Montana — The terrain at Bridger Bowl was altered in late July, following a heavy rainstorm at the Montana ski area. The landslide has led many to question what the impacts will be on the terrain for future ski seasons.
Last week, KBZK traveled to Bridger Bowl to chat with Hiram Towle, who’s entering his fourth winter as General Manager of the Montana ski area. Towle noted that the terrain impacted by the slides includes trails that can be accessed on the High Traverse.
He described to KBZK which specific terrain zones were damaged:
“Everything above North Bowl? You can see all of the chutes. Some of the most significant damage, however, is farther south. The South Bowl area. The Zits. A lot of those ripped out to the point where if I went and stood in it, it would be up to my chest or deeper.”
The good news is that despite the slides getting close to the Pierre’s Knob chairlift, no lifts or infrastructure were impacted. Towle noted that clean-up will occur, but other parts are unreachable, which will impact the terrain for the 2025-26 and future winters. This means that the terrain will ski differently, may feature hazards during thin cover conditions, and will need more snow to fill in completely.
This week, work will begin on clearing the debris from around North Bowl Road. Guests are being asked to stay clear of the North Bowl Road and the surrounding areas for the foreseeable future.
It’s also impacted the local waterways. KBZK also reported on locals’ concerns that waterways had become murkier as a result of the Bridger Bowl landslides. While some sediment movement into waterways is normal, large amounts of it could result in negative impacts on macroinvertebrates and fish. Ultimately, the sediment could end up making its way to the Mississippi River.
Image/Video Credits: Bridger Bowl Ski Area
