Stuart Peak via Ravine

Stuart Peak is easily visible from Missoula, and is a fun (if long) adventure ski into the Rattlesnake. Beyond Stuart lies a lot more terrain (including its northern slopes), so if you're fit enough for a long day, you can get a lot done out there!

The Basics

• Seasonality/Snow: Depending on the snowpack, Stuart is likely skiable from December through mid-April without too much booting.

• Route: This trip report starts at the Ravine trailhead, as it's slightly shorter (though there's slightly more gain). If you've got a bike and want to use it, you may want to access this line via the Corridor (which meets this route at ~5,100').

Equipment

Depending on when you’re going and what the snow is like, you’ll need some equipment to keep having fun. There are the obvious things, including your backcountry ski/splitboarding setup, personal safety gear (helmets, goggles, medkit, etc.), and appropriate layers to keep yourself warm and dry. And then there's the technical gear and the overnight gear:

• Avalanche safety gear: beacon, shovel, probe, and the know-how to use it!

• Traction: You probably don't need traction on this route, though maybe microspikes could help if the lower trails are super iced up.

• Radios: Radios are becoming more and more common in the backcountry skiing world, as they dramatically improve communication and safety, especially on more potentially bushwhacky routes like this one.

• GPS/Navigation: A GPS and a pre-loaded track for this tour will help you get to the lines you want!

A disclaimer on this description and included GPX track - this line was skied on a single trip with certain snow and avalanche conditions. The track described is a reasonable way to move through this terrain, and the description below mentions some of the hazards found during the trip. However, conditions may be significantly different when you visit this area. The advice in this trip report is not meant to be followed perfectly - you will need to adapt the route for the conditions you find and for your party’s abilities.

The Trip

Head up the trail (likely icy) toward the Snowbowl Overlook, before turning twice to head over toward Stuart. This section has a lot of tight tree skiing and fiddling before you're at 5,100' and the broader trail. From here, climb the trail, cutting the switchbacks as the snowpack allows. Once on the ridge leading up toward Stuart, leave the summer trail and cut straight up the ridge to the summit.

Enjoy the panoramic views from the summit before dropping north to Twin Lakes (if you want to add some steeper skiing to your trip) or reverse your uptrack all the way back to the car!

Please post an observation to the West Central Montana Avalanche Center after your trip, describing the travel conditions and snow stability you found! Submitting avy observations and writing trip reports on forums are great ways to contribute to the community and improve avalanche forecasts. It's also incredibly valuable to read the observations and trip reports written by others, as they'll help keep you updated on what the mountains are doing on a day-to-day basis. This will help determine whether you have a fun time next time you get out!