 years after it had become a national park and nearly 80 years after Colter's discovery. Even then, striking out in severe weather on heavy wooden skis, those first winter explorers had a difficult journey. Frozen and discouraged, half the party turned back, prompting Yellowstone's superintendent to proclaim that the park was "not to be recommended as a winter diversion."

Funny--winter's my favorite season in Yellowstone country.

My last winter sojourn into the park was almost 20 years ago, though, so I decided to see if memory had served me--and the park--well. I pictured deep drifts softening the landscape, geysers roaring and hissing into the cold air, and herds of elk and bison streaming into the park's broad, sheltered basins.

For my return trip, I planned to work my way south from the main Montana gateway city of Bozeman to the misty treasures of Yellowstone, exploring a wealth of other snowy recreation spots in between. Though it's possible to drive from Bozeman to the park in two hours, I found enough diversions along the way to fill a week.

BEGIN AT BOZEMAN: THE NEXT ASPEN?

The handsomely restored brick buildings of Main Street offer a glimpse into Bozeman's past while housing a host of unique shops. A rearing palomino paws the facade of Country West (137 E. Main Street); inside, cowboys roam aisles stocked with everything from used lariats (don't laugh, I bought one for the den wall) to belt buckles the size of salad plates.

Bozeman can't yet match Aspen for sheer celebrity numbers, but I did hope to catch a glimpse of Glenn Close while nibbling pastries and sipping Montana gold tea at the Leaf and Bean, her coffeehouse at 35 W. Main (I struck out and have since heard she's sold it). The local bistros and ski hills are old haunts for Ted Turner and Jane Fonda, who own a 200-square-mile spread nearby, though I looked in vain for them and other famous area ranchers such as Tom Brokaw, Jeff Bridges, Mel Gibson, Meg Ryan, and Brooke Shields.

Instead, I contented myself with sightings of the really big stars at the Museum of the Rockies, on the Montana State University campus at Kagy Boulevard and Third Street, where dinosaur displays include a partial skeleton of a T. rex and a life-size robotic family of triceratops.

Just northeast of town at Bridger Bowl, the runs were piled deep in powder and sheltered by thick stands of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. The hill appeals to families, with a good mix of trails for beginners, experts, and everything in between. The lift lines and ticket prices are minimal, so I didn't mind that the five double chair lifts were old and a little slow.

Up the road a bit is the Bohart Ranch Cross-Country Ski Center, with 25 kilometers of set tracks and groomed skate lanes, and rental equip-meat available from the small but cozy trail center. I puffed my way uphill to the Meadow Loop, where I was rewarded by eye-popping vistas of the forested Bridget Range.

After one hard day's ski, I headed back to town for dinner at Spanish Peaks Brewing Company (120 N. 19th Avenue; 406/585-2296). The lively brewpub's Yellowstone pale ale and Spanish Peaks porter nicely complement the fresh pasta and pizza dishes. The next day, for a more elegant meal, I checked out O'Brien's (312 E. Main; 587-3973), where entrees range from lamb sirloin with sun-dried cherries ($15.95) to veal and artichokes with beurre blanc ($13.95).

ALONG THE GALLATIN TO BIG SKY

Leaving Bozeman, I drove south on U.S. Highway 191 where it elbows through sheer-walled, snow-encrusted Gallatin Canyon alongside the dark Gallatin River. The vistas are fitting recompense for the challenge of winter driving here, where roads often seem icier after the snowplows have scraped through.

At the Big Sky turnoff, the pointy volcanic crest of of 11,166-foot Lone Mountain taught my attention. It's what inspired anchorman Chet Huntley to create the ski resort he opened here in 1973. Big Sky remains small and friendly, yet sophisticated enough to maintain tasteful shops.

Some aspects of the skiing at Big Sky--the distinctive peak, the range of trails from long cruising runs for beginners to powdery bowls--reminded me a bit of Vail Mountain. But if Big Sky is smaller than Vail Mountain, it's also less expensive and lacks the lift lines, since Big Sky's chair lift capacity exceeds its lodging capacity. As one fellow who rode the chair lift with me said, "You can get in enough runs in one morning to make mincemeat of your muscles." I soon found that he was right.

Ready to punish a different muscle group, I stopped in at Lone Mountain Ranch. Sheltered in a canyon with 75 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski tracks and skate lanes climbing up through a mixed conifer forest, it offers the most to the skilled skier. I found a few trails I could handle, though, such as the 4-kilometer Yellowstone Loop, a level route that circles a golf course and offers views of Lone Mountain. Comforts for the trail-weary include an excellent and varied menu prepared by a European chef, a hot tub under the stars, and massage therapists on staff.