KAMIAH, Idaho —The ski season has begun at Lolo Pass, and with it, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests snow rangers are hosting full moon skiing events. On December 29th, January 26th, and February 24th, the warming hut at Lolo Pass will be open to the wee hours, hot chocolate and tea will be on tap, and a different band will perform in the warming hut for attendees.
Lead Lolo Pass Snow Ranger James Sapp explained “Full moon ski events are our most popular events of the year, so we’ve expanded to do three of them this year. The hardest part of organizing the event is finding a band willing to perform in the unusual environment of our warming hut.” Despite the unusual venue, Sapp’s team has successfully found three bands to entertain skiers and music fans this year. The bands will perform from 6 PM PST until 8 or 9 PM (depending upon attendance) and rangers will be on hand until late in the evening to sell ski passes, which cost $5 per day or $35 for a season pass.
The performers this year are a diverse group of musicians. On December 29th, friendly chaos, an indie folk performer from Alberta will take to the Warming Hut stage, performing a mixture of emotionally compelling and silly songs. The Queens and Mr. G, a Missoula-based cover band of classically educated musicians who work as music teachers and symphony musicians will perform on January 26th. And of February 24th, the Pack Strings, a favorite from last year’s full moon events who perform a mix of original and cover songs will return to the warming hut.
Though the full moon may provide enough light for skiers, Sapp strongly advises visitors to bring a headlamp, “since we don’t know what kind of weather we’re going to have and if it is cloudy, there may not be enough moonlight that you can safely ski without a headlamp.” He also strongly advises attendees to “dress warmly and in layers and take the same precautions you would with any winter recreation.” While he has not personally seen any animals at the events, Sapp encourages visitors to keep their eyes peeled as “you might see a moose,” one of the many animals that call the Lolo Pass area their home.
And of course, if you are more of a daytime skier, Lolo Pass is open 7 days a week and its visitor center is open from 730 AM-400 PM PST, with hot chocolate on tap and friendly snow rangers on hand to answer your questions!
Skiers take a break to warm up during a Full Moon Ski Event
Lolo Pass Visitor Center lit by a full moon in 2022