Lookout pass environs tomorrow

[wordbird]

Last minute, but is anybody going touring around there tomorrow? I was going to ski Lolo pass but my partner decided to ski resort instead tomorrow. I'll check this before i leave for lolo or snowbowl(if it actually dumps for once) sometime around 8 maybe am MST.

 

[wordbird]

Will probably be going this Saturday with a friend of mine. Does anybody know if Copper Lake to road is a good runout, or do we have to hike the ridge and ski the trees?

 

[teledance]

I'm confused Lolo or Lookout Pass? Have fun I'm waiting for the warm up before anymore hiking.

 

[wordbird]

Lookout pass. I was considering doing a solo tour at Lolo last weekend (didn't find enough motivation). The question i have now is specific to Copper Basin.

 

[Brandon]

I skied copper several years ago during a long spell of high pressure. Due to terrible snow on most aspects, we skied the east facing terrain and found nice corn. We accessed via the road which had been well compacted by sled traffic. It's was relatively easy on the way in and out, but like most of the tours in the greater lookout area - long flat boring approach and runout.

I know that k.pow and Dr Go found some steep and deep pow turns near copper last winter without messing with the road. I'd look back through the trip reports for more beta.

 

[wordbird]

I skied copper several years ago during a long spell of high pressure. Due to terrible snow on most aspects, we skied the east facing terrain and found nice corn. We accessed via the road which had been well compacted by sled traffic. It's was relatively easy on the way in and out, but like most of the tours in the greater lookout area - long flat boring approach and runout.

I know that k.pow and Dr Go found some steep and deep pow turns near copper last winter without messing with the road. I'd look back through the trip reports for more beta.

Looked through the posts and couldn't find anything. I guess I'll see if the lake to road is a passable path.

 

[Mergs]

I believe the last time we accessed Copper was 2 years ago and I remember a downhill rolling traverse to a circuitous bushwhack (our leader was a little lost) through an XC area then a foot numbing slide on the northern pacific railroad bed. We parked at Lookout so it was a long way back.

I also distinctly remember tearing up as we looked down into Copper and realized that the sleds high marked the sweet bejeezus out of the run down. Otherwise the tour was fantastic! (we got a couple of good runs in the St Regis basin beforehand).

 

[wordbird]

I believe the last time we accessed Copper was 2 years ago and I remember a downhill rolling traverse to a circuitous bushwhack (our leader was a little lost) through an XC area then a foot numbing slide on the northern pacific railroad bed. We parked at Lookout so it was a long way back.

I also distinctly remember tearing up as we looked down into Copper and realized that the sleds high marked the sweet bejeezus out of the run down. Otherwise the tour was fantastic! (we got a couple of good runs in the St Regis basin beforehand).

So do you think it's a better idea to exit through St. Regis basin by climbing the ridge again and dropping west/northwest?

 

[Mergs]

So do you think it's a better idea to exit through St. Regis basin by climbing the ridge again and dropping west/northwest?

Sure. Doing that will cut out some of the railroad grade, but really this might be a decision based on factors the day of:
if you have the time and legs, its an option with an additional down. If you're the first ones back there and there's no traverse track yet laid down, you have some trail to break. If you have no light or legs you might be forced to traverse out from Copper. Maybe others can jump in and give consensus on what is the "best" option though.