Sometimes, when winter beckons, all you need is a sled and a hill.
Sledding is the most basic and inexpensive of our nation’s cherished winter pastimes. Toddlers hop on sleds with their parents, teenagers bomb down inclines and adults revisit their youth by gliding down Montana snow-covered hills.
In Kalispell, sledders like to head to the “gully,” a hill in Dry Bridge Park, located where 12th Street West meets Woodland Avenue. Or, at the town’s western edge near Foys Lake, Herron Park can accommodate over 100 sledders at a time. The county maintains the hill and plows a parking lot.
Up in Whitefish, the place to sled for all ages is the Great Northern Veterans Peace Park, situated at the end of Ramsey Avenue. It is maintained by a group of volunteers and provides gentle slopes with a few steeper dips. It levels out in a nice open space.
Don’t be scared by the name of the top sledding destination in Columbia Falls: “Killer Hill.” While it can offer excitement, it’s open to all ages and is crowded throughout the winter.
So go buy your favorite sled or tube and take advantage of the simplest winter pleasure of them all.
If the winter solace you seek involves a little less speed than sledding, give snowshoeing a try. Several stores in the valley offer snowshoes for rent or purchase, including Sportsman Ski Haus in Kalispell (406-755-6484) and Whitefish (406-862-3111), Rocky Mountain Outfitter (406-752-2446) in Kalispell, Tamarack Ski and Patio (406-863-9535) in Whitefish, and the Glacier Outdoor Center (406-888-5454) in West Glacier.
There are groomed snowshoeing trails – which cross country skiers often use as well – across the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. For the park, visit the Apgar Visitor Center or the park’s headquarters for trail maps, rentals or information about snowshoe programs. Contact Glacier National Park at (406) 888-7800.
One of the most popular snowshoeing destinations is Round Meadows, located northwest of Whitefish off Star Meadows Road. It is un-groomed and free of charge. Call the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce at (406) 862-3501 for more information.
Another snowshoeing destination is Stillwater Nordic (406-862-7004), which has miles of dog-friendly trails for a fee. Lodging is available. Meadow Lake Resort (406-892-8700) in Columbia Falls also has snowshoeing, as does the Glacier Outdoor and Raft Company in West Glacier (800-235-6781).
While snowshoeing is a workout, perhaps you’d prefer others to do the work for you. Then dog sledding could be your ticket.
Jeff Ulsamer has been operating Dog Sled Adventures Montana for 30 years, giving rides to hundreds of folks each winter. The adventure starts behind his house near Olney in Stillwater State Forest, with each 12-mile ride lasting about an hour and a half. Tours are offered seven days a week, beginning at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. through March. He also does a couple of shifts at Whitefish Mountain Resort during the week.
The rides cost $90 per adult and $45 per child. You can reach Dog Sled Adventures at (406) 881-2275 or go online to www.dogsledadventuresmontana.com.
A new dog sledding company has also started up: Base Camp Bigfork. Base Camp offers trips at hourly rates of $60, half-day excursions for $125 per person, full-day adventures for $200 per person and other packages, including multi-day excursions with lodging. Kids rates are available. And you can also try your hand at skijoring, a sport in which dogs tow you on cross country skis.
Contact Mark and Samantha Schurke for more information at (406) 871-9733 or at [email protected]. Their Web site is www.basecampbigfork.com.
For those who wish to enjoy their winter days within city limits, Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish each have ice rinks for leisurely skating and hockey. Whitefish’s Stumptown Ice Den is the longest-running rink in the valley. Public skating, drop-in hockey and curling are available. Call (406) 863-2477 to find out the rink’s daily schedule and rates.
At Kalispell’s Woodland Ice Center, you can skate underneath the stars. The Flathead Valley Hockey Association took over management this year and has done a wonderful job. It offers both public skating and hockey opportunities. Call (406) 758-7813 for daily schedules and fees. Lessons and other programs are available at both the Kalispell and Whitefish rinks.
The Columbia Falls ice rink, located at Horine Park, is in its second year of operation. The 70-foot-by-90-foot rink doesn’t have organized programs like the other two rinks, but people can skate there until 10 p.m. each night. Call the public works department at (406) 892-4430.
One of the most niche, yet quite popular, winter activities here is ice fishing. The Flathead is the most lake-plentiful region of Montana and the ice fishing opportunities are boundless. Call Snappy Sports Senter at (406) 257-7525 for information on where to go, equipment and other tips.
Snowmobile rentals are available at Extreme Motor Sports (406-862-8594) and Winter Wonderland Snowmobile Rentals (406-257-2627). For questions about where to go and regulations, contact the Flathead Snowmobile Association by visiting its Web site at www.flatheadsnowmobiler.com or by e-mail [email protected].
All of which brings us to the most relaxing of all outdoor winter delights: sleigh rides. For sleigh ride opportunities, contact Bar W Guest Ranch (406-863-9099), Gaynor’s Resorts (406-862-3802), Cripple Creek Horse Ranch (406-889-3674) or Hanson’s Carriage Company (406-261-6791).