Lone Tree Pass and Deer Mountain, Montana

[Noahpz]

Every winter I seem to find myself kiting in a place that resets the standard. Most of the time, these mountains are ones that I have only dreamed of kiting via Google Earth or by summer exploration. Oftentimes the location is deep in the wintery backcountry. To get there one needs a snowmobile and a capable partner. I’m lucky to have both.

Our most recent prize is Lone Tree Pass and Deer Mountain, north of the Centennials. Here we found a wide variety of terrain angles, side-on to fully up slope wind and spectacular views. Best of all, the scale of this spot felt limitless. Every ridge, mountain and canyon we kited across revealed another prize of untracked powder waiting!

In addition to the pure exhilaration of untracked powder, the freestyling on natural terrain features was everywhere we pointed out skis. Wind lips, cornices, couloirs and half pipes kept us grinning and laughing. The terrain was astounding.

Our view is that this barely tapped kite spot has huge potential. We are already thinking of a super-marathon of kiting from one end of the Centennials to the other by way of these mountain ridges.

Another surprise that day was the discovery of nearby Elk Mountain. While we have yet to kite there, this gem has the steepness and vertical to make lap after lap of top-to-bottom turns. Or for the gliders, Elk Mtn offers over a 1000 vertical feet of flight time.

What always amazes me about flying kites across the snowy landscape is the hour’s one spends soaking in the immense beauty. This spot is stunningly beautiful and is one that I can’t wait to visit again.

Enjoy the photos, thanks for reading, and see ya out there,

Noah

[knewschool]

Rad loooking place! Sign me up for that crossing someday!

[Noahpz]

Yesterday I as atop the Centennials looking north at Deer Mtn and Lone Tree. Here's a photo of the spot from above.

[waynepjh]

nice spot! How far from bozeman?

[lewmt]

Bile approach from Raynolds?

[Noahpz]

Two choices to ride your sled to Lone Tree: Eleven miles from Hwy 87 via Antelope Basin or 9 miles starting at the back side of Henry's Lake via Red Rock Pass and Alaska Basin.

Next time I go, I'll put out the word!

Noah