Selkirks Overnight Zone Recommendations

[Bryce Poplawsky]

Hi all,
A couple of friends and I are looking to do a 2-3 night trip into the selkirks to do some skiing/camping in January. We don’t have sleds but don’t mind skinning in via roads. We were originally thinking about the Roman nose lakes area but I’ve heard it’s very popular with sleds and tracked out/potentially a bit busy as result. Does anyone have any recommendations for some spots in the selkirks that might be a bit less popular with the sleds with a somewhat reasonable approach for us sledless folks (10ish miles or less)? Looking for a zone enjoyable to camp and ski in, ideally with a variety of options for multiple days of skiing. I’m down in Moscow and don’t make it into the area too often so I appreciate any insight you can give me!

 

[idsnowghost]

Yeah, I'd cross Roman Nose Lakes off. The approach is pretty long and awful on top of it being braaaapp central.

Ball or Trout Creeks wouldn't be impossible, but still a slog. Closed area for sleds.

Sometimes they plow Smith Creek to the hydro station. West Fork Cabin is up that way and a lot of other skiing. Not many sleds up there.

Not Selkirk's .. but the Kettle Crest in Washington might be a fun camp or you can try to reserve the cabin. There's a plowed highway that runs through the middle at 5600 feet.

 

[Tiny World]

Anything on the west side of the Selkirks is a very long slog to get up to skiing. Been there done that! Of course, right now you can drive up to 4,000', but that doesn't fit your timing. Hopefully by January we'd have enough snow to where you'd have to walk from the east shore road which means minimum10 mile slog...with sleds flying by down on the lower sections. I know folks who years ago walked up to Two Mouth Lakes from the East side of the mountains and it took them many hours. Lots of places in the Silver Valley to do great camping/ski trips. Good luck

 

[Caleb]

I wouldn’t rule out getting up into the goods via Schweitzer, whether you tour around the whole mountain or get a lift ticket and catch the lifts up towards Big Blue (probably couldn’t leave a car without getting towed?) and then find a drainage to the north to exit… definitely gonna have to route find thru some avy terrain, trying something like that in January could get a bit spicy. a pair of kicker skins are a great help for those long flat road approaches/exits and can make those slogs a bit more “enjoyable”. Sounds fun! I hope you guys get out there and make it happen!

 

[Tiny World]

Well heck, if you're going to ride a chair to the top of Schweitzer and ski/camp, you can ski north to lots of great spots. If a guy was creative he might sneak out to the Mt. Casey area and ski down the road that way Kenny's Ski cat operation goes up and down if you can leave a car down by the East Shore Road, or up as far as you can drive it. Parking is gonna be your issue, both at Schweitzer and possibly on the FS road to Atlasta and Casey. They might be logging in the area, which would allow you to drive up a ways to drop the vehicle. There is endless skiing opportunities from Schweitzer to Priest Lake if you get your logistics ironed out. I've personally skied it a few times, from a 1-dayer to a 3 day trips and they were all fun. From the top of Schweitzer you could head north to Keokee or Casey ,or, keep going to Flattop, which has lots of great skiing. You can make it to Flattop in a day while getting some turns in along the way if the snow is right. Good Luck