Experience the Scotchman's winter wonders

It may feel gray in town, but there is snow in the mountains! 

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness offers plenty of free guided hikes this winter, so bust out those snowshoes and trekking poles and fill your thermos with hot cocoa. 

Whether you’re new to snow hiking or a seasoned alpinist, the Friends have an adventure for you.

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness offers free guided hikes year-round to get folks exploring every side of their wild backyard. And what a beautiful side it is! 

There’s nothing quite like the sight of white blankets covering the peaks and forests of the undisturbed Scotchmans.

It’s a great opportunity to learn more about winter ecosystems, keep your body moving and avoid the crowds.

There are few better feelings than trekking out into the winter landscape with snowshoes on your feet, enjoying the crisp winter air and the snow-laden trees. 

Hiking in the winter can be intimidating, but with this series of free guided hikes, FSPW hopes to get more people comfortable exploring our wild backyard every season of the year.

Sound enticing? That’s a normal reaction. 

The good news is there’s no shortage of winter hike dates already booked. They include:

- Saturday, Jan. 6: New Year Hike – Star Peak; 

- Saturday, Jan. 13: Hiking with Kids; 

- Sunday, Jan. 14: Regal Creek hike; 

- Tuesday, Jan. 16: Ross Creek Cedars hike; 

- Wednesday, Jan. 17: Goat Mountain hike; 

- Saturday, Feb. 3: Annual Ross Creek Cedars snowshoe; 

- Saturday, Feb. 10: Dry Creek Wildlife ID and Tracking with Wild Montana; 

- Saturday, Feb. 24: Snow Moon snowshoe; Feb. 25: Star Peak Viewing snowshoe.

Those who are interested may sign up for a hike at scotchmanpeaks.org/hikes-events-schedule/.

Keep an eye on the calendar, as new hikes are added frequently.