We all have our favorite runs at our local ski resort. Some of them aren't even designated or named runs; sometimes they're just a spot in between the trees or a line that you have memorized; sometimes they're a blend of multiple runs. Over the past four decades, I've been fortunate to log miles at all five of our local resorts. Whether it's a day of adventuring with my friends or having a bona fide local show you their secret stash, I've had the chance to experience some fun runs at all our local mountains.
Let's start this off at Lookout...
BONANZA, Lookout Pass
If you like getting in some high-quality, fast turns while putting those leg muscles to the test, Bonanza at Lookout Pass is one of my favorites, with nonstoppers from top to bottom. Located on the Montana side just off the Peak 1 Chair, Bonanza is a Blue Square run that has a fun, consistent pitch almost all the way back down to the lift. This is a run where you can push your endurance level while getting a good leg burn without too much risk of getting over your head because of steepness. It's common that I'll see a small group of Lookout Pass locals, who are known as the Red Dog Squad, laying down some textbook turns on this run.
As a photog, this is also one of my favorite runs to shoot photos at Lookout because of the variety of turns and backdrops I can get from one run. At the top of the run facing south toward Mullan, I get cool panoramic shots of riders with the mountains and valley in the background; then, if I switch my position and point east, there's a nice roll in the middle of the run that really emphasizes the riders turns. Over the years, I've been able to capture some exciting action on just this one run.
K-MAC'S TO CRYSTAL, Schweitzer
This is my home mountain, and with close to 50 years of skiing here, there's not many places or stashes I've not experienced. One run I really enjoy hitting is K-Mac's. This steep, groomed run is on the front side in the Schweitzer Bowl. Between the steepness and the incredible views of Lake Pend Oreille, you'll be in sensory overload.
To get to it, take the Lakeview Triple, hang a left, and make your way down the south ridge.
K-Mac's is a black diamond where you can put your carving skills to the test. It's steep and wide and groomed to perfection nightly with a winch cat, making it the perfect place to lay down some big, long trenches with your boards. I typically like to come in making big GS turns down the south ridge to the dead snag directly over the middle of K-Mac's. A big, hard, left hander just below the snag will line you perfectly over the middle of K-Mac's. Here, you'll start to feel the mountain drop away as you get to the steep section. For about 300 yards, you'll get in lots of adrenaline-filled left and right turns. Then it all flattens off and puts you at the top of the Stomping Grounds Terrain Park and Crystal.
If you're lucky enough to hit K-Mac's on a powder day, just to the righthand side you'll find plenty of wide-open, sparsely treed glade skiing. This area is a must.
SOUTH MEADOWS TO NO ALIBI, Mt. Spokane
Depending on your age, you can slide in the Stomping Grounds Terrain Park, which is one of the better terrain parks in the Pacific Northwest. It's always a good time watching skiers and boarders of varying skill levels testing their air awareness off a manicured jump line that consists of three to four medium to large jumps and features. Please make sure you know proper Terrain Park safety and etiquette before you venture in.
If you don't want to slide into the Terrain Park, you can always get back to the bottom via Crystal Run, which will wrap you back down to the base.
Mt. Spokane, or the Kan as the locals call it, is well known for its night skiing. In fact, back when I was in high school, which were the best six years of my life, I'd spend many a Wednesday night skiing under the lights off Chair 2 at Mt. Spokane, training moguls. Nowadays, I try to stay out of the bumps and instead ski the groomers or powder. One of my all-time favorite runs at Mt. Spokane is actually a blend of Black Diamond runs, South Meadows and No Alibi, which are located just above Lodge 1. Talk about a long, consistent pitch, where you can get your boards going in and out of the fall line for almost 1,700 vertical feet.
My method of approach: Ride the legendary Vista Cruiser (Chair 1) double to the top. Make sure when you're about ready to unload the chair that you give lift op Patrick Walsh a loud "Hey Dude!" and in typical Patrick style you'll get a big thumbs-up. Patrick is well known at the Kan and is nicknamed, the Dude. This will be the Dude's 18th year working as a lift op on Chair 1. The Dude has a heart of gold and an appetite for life.
Here's my route: When you get off Chair 1, turn left and go down the ridge a few hundred yards past the entrance to No Alibi. Get yourself lined up over the top of South Meadows, which is a huge, wide-open face with incredible panoramic views to the south looking over Newman Lake. I usually start off on South Meadows because it's just such a cool place to make some big open turns on a huge face. If you're lucky you can catch South Meadows with fresh powder. I'll make my way down about 300 to 400 yards, and I'll veer slightly to the left intersecting back into No Alibi.
Once I hit No Alibi, it's game on for some high-speed turns — and lots of them. This is a long run, and it has a very consistent pitch all the way to the bottom. If you venture over to the left of it, you can catch some moguls under the chairlift. If you want to get the chairlift hooting and hollering, give this Hollywood Line a rip!
NORTH FACE GLADES, Silver Mountain
My start at Silver Mountain dates back to the Silverhorn days in the late 1970s and '80s. I've had some pretty fun and memorable powder days riding at Silver Mountain over that time.
Other than skiing the gondola line all the way down into the town of Wardner on one huge powder day many years ago, one of my all-time favorite powder runs at Silver Mountain is dropping into North Face Glades off of Chair 2 on a pow day. I was introduced to this zone about 20 years ago by one of my ski buddies and longtime Silver local, Robert Hoskinson.
To drop into this steep, treed zone, you'll need to go through one of the access gates off Silver Belt or Skyway Ridge. Just like any backcountry powder adventure, take a ski buddy with you, both carrying all the necessary safety gear such as transceiver, probe and shovel for starters.
North Face Glades is the real deal for riders who love steep and deep powder. It's treed with lots of open pockets that are sparsely timbered. There's plenty of features to keep you honest and up your game. Everything in this zone funnels down to the Centennial Cat Track. Once you hit Centennial, follow it until you hit Chair 3 where you can load and go back up to the base and then drop down to Chair 2 to session it again. If you're lucky enough to hit Silver on an epic powder day, North Face Glades is a must.
NORTHWEST RIDGE TO SEPARATE, 49° North
The Angel Peak basin has been open for about 15 years now, and during that time there's been some selective glading and fine tuning of the runs in the basin. Angel Peak basin is usually a spot I can find powder stashes, even a couple of days after a storm.
When I'm shooting photos, I'm always looking for a cool backdrop or an exciting feature to highlight the image. One of the things that always draws me to Angel Peak is the open gladed pockets with cool trees that add excitement to the photos.
My favorite run isn't actually a run, it's nestled between some runs. I like skiing about halfway down Northwest Ridge and then making a right into the gladed area that is in between Northwest Ridge and the Angel Peak chairlift.
This area has a fun pitch, and the spacing between trees is easily navigable. As you're making your way through these glades, you'll drop onto and cross the Stope run. If you look to the skiers left, there's Separate; over to the right is the Angel Peak chair. Once again, I like to take this right down the middle between the Separate run and the chairlift, always on the lookout for those untouched pockets. You can ride this all the way down to Griz or Outer Dutchman, which brings you back to the Angel Peak chair.
Don't be afraid to venture off and explore a little bit at your local mountain... but please remember, if you get off the trail, make sure you have a ski partner with you, as tree wells can have deadly consequences.
It's looking like we're off to a great ski and snowboard season so far. Get out there and enjoy winter! ♦
Bob Legasa has been a Snowlander contributor since 1994. He's also a Hayden-based independent videographer, TV producer and snowsports event promoter with his Freeride Media company.
