Global Adventure - Nordic Ski Glacier National Park and Schweitzer

PLEASE NOTE: The fee for this activity is $675. To register, you will be asked to pay a $500 deposit. At a later date we will ask for the remaining $175 as part of a separate payment. 

Itinerary Highlights:   The trip begins the morning of Sunday Feb 19 in West Glacier, Montana, just outside the National Park.  If choosing to travel by train, the Empire Builder arrives on Sunday morning around 8:00.   Our lodging is a house on the Isaak Walton Lodge property where we will enjoy a total of four days and three nights.  For two of those days we will ski or skate on the 33 km of groomed trails outside our door, and for the other two we will drive into Glacier National Park.  One day will be skiing on ungroomed trails and the other will be a guided ski on ungroomed moderate terrain.  If traveling by train, our next departure is in the evening on Wednesday and we arrive in Sandpoint, ID around midnight.  We’ll travel the 12 miles to Schweitzer Resort by taxi and will stay there in a ski in/ski out home for two nights.  There we will spend one day on the 25 km of groomed trails, and the second day will be spent doing an activity of your choice (downhill skiing, snowshoeing, nordic skiing – all self-paid), or you can spend the whole day relaxing in the hot tub!  The trip ends late in the day on Saturday Feb 25, when those of us traveling by train depart around midnight and then arrive in Seattle mid-morning on Sunday.  A home cooked, group dinner and breakfast will be provided by the leader, and all other meals will be self-catered or restaurant meals (cost not included in the trip).  Though the train tickets are not included, traveling by train is recommended and is part of the fun.  At the time of publication, a sleeper berth is $399 per person ($370 for seniors) for a berth with two people in it.  Leader can help participants find a berth mate, but tickets should be purchased asap as they sell out.  Participants are also welcome to drive (approx. 11 hours) and join the trip at its official starting point in West Glacier, MT.

Lodging:  A rented house on the Isaak Walton Lodge property (4 bedroom/2 bath) and then a large condo or rented home at the Schweitzer Resort (3 bedroom/2-3 bath).  Rooms will be shared.

Food: Leader will be cooking the group one dinner and one breakfast; for other meals you’ll have your choice of cooking or eating out.

Leader’s Experience:  Cindy Hoover has been a Mountaineer ski leader and Nordic instructor for over 10 years.  This is the second Global Adventures ski trip she has lead.

Participant Requirements:  Participants must be Mountaineers members with an up to date waiver on file.  A medical form and medical evacuation insurance will be required and trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended (not included).  Participants must be intermediate level skiers, and comfortable skiing on ungroomed trails of moderate difficulty.

Trip Price Detail:   $675 which includes ground  transportation (excluding the 2 overnight train trips and the train between Glacier and Sandpoint), lodging, one professionally guided ski, day nordic trail pass at Schweitzer, and two meals.  Not included is the balance of the meals, and one day’s trail/ski pass at Schweitzer (participants have a choice of downhill skiing, snowshoeing or Nordic skiing – all self-paid)

Registration Instructions: To register, contact the leader for permisssion, then pay a $500 deposit to secure your place on the roster.  The balance of $175 is due January 3, 2017.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel because of an emergency, you may receive a refund less expenses incurred and a $100 administrative fee.

The group will meet in the morning on Sunday Feb 19, 2017 at the Izaak Walton Inn.  If you choose to travel by overnight train, it departs Seattle Saturday Feb 18 at 4:40 pm and arrives in West Glacier the following morning.  The trip ends at Schweitzer late in the evening on February 25, 2017 - the overnight train arrives Seattle Sunday Feb 26 at 10:26 am.