Hi-Line Living: Ski Bear Paw

Opening day for the Bear Paw Ski Bowl was last weekend and it brought more than 100 skiers and snowboarders to Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation to participate in Havre's yearly tradition.

Dave Martens, the mountain manager for Bear Paw Ski Bowl, said that the opening day this year was very good. They had three inches of old snow, three inches of new snow and about an 18- to 36-inch base. It was sunny and calm on opening day Saturday, Jan. 16, until they had to close the lift down a little early due to high winds.

The ski bowl has been a part of the Hi-Line since December 1960 and has been frequented by Havreites and Hi-Liners since. The staff is completely made up of volunteer employees, save the lift operator who gets paid by the Chippewa Cree Business Committee.

Carly Huffman has been skiing at the ski bowl for three seasons, two of which she has spent as a volunteer.

"The hill is volunteer-run, so it's really important that members of the community offer their time," Huffman said. "I'm happy to help if it means they stay operational."

The ski bowl sits on the Rocky Boy reservation, just north of Beaver Creek Park. It has

multiple runs of varying difficulties that are separated by

chairlift stops. The double-chair lift has a midway unloading area that intermediate and beginner visitors can use. On the second and final stop on the chairlift, it is solid black diamonds.

"We have steep stuff," Martens said. "Really steep stuff on the north side."

The mountain is watched by a fully certified ski patrol to keep all its customers safe and to tend to anyone who gets injured during their runs of the mountain. The patrolmen switch off between watching the mountain and working the concessions, which sells foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers. The concessions pay for supplies for the ski patrol like toboggans and oxygen.

Martens said he had enough volunteers to prepare the mountain before the season began and has just enough to run it after, but he is always looking for new members.

"We're short on ski patrolmen and on volunteers in general," he said. "We need new blood."

To get certified as a ski patrol member, one must take a course that covers outdoor emergency care, how to transport people in a toboggan and other skills necessary to take on situations that may arise on a ski slope. The course has a bookwork element but also requires practical work on an actual slope, which Bear Paw Ski Bowl offers.

Martens added that the ski bowl would not exist or be possible without the Chippewa Cree tribe.

Ski lift tickets are $20 for adult tickets and $18 for students. For tribal members, tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students. Children 8 and younger and people older than 80 ski for free.

Martens said the bikinis-ski-free policy does not begin until March 1.

Bear Paw Ski Bowl's season generally lasts until around March or April. Martens said they shut the slope down when the people stop coming.

"Our snow always outlasts our skiers," he said. "People start golfing when it gets warmer in town."

To check on weather and slope conditions, call 395-4040. The weather is slated to be warmer this weekend, so people are urged to call ahead or visit the Facebook page for updates.