For reservations, confirmations, and questions please contact John Lehrman: For questions only please call 406-531-1486 The lodge, accessed via a private, snow covered, mountain road, is located one quarter mile from the toe of a 2500' vertical descent slope. Full size photo of Little Downing Mtn. ONE PAGE PRINTABLE INFO SHEET.
March 2010 testimonial-- "Hey John, Just wanted to let you know that we had a great time at the Yurt, and many of us want to go back and check it out again sometime on a better snow year. We hiked every day did 3 run days mostly in Crown and Avy. What cool and fun terrain. Skiing through all the Larch was cool and the conditions up top were good sun filtered powder. The lower half of Avy bowl was definitely spicy but the walk back to the cabin was not too long. Having the yurt so large and furnished was a treat from what we usually get.Thank you for having us and our pups.We all had a wonderful vacation.Micah Vitoff" Amenities-*3000 square foot log-built backcountry ski lodge, *Sleeps TEN, *fully equipped kitchen,*outside deck with jacuzzi, *private access road, *1.5 ski in, *snowmachine shuttles for gear, *three hours from Missoula to lodge including hike, *up to 3000 vertical foot ski runs, *bunny hill adjacent to lodge, *catered food service available, *sledding hills, *snowshoe trails, *high speed wi-fi, *two bathrooms, *outside shower, *t.v. dvd and stereo systems, *bunkbeds *foosball
Wilderness Skiing, Private Access, 3000' vertical Rates for the 2010-2011 season New Years and Beyond-  Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday nights....$50 per person per night. Six guests and a two night minimum requested only for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holiday night stays. Weekdays- $45 per person. No minimum nights or minimum guests. 7% Montana accommodations tax applicable to all stays. **For exclusive use of lodge, we request a four person minimum on weekdays or payment in lieu.** A six person minimum is requested on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday nights or payment in lieu of minimum guests. Please make checks payable to John Lehrman, Downing Mountain Lodge or Backcountryfocus Inc. and mail to Backcountry Focus, John Lehrman, 536 Blodgett camp Rd, Hamilton, Montana 59840 Snowmachine shuttles available to the backcountry ski lodge for luggage only. $35 per load one way. We can provide a pulk sled for the outbound traveler. A six person minimum is requested on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday nights or payment in lieu of 6 guests. On Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday nights, we request a two night minimum stay. For exclusive use of lodge on weekdays we request a four person minimum. Please make checks payable to John Lehrman or Backcountryfocus Inc. and mail to BackcountryFocus, John Lehrman, 536 Blodgett camp Rd, Hamilton, Montana 59840 Internationally Trained chef available! $100 per person per day. Reservations: For Reservations to and questions about the Downing Mountain backcountry ski lodge please contact downingmountain@gmail.com 406-531-1486. Reservations are on a first come basis and can be reserved months in advance or on the day, given availability. Confirmation of your booking occurs with payment no later than 60 days in advance of trip.
Please see 2009-2010 AND NOW 2011 calendar below for availability. BY NIGHT. O-available/open night X-unavailable /occupied For exclusive use of lodge, we request a four person minimum on weekdays and a six person minimum on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday nights or payment in lieu of minimum guests. *************December 2009***************
**************January 2010***************
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Booked nights: 21 as of 9-24-09, 32 nites as of 9-27-09, 36 AO 10-06-09; 40 AO 10-16-09; 65 AO 11-18-09; 72 AO 11-30-09; 78 AO 12-05-09; 90 AO 12-15-09; 101 ao 1-12-10 Total possible booking nights: 125 Booked weekends: 4 as of 9-03-09----- 7 as of 9-27-09. 9 AO 11-18-09; 11 AO 11-30-09; 12 AO 12-6-09; 16 AO 1-12-10 Total weekends: 18 2010-2011 SCHEDULE OF AVAILABILITY O=OPEN X-RESERVED *************December 2010***************
**************January 2011***************
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********************April 2011********
PRICES FOR 2010-2011 SEASON WILL BE: $50/PER/PERSON PER NIGHT ON FRIDAY -SUNDAY AND HOLIDAY NIGHTS, SIX GUESTS MINIMUM $45/PER PERSON PER NIGHT ON MONDAY-THURSDAY NIGHT. FOUR GUEST MINIMUM 7% ACCOMODATIONS TAX ADDED TO ALL LODGING BILLS Parking only at Switchback 11. Chains and 4 wheel drive required for safe access. Carpooling encouraged due to limited parking.
*3000 square foot
log-built lodge *Sleeps TEN *fully equipped kitchen *outside deck with jacuzzi *private access road *1.5 mile ski in *snowmachine shuttles for gear *three hours from Missoula to lodge including hike *up to 3000 vertical foot ski runs *bunny hill adjacent to lodge *catered food service available *sledding hills *snowshoe trails *high speed wi-fi *two bathrooms *outside shower *t.v. dvd and stereo systems *bunkbeds Downing Mountain Backcountry Ski Lodge is a round, yurt-style log structure with a thirty foot covered entryway. With a propane gas furnace, wood stove and and a central fireplace the lodge stays warm. Running water is available in the kitchen and two common bathrooms with flush toilets as well. Bring a towel for use with the jacuzzi. Bedrooms- One bedroom has a single
bunkbed (beds for two) and the larger bedroom has two bunkbeds, twin over full
(beds for six). The full commercial kitchen has plenty of food storage space in refrigerator and freezer and there is a large dishwashing sink. The main part of the lodge is a common room adjacent to the fireplace with dining tables and a lounge area. There are full windows on the east side of the lodge with expansive views of the Bitterroot Valley below.
 Newspaper and Magazine Articles/Reviews Ravalli Republic article 1-9-09, Missoula Independent Article, November 27th, 2008, Ravalli Republic Article October 18, 2008 Article about the lodge in Off The Grind
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Two additional single bunks are available. Bring your own bedding/sleeping bags.
We supply the mattresses, pillows, top sheet and pillow cases
Your
day may start soaking in the hot tub with sunrise spilling over the Sapphire Mountains
into the Bitterroot Valley and progress to some strong coffee or green tea in
the lodge with just enough Yoga in front of the fireplace to get the blood flowing.
After breakfast, it's time for the skin trail. Packing some snacks or lunch and
donning skins in the lodge, you emerge into the breezeway where skis are fitted
and then your party files out onto the skin trail. Following a gentle grade at
first along a subridge, views of Little Downing Mountain Bowl are right out the
door. After a fifteen to twenty minute warmup the ridge steepens a bit more and
the trail enters a lodgepole forest leaving the ponderosa pine behind. Novices
in the party may opt to ski short bunny slopes in the vicinity of the lodge or
peel out south into the toe of the bowl to ski the runout back to the lodge. Most
skiers will want to continue the full 2500 vertical feet up to the summit of the
ridge where the views of Mill Point and Ward Mountain are best. From this first
high point many snow sliders will opt to ski a direct fall line 2500 back down
through open trees and the bowl to within a short 200 yds traverse to the lodge.
With slopes from 28-35 degrees the skiing is solid intermediate to advanced and
the powder can be deep especially in the upper 1500 vertical. Lunch may beckon
those descending back to the lodge, while more intrepid skiers will wish to extend
their tour another 500 vertical out to further bowls, tree skiing and touring
and make a full day of being out in the mountains.
lodge.
The lodge is located at the end of a private access road on private
land at 5550 feet elevation and borders National Forest lands leading to Downing
Mountain due west of Hamilton Montana. Private access ensures that lodge guests
will not have to compete with the public for first tracks or with snowmachine
traffic at all. 
The
skiing/snowboarding on Downing Mountain is outstanding with an average snowpack
depth in mid-winter at 7500 feet of 2-3 meters (6-9 feet). Snowpack at the lodge
is considerably less (around 1 meter) allowing good primary access throughout
the winter season. With runs from 500-3000 and steepnesses from 25-50 degrees
it is bound to satisfy a wide range of skiers/boarders and abilities. The terrain
is primarily suited for the strong intermediate to advanced skier. With aspects
ranging from north through east to south there is an abundance of skiing opportunities
to be had on the mountain. Primarily open tree skiing there are some treeless
bowls, cliffs, and tight chutes to ski as well. 
The
Downing Mountain Lodge is due west of Hamilton Montana. Take main street west
to Westside Road, turn left at the Grubstake sign and drive south to a veering
right turn onto Owings Creek rd. Follow this road into the forest and veer right
onto Grubstake Road (this is a good place to chain up the tires). After 100 yds
turn left staying on Grubstake Road and proceed through the gate. Follow this
road for about 1.5 miles to the parking lot at switchback 11 below the cable gate.
The ski/snowshoe in from there is 1.5 miles and a 750 foot elevation gain. If
you must leave a vehicle on the lower road below Switchback 11, PLEASE park only
at the end of the county road, east of the trash cans and mail boxes on the south
side of the Owings Creek rd. Parking not available inside or at the wooden gate
at the bottom of Grubstake rd. 
