One of my most anticipated traditions has become the Annual Weekend-After-Memorial Ski Trip on Beartooth Pass.  On most years, Beartooth Pass - which Charles Kuralt once called "America's most scenic roadway" - opens on Memorial Weekend following a massive snowplowing effort.  What this means to desperate ski junkies suffering from withdraw is this: yet another chance to make some off-season turns with relatively little uphill pain.
 
Here's how it works. Drive numerous switchbacks to the top of Beartooth Pass (just under 11,000') and park. Unload ski gear and pack it approximately 1-1/2 miles across the tundra to the top of a pristine chute known as "Rock Creek Headwall." Gear up and ski 1500 vertical feet down to one particular turnout on the road. Pack gear back up, stick out thumb and hitch a ride back up the pass. Repeat process. Another variation is the "Gardiner Headwall." Here one drives a little farther up the pass, walks 100 feet from the car then drops into the beautiful run.  You then hike out to a different spot on the road, saving roughly 300 vertical feet of the 1200' ascent. A quick hitch-hike back to the car and you're ready for another go. Three or four of these laps/day and it's time to head down the pass to your campground, cook dinner, imbibe, sleep really well and... do it again the next day.
 
This year's trip is next weekend (June 1-2) and I can't wait!  Here are some shots from previous years:

Top of the pass with the "Bear's Tooth" behind in the distance
 
 
 
 

Unloading gear atop Rock Creek Headwall
 
 
 
 

RC Headwall in thin conditions
 
 
 
 

RC Headwall in good conditions
 
 
 
 

View of Gardiner Headwall (center)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Update 6/7/07: The ski trip was great! The 4 photos at the top of the article were taken this weekend. Although the snowpack was quite low this year, we found ample snow on all our intended runs. Obviously, a big draw for this trip is simply witnessing the stunning beauty of the Beartooth Mountains in spring. The hiking and skiing are just bonus features.
Blood sugar control was adequate, but not great until Sunday. I had been running a bit high (160-250 mg/dl), apparently overcompensating for the exercise. By Sunday I had finally found that "sweet spot", lowering my basal rate sufficiently (40%) for the hikes while still keeping enough insulin on board for the drive time and gaps between runs.
Next? Late June or July skiing on the east side of the Bridger Mountains.  The targeted run is called "The Great One" and is every bit of that!  More to follow...
- Jeff