Shane Stalling sailing the white seas and hooking stalefish. // Photo: Reid Morth

With dismal snow conditions near home it was time to strap down the sleds and head further into our Montana backyard. Teamed up with Shane Stalling, Todd Kirby, and Eli Weiner we headed South until we hit our favorite corner of the Beartooth wilderness. Near our the end of a 3 hour drive, the skies grayed and flakes begin to fall. With Shane as our guide we had some friends in high places - The High Country Motel to be exact. We rolled in early, squared away rooms for the next 4 days; linked up with Austin Hironaka, John Shaw and cinematographers Chris Grundberg and Tommy Little who just made the long haul from Seattle. - Wasting no time it was off for our first dip into some Montana fresh.

Without wasting anytime the crew stacked 2 jumps and packed out a few other hits in hopes that the weather would break. Pockets of sun where scarce and a family of skiers decided that - out of all the miles with access, the jump landing was the perfect spot to gape out. 

Odds were against us but the fun bus wasn't about to pull over - we searched deeper, tighter terrain until we found our fun, right up until check-out on our last afternoon at the High Country. Going our separate ways after getting a lot of powder filled smiles we coasted through Yellowstone on the road to home, rounding out my first Cooke trip of the season. 

John Shaw, Todd Kirby, Shane Stalling, Austin Hironaka and Eli Weiner all smiles during a lunch break. // Photo: Reid Morth

Couldn't ask for better digs! - Thanks to the crew at the High Country Motel. // www.cookecityhighcountry.com

Chris Grundberg checks in / Eli Weiner throws a BS 5 high over-head.  // Photo: Reid Morth

Jess Genter in the Cooke's mix. // Photo: Reid Morth

Todd Kirby floats out a FS 3. // Photo: Reid Morth

John Shaw taking some soul turns. // Photo: Reid Morth

Eli Weiner BS 3 / Booger Sugar // Photo: Reid Morth

Austin Hironaka sending into the 'abliss'  /  Raking in a few necker points during some hot laps straight from the sled. // Photo: Reid Morth

Sundown SW Montana. // Photo: Reid Morth

Todd Kirby clocking some frequent flyer points. / Shane Stalling lays out a slash.

// Photo: Reid Morth