For diehard skiers, the opening of two mountain passes means ski season is far from over. This weekend, transportation officials from Montana and Colorado will be opening multiple pass roads, which offer some of the best summer skiing in the lower 48.
In Montana, Beartooth Pass will open tomorrow for Memorial Day Weekend and Independence Pass in Colorado should be open starting at 12pm MST today (weather permitting). Both locales are popular backcountry ski destinations and provide unprecedented access to alpine ski routes that are inaccessible during the winter months.
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Thanks to CDOT and CAIC working together, some of the most precarious slide paths on Independence Pass have been controlled. However, CAIC as well as GNFAC officials strongly recommend skiers check the weather, snowpack, and plan early starts before the snow becomes unstable.