Our destination, Mt. Lola’s backside ridge: While it looks smooth and even from a distance, it is more of a fun surreal uneven staircase. Stev starts down from

Upper Patch runs Looking up across the lake at possible patch skiing destinations: Spence: Stev: Spence bootpacking back up to the top of the upper patch… …and starting

Ski Lake panorama on the hike up: We would ski the “North America Patch” above Makisha and Penny for our second run. Ski Lake panorama looking down: Penny:

Backside Patches Looking across Lower Blue Lake up at the three backside patches on The Nipple: On the hike up I saw a cicada leaving its shell: Mark

Casey on the approach: Angels watching over the bootpacking skiers Casey and Spence: Stev follows: Casey’s view looking down: Casey: Spence: Stev boots up the Wu Tang Patch:

Stev and Makisha navigate a low bridge tree on the approach… Looking up at Saint Mary Peak Lookout: At the top we find an open air outhouse with

During a road trip to Montana we spent much of our day looking for access to skiable snow patches. At around 7:00 PM we arrived at Lost Trail

Looking out at Webber Ridge at the beginning of our hike out: Stev does “the point” on Webber Ridge: A view of northwest facing slopes near Castle Peak:

(Approach and first part of our first run.) Spence does “the point” at Castle Pass, elevation 7880′ Stev hiking up… …and “storming the castle” with a bootpack… Sequence

Stev and Penny head up: Stev bootpacks up… …and starts his first run… Stev bootpacks up for another run… …while Penny bites an invisible critter on the surface