Nascar- Winterfest- January 19, 2025

 Leader: Francis Horton Participants: Billy Brown, Tony LeBaron

Nascar is an underrated gem in the Lolo Pass backcountry. Located just across the road from the Lolo Pass Visitor Center, this zone gets its name from the snowmobile trail that cuts through it—though despite the motorized presence, it's often quieter than you’d expect. The area offers a mix of open glades and lightly wooded terrain, easily accessed and ideal for lap-style touring. While some avalanche terrain exists, much of it can be avoided during higher hazard days. Still, Nascar really shines in the springtime, where it becomes a go-to for harvesting corn turns.

Our small group set out in good spirits, undeterred by the nearby snowmobile activity. We only encountered one small, respectful group, and the rest of the day felt remarkably quiet. We skinned up through the zone, weaving around parts of the hill climb track, and made our way to the northmost rise—an area I don’t ski often, but one that was in excellent condition.

Our first lap dropped down the skier’s left side of a lightly treed glade, which delivered the best turns of the day. After a quick regroup, we hit a ridge glade on the main face for a second lap. While enjoyable, it didn’t quite compare, so we returned to the north rise for one final descent before wrapping things up.