The Last Best Ski - Jim & Claudia Schaeffer / Yellowstone Backcountry

Jim & Claudia Schaeffer (my folks) spent winters in the late 70s working at the new Big Sky Resort and off hours exploring Yellowstone National Park on backcountry skis. The meadows and ski basins along corridor from Big Sky to Yellowstone have a timeless feel, not having changed much over all those years.

I like the quietness. The snow conditions are great, it’s dry snow, easy to wax. I like being able to see critters running around. There’s buffalo; we have seen wolves driving through Lamar (Valley) in the wintertime. And the lack of people in the wintertime. A lot of the stuff that’s really busy in the summertime turns in to a defacto wilderness, so it’s a totally different experience in the winter.

The author with his folks skiing on a very cold day near Cooke City - 1977

The author with his folks skiing on a very cold day near Cooke City - 1977

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Big Sky Season Passes

1974-1975

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Jim & Claudia skiing up the wide teepee creek basin just out side of Yellowstone national Park

Tee Pee Creek

Come back to TheLastBestSKI.com for more interviews and the scoop on skiing SW Montana.  Until next time.  Happy Trails!