The snow has held and we will be holding the 2026 Bald Mountain Loppet! In Scandinavia, a loppet is a long-distance, non-competitive group ski. Here on the Palouse, we have our own loppet – from the Palouse Divide trailhead to the Bald Mountain Lookout Tower.

When: February 28, 2026; Start time: 8:30–9:30am

Distance: 18 miles, roundtrip; Estimated skiing time: 5-6 hours

Today, an amazing team of groomers prepared the entire route, which entails a 9-mile, 1,715-foot climb to the top of Bald Mountain and back. It should be warm-ish — but warm-ish for the top of Bald Mountain in late February still means pack smart! Participation in the loppet is free. We will gladly accept donations to help us continue to ensure reliable Nordic skiing on the Palouse, honestly, we will be just happy to see your smiling face on the trip with us after the slow start to the year we have had! The club will have hot drinks, soups, some snacks, and a fire at the lookout tower for participants. Register by completing the registration form at this link: https://form.jotform.com/240298078568167. We have room for 40 skiers, but since the snow conditions were extremely uncertain until today, there still plenty of spots right now!

Other skiing at the Divide this weekend should be on as well, though probably north-facing Hume Rd will be a better bet than south-facing Meadow Creek, for instance.