Brice Jones and Charles Savoia conceived the idea for a business venture, Yurtski, while having a beer during a break from fighting the intense wildfires of 2000. After five winter camping and skiing trips near Morrell Mountain, they started Yurtski in the Swan Mountains.
“It was probably after the third or fourth time up there skiing waist deep powder that we were like, ‘yeah, this is it,’ Charles said.
In order to put a yurt near the base of Morrell Mountain, they secured a special-use forest service permit. The permit allows Yurtski to operate from Dec.1 through April 1, when grizzly bears are in hibernation.
“I guess they go to bed December 1 and wake up on April 1,” Brice joked.
Now in their fourth year, Yurtski provides a unique backcountry experience for powder hounds and Telemark junkies. They offer fully-catered, guided and self-service trips. Guests are asked to come equipped with avalanche knowledge and avalanche gear, transceivers, shovels and probes. You can contact yurtski at (406) 327-6802 or on the web at www.yurtski.com.
The history of Telemark skiing began in the mid 1800s in the hilly Telemark region of Norway where skis were primarily used to go between small isolated communities during the winter. The birth of Telemark skiing and the Telemark turn is often attributed to Norwegian Sondre Nordheim. Nordheim began skiing not just for transportation, but for fun. He is credited for inventing curved pine Telemark skis, heel strap bindings made of willow and the Telemark turn.
With the Telemark skis and bindings of old and new, the boot is attached at the front and the heel is free, whereas in traditional downhill skiing the entire boot is attached to the ski. Unlike parallel skiing, the skier turns with one ski slightly in front of the other. The skier weights the front ski with his entire foot and bends his rear leg slightly to weight the back ski with just the toe of his boot.
Of course, you don’t climb a mountain with Telemark skis on their own. Climbing skins, which work on the same principals as fish scales on the bottom of cross-country skis, provide great traction for the uphill climb. Skins are made of mohair and angora goat hair as well as synthetic nylon. The glue on one side of the climbing skins helps them adhere to the base of the ski, but allows the skin to be removed easily at the top of the hill. The coarse hair of the skin material points toward the tail of the ski, giving the skin easy glide forward and incredible grip for the uphill. It’s a great way to climb.