Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 27 ROSS CREEK CEDARS SCENIC AREA Tucked in a moisture-trapping creek drainage high above the Bull River valley on the east side of the Scotch- man Peaks Proposed Wilderness Area in northwest Montana's Cabinet Mountains, the Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area shelters some truly astonishing tree specimens. A 0.9-mile interpretive trail winds around and under some of Montana's largest, oldest trees. In the winter, snowshoe the 3-mile access road to access the cathedral-quiet grove. Stand in awe of snow-covered cedars that at- tained old-growth status well before Columbus spied the Americas. A viewpoint halfway up the road caps continuous climbing with views of Snowshoe and A Peaks and the Ibex Creek drainage of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. Once in the grove, note the vast temperature difference compared to the surrounding area; in deep winter, it can be literally breathtaking. Many of the cedars have heart rot typical of this species, the hollowed-out hulks providing homes for numerous birds and mammals. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From Troy, drive east 2 miles on US 2. Turn right on MT 56, and drive 18 miles to Ross Creek Road (FS Road 398). Turn right and drive 1 mile to the winter parking area. S NOWSHOE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED SIGNIFI- CANTLY FROM WHEN TRAPPERS STRAPPED ON BENT- WOOD-AND-LEATHER CONTRAPTIONS THE LENGTH OF SKIS. But the simple technique and its attendant rewards have not. In short, if you can walk you can snowshoe. And if you can walk it, you can snowshoe it. at said, some of Montana's hiking trails lend themselves especially well to winter travel, with easy trailhead ac- cess, scenery that a coat of snow suits well, and rewards spread over the length of the trail to accommodate the slower pace and shorter days of snow travel. Strap in for five of the state's best snowshoe treks, where the dramatic backdrops also remain unchanged from those wood-and-leather days. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A' S C H O I C E ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY AARON THEISEN 5 1 SNOWSHOE TRAILS

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